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Dr. Ronald P. Rogers CHIROPRACTOR Support for your body's natural healing capabilities 270-384-5554 Click here for details 
  
Columbia Gas Dept. GAS LEAK or GAS SMELL Contact Numbers 24 hrs/ 365 days 270-384-2006 or 9-1-1 Call before you dig 
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Historical marker progress update. One exciting piece of News! Click on headline for brierf summary of the event plus photo of letter from Kentucky Historical Society and links to a two part series by Chris Bennett By Chris Bennett I finally received official word on Saturday that our marker had been accepted. For those of you that had not thought about it, today, Monday the 12th is the 45th anniversary of the crash. I guess it is only fitting that word came almost to the very day of the anniversary of the crash. I have included a copy of the letter I received, and will keep you all posted. I wanted to thank everyone for their help, and encouraging comments. I guess the next big thing is the dedication date, and all the planning that goes with it.... If any one has questions or comments please contact me! I hope every one is able to enjoy the holidays with their loved ones, Merry Christmas! Thank You -Chris Bennett Phone 270-378-1036 Now, a brief story of the Crash At the height of cold war tensions, on a dark December night in 1966, the residents of the small community of McKinney, in Lincoln County, Kentucky, were startled. The sound of a violent explosion shook their homes. Fearing the worst, many residents thought they had been attacked by a foreign power; others thought a gas main had exploded. Everyone in the area knew a major catastrophe had occurred. Many of the residents converged on the area to find a large 30-foot crater in the earth. Multiple fires were burning all along the hillside, and it was there the residents found the wreckage of an Air Force jet. The plane had a three-man crew; sadly all three Air Force officers had lost their lives in the crash. One of the airmen had ejected at the last second, but he did not survive the trauma. The fallen heroes were pilot Major Richard F Blakeslee, Captain Floyd E Acker, and Captain Clarence D Lunt. The plane was operating out of Bunker Hill Air Force Base in Indiana. All three men left widowed wives and fatherless children. Unfortunately in the chaos that followed, many of McKinneys younger citizens visited the crash site. These children were exposed to the realism of our world at a young age. It affected many of them deeply. Although they were hundreds of miles apart they suffered along with the children of the airmen that had lost their fathers prematurely. In ironic contrast, the violent crash at McKinney had taken place on a serene hillside, in a beautifully picturesque area of the knobs region of Kentucky. After the initial confusion, the residents of McKinney banded together under the leadership of a local Minister to aid the Kentucky State Police and the Air Force investigation team. The community came together again when the families of the fallen officers visited in the spring of the next year. The B-58 Hustler was the first operational supersonic jet bomber capable of Mach 2 flight. The intended purpose of the plane was to fly at high altitudes and speeds to avoid Soviet fighters, and drop a nuclear payload on cities of the Soviet Union. At a point in history there were 12 of these planes armed and ready to fly at a moments notice. They carried a nuclear device strong enough to level a city the size of Chicago. The later introduction of highly accurate Soviet surface-to-air missiles forced the B-58 into a low-level penetration role that severely limited its range and strategic value. This along with ICBMs led to a brief operational career between 1960 and 1969.The plane that crashed at McKinney was practicing this type of low level-bombing exercise. The Convair B-58 Hustler became the first United States Air Force bomber to fly at supersonic speeds on December 30, 1956. It set numerous world records soon after its introduction. The B-58 Hustler was at the cutting edge of technology for its time. Because of this the flight crew had to devote their full attention to aircraft systems. Particular attention had to be paid to flight trim as fuel was consumed. Flight protocols during take off and landings had to be followed rigidly or an aircraft could be lost. Technical features included double redundant flight system hydraulics, escape capsule ejection, light weight, heat disbursing fiberglass and aluminum construction, titanium fasteners, movable cones fitted to engine intakes, advanced avionics including radar targeting, navigation, and electronics counter measures. Of the 116 Convair B-58 Hustler bombers produced, 26 were lost. Thirty-six crewmembers lost their lives. During its operational life, the B-58 averaged loosing three of Americas finest per year. -CHRIS BENNETT This story was posted on 2011-12-12 02:40:45
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Have comments or corrections for this story? Use our contact form and let us know. (AD) - Many Reunion organizing efforts are also advertised in our REUNIONS category in our CM Classifeds. These are posted at a very low cost. See RATES & TERMS More articles from topic Local History:
QUERY: Wants photo of Granvil Burton The Lindsey-Wilson: Pride of every thinking person in Adair Co. The Race of Milltown Bridge Another courthouse Christmas bazaar: 106 years ago JIM recalls worker who replaced basket atop courthouse Adair Co Courthouse: Being in use is important thing Von Price: Never let anything happen to the Courthouse George Rice: Leave wings on Historic Courthouse Caleb Powers: Great orator spoke in Historic Adair Courthouse Jose Massilenia Pablio came to Adair Co., with James W. Sexton View even more articles in topic Local History |
 
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