Lockheed Martin® EC-121 Super Constellation®, 553rd Reconnaissance Wing (1971)

Description: Lockheed Martin® EC-121 Super Constellation®, 553rd Reconnaissance Wing (1971) Fly with the 553rd Reconnaissance Wing with 1970s livery in this handcrafted Lockheed EC-121 Super Constellation model. Each piece is carved from wood and handpainted to provide a piece you'll love. Length - 16 inches; Width - 18 inches Made from Mahogany US Naval Aviator Owned Business Officially Licensed by Lockheed Martin The product is not intended to be used by children 12 years and younger. LOCKHEED MARTIN®, CONSTELLATION®, associated emblems and logos, and body designs of vehicles are either registered trademarks or trademarks of Lockheed Martin Corporation in the USA and/or other jurisdictions, used under license by Squadron Nostalgia The Lockheed EC-121 Warning Star was an American airborne early warning and control radar surveillance aircraft operational in the 1950s in both the United States Navy (USN) and United States Air Force (USAF). The military version of the Lockheed L-1049 Super Constellation was used to serve as an airborne early warning system to supplement the Distant Early Warning Line, using two large radomes (a vertical dome above and a horizontal one below the fuselage). It replaced the TBM-3W used by the USN. Some EC-121s were also used for signal intelligence gathering. The EC-121 was introduced in 1954 and phased out in 1978, although a single specially modified EW aircraft remained in USN service until 1982. The USN versions when initially procured were designated WV-1 (PO-1W), WV-2, and WV-3. The USAF Warning Stars served during the Vietnam War both as electronic sensor monitors and as a forerunner to the Boeing E-3 Sentry AWACS. USAF aircrews adopted its civil nickname, "Connie" (diminutive of Constellation) as reference, USN aircrews used the nickname "Willie Victor". The 553d Reconnaissance Squadron is an inactive United States Air Force unit. It was last assigned to the 388th Tactical Fighter Wing and stationed at Korat Royal Thai Air Force Base. It was first active during World War II as the 10th Photographic Reconnaissance Squadron. History Constituted in 1942 as the 10th Photographic Squadron, the squadron conducted replacement training in Oklahoma for aircrew and photographic technicians. Established as the 553d Reconnaissance Squadron in 1967 at Otis AFB, Massachusetts. Moved to Thailand as an electronic warfare squadron to detect vehicles along the Ho Chi Minh Trail in Indochina. If enemy vehicles could be detected then stopped, then a major quantity of enemy supplies into South Vietnam would be halted. The "electronic fence" concept envisioned using Navy sonobuoys delivered along the Ho Chi Minh Trail by air, with special receivers in the 553d Reconnaissance Wing EC-121 aircraft to pick up the signals. The EC-121 would, when in range, automatically relay the signals picked up to the Infiltration Center at Nakhon Phanom RTAFB. Several target areas along the Ho Chi Minh Trail were outside of the range of the relay equipment; during out of range flights the signals were processed manually by the crew on board the EC-121R, then radioed via High Frequency Single Side Band radio directly to Seventh Air Force Headquarters in Saigon, South Vietnam.

Price: 383 USD

Location: Seymour, Tennessee

End Time: 2025-01-23T14:36:40.000Z

Shipping Cost: 0 USD