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  • Keeping the Bear at Bay

    The Convair B-36 Peacemaker served as the U.S. Air Force's primary strategic nuclear bomber in the 1950s. Although the aircraft never dropped a bomb in combat, its range and nuclear weapons capability made it a powerful deterrent to communist aggression.In 1941 when Britain's survival appeared

  • Kaman HH-43B Huskie

    The U.S. Air Force acquired the HH-43 Huskie primarily for local base rescue (LBR) and fighting aircraft fires. Kaman delivered the first USAF H-43As in November 1958, and the B series followed in June 1959. In 1962 the USAF changed the H-43 designation to HH-43 to reflect the aircraft's rescue

  • K-Bases in Korea

    The USAF had numerous air bases in Korea, and many of these were former Japanese airfields. The spelling of Korean locations on maps varied greatly, and villages had a Korean and a Japanese name. A "K" number identified individual airbases in both northern and southern Korea to prevent confusion

  • Korean War Introduction

    "The Air Force is on trial in Korea."- Gen. Hoyt S. Vandenberg, USAF Chief of Staff, 1950 The U.S. Air Force was only three years old as a separate service when North Korea invaded South Korea in the summer of 1950. The next three years brought significant changes in technology, roles and tactics,

  • Korean War Leaflets and Safe Conduct Passes

    Leaflets dropped by Air Force aircraft communicated many different themes. One type of leaflet was a warning against UN air attack. The ones meant for civilians directed them to stay away from unexploded ordnance, or roads, railways and other military targets. The ones aimed toward soldiers tried to

  • K-24 Camera

    Note:  This item has temporarily been removed from display.The K-24 camera, developed in 1942, is a modification of the British F-24 camera. The K-24 camera is 10 pounds lighter than its British counterpart. More than 9,000 K-24 cameras were made for use in tactical reconnaissance aircraft in World

  • Kawanishi N1K2-Ja Shiden Kai (George)

    The N1K2-Ja Shiden Kai (Japanese for "Violet Lightning--Improved") was the best fighter used in significant numbers by the Japanese Navy during World War II. Known by the Allies as the "George," this maneuverable, heavily-armed fighter was a formidable opponent in the closing months of the war. The

  • Kettering Aerial Torpedo “Bug”

    In 1917 Charles F. Kettering of Dayton, Ohio, invented the unmanned Kettering Aerial Torpedo, nicknamed the "Bug." Launched from a four-wheeled dolly that ran down a portable track, the Bug's system of internal pre-set pneumatic and electrical controls stabilized and guided it toward a target. After

  • Kellett K-2/K-3 Autogiro

    Before World War II, aeronautical engineers sought to build an aircraft capable of making short takeoffs and landings. Eventually, their efforts produced the helicopter, but they also pursued a less common design -- the autogiro. Like helicopters, autogiros used a rotary wing to produce lift.

  • Kirkham Four-Cylinder

    Charles B. Kirkham of Savona, N.Y., made this four-cylinder, water-cooled engine around 1912-1914. Its exact origin is unclear, but Hillery Beachy, a well-known early aviator, was likely involved in its design or use. Though it resembles an auto engine, similar Kirkham motors powered several early