Castle Air Museum: Cold War and World War II Aviation Treasure Trove in the California Desert

Boeing B-47E Stratojet high-speed strategic bomber

Throughout the Cold War the scream of jet engines could be heard over the California desert at Atwater, California. It was here Strategic Air Command bombers, from the World War-veteran B-29 to the massive aluminum overcast that was the B-36, and the still familiar B-52 Stratofortress, stood ready to react to a Soviet nuclear attack and provide air support to American operations overseas such as during the Vietnam War.

Though Castle closed its doors in 1994, these sentinels of the skies are still parked out in the desert; ready not fight but to teach about America’s aviation past. Castle Air Museum, operated on the site of the former air field, is one of the lesser known but most extensive non-government military aircraft collections I’ve been to. Their website shows 80+ aircraft, though not all appear to be on display, and they cover bombers, fighters, transports and trainers. It has nearly one of every fighter and bomber used by the U.S. Air Force during the Cold War, a rounded carrier air wing’s worth of U.S. Navy aircraft, an SR-71 Blackbird, and a VC-9 ‘Air Force One’ (technically any US Air Force aircraft the president embarks is Air Force One). Because they are outside in the desert the paint is a bit worn but overall the aircraft are in decent shape and good representatives of their types.

It’s hard to pick standout aircraft because there are so many for those of us looking for the uncommon. It has a B-18 Bolo and B-23 Dragon, two early World War II bombers overtaken by the superior B-17 Flying Fortress (which the museum also has). If you’ve never seen a B-29, they have one of those and its improved engine version, the B-50. A few Cold War allied aircraft are also in the mix, such as a Royal Air Force Avro Vulcan bomber and a Canadian Avro CF-100 mk. V Canuck.

Avro-Canada CF-100 Mk. V Canuck

My favorite to see was the B-36 “Peacemaker.” The largest piston-engine bomber ever built, only four survive; the museum’s is the sole RB-36H version. For those unfamiliar with the B-36, it bridged the technological gap between the old piston-engine technology that won World War II and the new jet technology by employing both. It was powered by six turning props and four burning jet engines, the wings so thick they had a crawlspace in them for in-flight maintenance. For size comparison a dummy nuclear bomb, such as those that would have been used by the B-36 in service, lay beside it. This aircraft alone was worth the price of admission, which if you’re military is free.

Convair RB-36H Peacemaker strategic bomber; this is the only intact reconnaissance version in existence

Convair RB-36H Peacemaker strategic bomber; this is the only intact reconnaissance version in existence

As a photographer I had a glorious time photographing Castle’s collection over the course of two and a half hours, the last half hour rushed to finish before closing. Normal people would probably not have to rush.

Below are photographs of the collection, it’s pretty extensive and in this case I believe showing is definitely superior to telling.

ADDRESS
Castle Air Museum
5050 Santa Fe Dr, Atwater, CA 95301, United States
https://www.castleairmuseum.org/