Ashland, NE — The Strategic Air & Space Museum in Ashland is anxious to start their largest restoration project to date and kick off their first permanent indoor walk-through exhibit. Marketing and PR Director Deb Hermann says they will restore an EC-135C “Looking Glass” aircraft.
This aircraft served as the Airborne Command Post and was a Strategic Air Command icon. The aircraft started flying in the early 1960’s during the Cold War and flew 24/7 until 1990 when it landed at Offutt Air Force base in 1990. Crew members included a U-S Air Force general officer, a full battle staff and aircraft mission specialists from flight crew to surgeon. Their job was one of peace but they trained for the event of a threat on national security.
Credit: Mike Freer – Touchdown-aviation
There were twelve “Looking Glass” aircraft built but this will be the only one on display in the world. The museum intends to restore the aircraft to its 1990 retirement condition and it will become their first permanent indoor walk-through exhibit. It will include other artifacts of the Cold War and the Airborne Command Posts in U-S history and oral histories of pilots and crew members that flew on missions. This is the museum’s largest restoration project to date with an estimated cost of $200,000.
Read more: http://nebraskaradionetwork.com/