------------------------------ From: drbob@creighton.edu Date: Wed, 3 Apr 1996 12:20:23 -0600 (CST) Subject: Re: Big Safari BIG SAFARI actually predates the Skunk Works as we have come to know it today. In the early 1950s, the BIG SAFARI program came about as a quick means to fulfill short-notice, highly classified intelligence-related programs. One of its first was a project known as PIE FACE, where a C-97 was equipped with a large camera for the Berlin Air Corridor flights. Since that time, BIG SAFARI has produced the WB-57F, most of the RC-135 conversions, SR-71 and U-2 support, and a variety of U.S. and foreign tactical reconnaissance programs, including the Israeli RF-4 PEACE JACK project. Curiously, most of the goals of the BIG SAFARI program read like Kelly Johnson's "Skunk Work Rules." As far as I can deduce from the semi-official BIG SAFARI history, these rules actually predate Johnson's. I'll see what I can find about this and let you all know. Incidentally, BIG SAFARI is part of the Air Force, and not associated with a specific company. Although General Dynamics has done and continues to undertake some BIG SAFARI programs, other companies bear the lion's share, most notably E-Systems and its predecessors, especially LTV Electrosystems and LTV. If anyone is interested, you may be able to get more detailed info on BIG SAFARI by contacting the E-Systems public affairs people at Greenville, Texas. ------------------------------ From: Charles_E._Smith.wbst200@xerox.com Date: Wed, 3 Apr 1996 11:13:24 PST Subject: Re: Big Safari If memory serves, and it ain`t what it used to be, E-Sytems is located in Garland Texas. They have a hangar facility at Greenville airport, a general aviation uncontrolled (last time I was there - in the 80`s) airport about oh, 30 miles east of Big D. Chuck Plano Wildcats class of `74 ------------------------------ From: Charles_E._Smith.wbst200@xerox.com Date: Wed, 3 Apr 1996 11:04:12 PST Subject: Re: Big Safari If memory serves, and it ain`t what it used to be, E-Sytems is located in Garland Texas. They have a hangar facility at Greenville airport, a general aviation uncontrolled (last time I was there - in the 80`s) airport about oh, 30 miles east of Big D. Chuck Plano Wildcats class of `74 ------------------------------ From: Kathryn & Andreas Gehrs-Pahl <schnars@ais.org> Date: Wed, 3 Apr 1996 18:35:32 -0500 (EST) Subject: Re: Big Safari The BIG SAFARI office of the AFMC's (Air Force Materiel Command's) ASC (Aeronautical Systems Center) at Wright-Patterson AFB, Dayton, OH, was also responsible for the Teledyne Ryan BQM-34A Firefly, AQM-34L and other TRA reconnaissance drone programs, starting in 1962. Some mention of BIG SAFARI can be found in "Fireflies and other UAVs", by William Wagner and William P. Sloan. The BIG SAFARI office might be also responsible for or associated to other "BIG" programs, like BIG BELLY (B-52), BIG BIRD (KH-9), BIG CROW (NKC-135), BIG LOOK (EA-3A/EP-3E), BIG TAIL (SR-71A), BIG TEAM (RC-135B/C) and others, similar to the SYPO (SENIOR YEAR Projects Office) at Robbins AFB, Warner Robbins, GA, which is responsible for all SENIOR programs, like SENIOR BLADE, SENIOR BOOK (U-2), SENIOR BOWL (D-21), SENIOR CITIZEN, SENIOR CROWN (SR-71), SENIOR DANCE, SENIOR GLASS, SENIOR GUARDIAN (D-500), SENIOR HUNTER (EC-130E), SENIOR ICE (B-2), SENIOR JUMP (U-2), SENIOR KEYHOLE, SENIOR LANCE (U-2), SENIOR OPEN (U-2), SENIOR PROM, SENIOR RUBY (U-2), SENIOR SABER, SENIOR SCOUT, SENIOR SHUFFLE, SENIOR SKY (F-22), SENIOR SMART, SENIOR SPAN (U-2), SENIOR SPEAR (U-2), SENIOR SPUR, SENIOR STRETCH (U-2), SENIOR TALENT, SENIOR TREND (F-117), SYERS (SENIOR YEAR Electro-optical Relay System), etc. - -- Andreas - --- --- Andreas & Kathryn Gehrs-Pahl E-Mail: schnars@ais.org 313 West Court St. #305 or: gpahl@raptor.csc.flint.umich.edu Flint, MI 48502-1239 Tel: (810) 238-8469 WWW URL: http://www.umcc.umich.edu/~schnars/ - --- --- ------------------------------
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