B-52 Bomber Crew Rations

[Treesuit]

BiscutsBrown:

Hey if you have more info on this topic please post it, this is a rather interesting topic.

[biscuits brown]

Theres lots more Even pics of the dozen or more different cookers, hotplates, in flight ration tin heaters that were available to be fitted to large aircraft.

Lots of pics of the frozen crew meals, even 2 casserole/pie containers on the frozen menu items, which at one point ran to 12 choices! Again, new to me

Theres also a whole different class of meal ive never seen before, several menus, which was prepared at the base and carried hot, or prepared with uncooked ingredients, which would be cooked in the ovens in flight

Theres also a SAC survival ration which is massive, has 3400 calories and comes in 2 cans. it was withdrawn from SAC use in 1953 when worries about the amount of water needed to be consumed with the ration became pressing.
Apart from loads of carbs, it appears to have meat bars with a big protein punch, possibly pemmican based. I have the name of the company that made them. The history specifically states they went out of business in 1975. They were the only supplier in the US to make that particular composition of bar. I wonder if it was pemmican.
The ration is very large, 2 large silver can units. It was only produced for a couple of years. This is probably the rarest aircrew survival ration. I dont have picture of this one but I have a full description of it from the 1983 history of rations summary from the Natick 1983 catalogue.

This is all 50s and 60s stuff, and it looks really cool.

Just need to figure out my PDF pic transfer issue..

Il post as and when.

Si

[rationtin440]

biscuits brown, do u happen to know if a similar meal system was used for the Vulcan bomber crews?

[Treesuit]

Biscuts brown,

That is very interesting. Now when you talk of the aircrew meals are you refering to the B-52, B-36 and B-47 bombers that were still use about that time in say, 1950-57/58. Because that much feeding on a tactical aircraft had to have been from one of those bombers, hell even a B-29 Superfortress comes to mind.

Also if you the chance to load some photos those would be cool.

[biscuits brown]

Hi rationtin, well thats a whole new subject! No idea at present, but I was thinking along similar lines, and wondering what the USSR "Frontal" or strategic aviation crews had at the same time, like the TU95 Bears etc.
Equally Bomber/Strike command is a whole untouched subject it seems. Will have a look round.
Im thinking the Vulcan probably didnt have much room, it not being as spacious inside as a 52. I prefer the Victor to the Vulcan, just like its design, and its a bit more roomy.

Victor strategic bomber via photobucket

Treesuit, Its interesting because the 1958 USAF PDF Ive got (link below) talks about "medium sized jet bomber aircraft" like the B47, aircraft with problems in providing meals to crew. It was a tandem seat plane, with the bombadier/ EW operator in the nose. It seems more like a phantom or eagle than a bomber. I didnt check it out properly yet but I will. There may have been similar room constraints with the B58, though it was so fast you probably didnt get time to work an appetite.

This USAF PDF is like a complete product catalogue of USAF equipment. Parachutes, life vests, oxygen masks, flight suits etc etc. There is a whole section on catering in- flight. It has different kitchen ranges, ovens refridgerators etc and all the meal types.

If I keep getting PDF transfer issues I will simply post the links to all this stuff where relevant.http://www.dtic.mil/cgi-bin/GetTRDoc?AD ... tTRDoc.pdf Courtesy of the remarkable USAF.

[biscuits brown]

Here are the In - Flight frozen meals from 1960

From the 1960 Natick catalogue

Contemporary description of I.F.F.M

[biscuits brown]

Pic courtesy of dtic.mil

I think this is the closest thing to a combat flying ration there was, certainly at the dawn of the B52 age (1958)
Bit puzzled though. The text refers to unsuitability of the in flight meal due to oxygen mask constraints aboard "jet bomber type aircraft" I can see this being used on a B47, but wasnt the B52 pressurised?
I would assume due to long flying times and constant deterrence flights that the frozen meals were used too, and the in flight meal boxes.

[biscuits brown]

Photo via dtic.mil

Another view of the meal, precooked, frozen (note the name change in 1960)
Check out the pie/casserole thing!

Photo via dtic.mil

A sandwich type meal, for short ranged flights.
Some of these rations would seem to be developmental, and disappeared by 1960.

Next I will post some unique period pics of USAF galley equipment.

[biscuits brown]

Photo via Dtic.mil

One more meal type. A fresh prepared chilled meal. Looks excellent. Wish I had the menus.

Photo via Dtic.mil

Photo via Dtic.mil

The device that heated the standard I.F.M. ration cans, and heated water. Essential kit.

Photo via Dtic.mil

The B4 oven.

Photo via Dtic.mil

SR series refrigerators

[mreheater72]

Simon, great, thanks for sharing . The information from dtic.mil is new to me, very interesting !

So long mreheater72