US Air Force Mustang NOT what you think!!!

[thatz4u]

Found this while looking for 1960's USAF pickups from the 60's...& you can build one!....http://megahobbyblog.blogspot.com/2013/06/the-us-air-forces-other-mustang_13.html

Edited November 30, 2018 by thatz4u

[Ace-Garageguy]

I remember when the AF painted a lot of their stuff that color. Never saw anything that shiny though.  

[Snake45]

I knew they used some Camaros for this (and of course the '68 El Caminos) but never knew they also had Mustangs. 

[Oldmopars]

37 minutes ago, Ace-Garageguy said:

I remember when the AF painted a lot of their stuff that color. Never saw anything that shiny though.  

Up till the change over to the GSA vehicle program in the early 2000's all the Air Force "Blue Fleet" were painted this blue. So, this included Buses, truck and anything non-camo. If it had a blue paint job with a white top, it was the base commanders car.

The problem with the paint is that it was not a great paint and the cars were washed, but never waxed of buffed. So, when new they were very shinny and looked good, but in just a few years they would fade and be very dull.

Now most of the "Blue Fleet" vehicles are owned by the GSA and are leased to the military, the colors are all over the rainbow. I served for 14 years and I remember the change over. I was a Vehicle NCO at that time.

Edited November 30, 2018 by Oldmopars

[Pete J.]

They have chased down U-2's with a lot of different vehicles over the years.  Not surprising to see a Mustang.  When I was in, most of the vehicles were Dodges.  The SAC alert crew vehicle was a Dodge crew cab 4 door.  Worked great for the KC-135 crew of 4 plus the crew chief, but the BUFF crews had a bit of a tight squeeze. On Diego Garcia, the crews had a Dodge Van.  In the equatorial sun and salt water that blue paint deteriorated very quickly.  It looked worse than a Michigan car(winter salty roads eat cars for lunch).

 

[FordRodnKustom]

Cool. Here's shot of one in action..

[Ace-Garageguy]

^^^ Hey  ma...lookit that cop trying to pull an airplane over !!!

[Ace-Garageguy]

I always used to get a chuckle back in the '80s seeing little Dodge D-50s running around Dobbins.

They were, of course, built by the same Mitsubishi company that built Japanese military aircraft in WW II.

I wonder if anyone involved with that particular procurement contract was even aware of the irony.

[Deathgoblin]

When I was a kid we had a car painted that color.  Dad was in the AF and got the paint from work.  I think it was a Pontiac. 

[Dave Van]

Wish there was a good door shot....be neat to build!! 

[Ace-Garageguy]

31 minutes ago, Dave Van said:

Wish there was a good door shot....be neat to build!! 

Well bugger. I downloaded it to my own drive and blew it up, but I can't make out the smaller two lines of text (though somebody with a de-pixelating app otter be able to).

Sorry. I tried.

Edited November 30, 2018 by Ace-Garageguy

[thatz4u]

2nd line is USAF inventory #, 3rd line states "FOR OFFICIAL USE ONLY"....more photos here VVVV

http://www.mustangandfords.com/featured-vehicles/1308-1988-ford-ssp-mustang/photo-gallery/#/

[Dave Van]

Thanks....I'm still searching the net.....but good try

[Ace-Garageguy]

Here's an underhood shot...so the second line on the door otter be 88B  9971

Edited November 30, 2018 by Ace-Garageguy

[thatz4u]

3 minutes ago, Dave Van said:

Thanks....I'm still searching the net.....but good try

I know about USAF Vehices first hand, as I repaired plenty of them....

[Ace-Garageguy]

Also---according to the current owner of what is apparently the last one (the rest were crushed) the car was delivered in Ford's dark metallic blue (for that model year), and the outside was painted the USAF blue...but all interior surfaces and jambs are still the OEM Ford metallic blue.

[thatz4u]

make your own with this kit from Revell

[BigTallDad]

Shortly after I "graduated" from the Army in '69, I returned to being a tech writer for the F-4 Phantom. That allowed me to go to Davis Monthan AFB near Tucson AZ to test some procedures. While I was there, I saw an El Camino in Air Force blue with Air Force markings; I asked an airman what it was used for.

He gave me (I think) a wild tale about how, when a U2 was landing, the Camino would race up under one wing, place a strut (with a wheel), then back off and race up to the other wing and put another strut in place.

Those U2's only had the belly landing gear, so it seemed feasible at the time. Looking back, I think the airman was pulling my leg.

[Daddyfink]

Yeah, the cars chase the U2 as it lands and give it landing advice so the pilot can adjust and not screw up too badly. 

This is when the borrowed a Mustang from the CHP to see if it could replace the El Camino, and yes, it did! 

[THarrison351]

When I served in SAC on KC-135s we had cans of spray bomb paint that was called Strato-blue. It matched the vehicles pretty well. They were still painting some of the flightline GSA vehicles the same color blue when I retired in 2008. I can't speak for what they have out there now. Don't go near it anymore.

[OldTrucker]

10 hours ago, Snake45 said:

I knew they used some Camaros for this (and of course the '68 El Caminos) but never knew they also had Mustangs. 

Had to keep those wing tips off the ground and the Elcamino filled the bill!

[Mike999]

2 hours ago, BigTallDad said:

 Looking back, I think the airman was pulling my leg.

Happens to the best of us.  I was in the Air Wing of the Marine Corps and remember classics like: "Go get me a yard of flight line, and a bucket of prop wash."  I also spent a lot of time as a Tech Writer on various stuff.  One of the last jobs I worked on was the C-130 LAIRCM system (Large Aircraft Infrared Countermeasures). As seen in the movie "Olympus Has Fallen:"

 

[jefropas]

My buddy Charles Ricks rebuilt that USAF SSP Mustang years ago, along with a few others. It's a beautiful car, may make one like in the article oneday. They use Chargers now, have also used G8's and a few other fast cars. It's gotta be a fun job...

Jeff

[Gramps46]

When I was in a blue suit I remember hearing the El Caminos at March AFB CA, the home base for the U2s, had to be taken off base for hi-test gas and tune ups, the motor pool couldn't handle them.

[Daddyfink]

How about a Convertible Catalina Chase Car?