stuckincincy Posted February 9, 2005 Share Posted February 9, 2005 The airstrip by the old Bell plant. They used to have a squadron of F-101 Voodoos and a few F-89 Scorpions equipped with Genie AIR-2A nuclear rockets. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Navy Chief Navy Pride Posted February 9, 2005 Share Posted February 9, 2005 There is a base but it is reserves. I go twice a year for training conferences. I think the 914th is there. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
stuckincincy Posted February 9, 2005 Author Share Posted February 9, 2005 There is a base but it is reserves. I go twice a year for training conferences. I think the 914th is there. 232949[/snapback] Any remnants of the old BOMARC and Nike surface-to-air pads left? The NF air base used to be a key facility during the Cold War, to protect the power facilities. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
lawnboy1977 Posted February 9, 2005 Share Posted February 9, 2005 Any remnants of the old BOMARC and Nike surface-to-air pads left? The NF air base used to be a key facility during the Cold War, to protect the power facilities. 232954[/snapback] It's always been a reserve base, nothing more than that. I think the last time it was considered an active duty type base was way back maybe 50 years ago. The position of the base had nothing to do with protecting the power plants during the cold war. It is simply a reserve station, and a rather quiet one at that. I used to do time there, very very simple base and not much going on. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Dennis in NC Posted February 9, 2005 Share Posted February 9, 2005 There used to be a Nike base somewhere in Niagara County, like Pendleton perhaps? The Nike base was at a different location than the NF Intl Airport site, as I recall (from a Boy Scout or Cub Scout trip lo-o-ong ago). Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
VABills Posted February 9, 2005 Share Posted February 9, 2005 I believe the missle base, Army, that protects NF is in Romulis (sp??). It was closer to Syracuse down in the Finger lakes area. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
The Warden Posted February 9, 2005 Share Posted February 9, 2005 There used to be a Nike base somewhere in Niagara County, like Pendleton perhaps? The Nike base was at a different location than the NF Intl Airport site, as I recall (from a Boy Scout or Cub Scout trip lo-o-ong ago). 233065[/snapback] Nike Bases Abounded - Most are still existant and owned by government agencies as they are "brownfield" territories for the most part. http://www.dmna.state.ny.us/forts/fortsM_P/nike.htm As For the Niagara Falls Airport it still exists http://www.globalsecurity.org/military/fac...agara-falls.htm The governmental unit - NFTD controls the civilian side. There was a proposal a few years ago that some Spanish company take over the airport on a 99-year lease and make the facility an international cargo transfer center - but of course the idea made too much sense and local politicians axed the idea. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
BillsNYC Posted February 9, 2005 Share Posted February 9, 2005 Are you guys speaking about the Niagara Airforce Base? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
BB27 Posted February 9, 2005 Share Posted February 9, 2005 Any remnants of the old BOMARC and Nike surface-to-air pads left? The NF air base used to be a key facility during the Cold War, to protect the power facilities. 232954[/snapback] There was a Nike Missle site on Grand Island, not sure if it is still there though. I remember being a kid, and walking in a friends backyard in the woods, and coming to the fence. Never knew what it was until I got older and did some research. It was one of many Nike sites scattered throughout the east coast. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
NorCal Aaron Posted February 9, 2005 Share Posted February 9, 2005 Too bad Bell is non-existent. Aunt made aircobras. uncle did the books. Dad got whacked which led to the migration from WNY. The falls is an empty lot. pathetic. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
zow2 Posted February 9, 2005 Share Posted February 9, 2005 The airstrip by the old Bell plant. They used to have a squadron of F-101 Voodoos and a few F-89 Scorpions equipped with Genie AIR-2A nuclear rockets. 232947[/snapback] I remember the Voodoos up at Niagara Falls airport. Those were some Loud suckers! When i was a kid, my hockey coach was in the reserves. He took the whole team over to the base and they let us stand on the runway while a bunch of Voodoos took off over our heads. I'll never forget it. The they let us take some time in the simulator. That blew away any video game of today. I think they have C-130's and KC-135's there now. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
dib Posted February 9, 2005 Share Posted February 9, 2005 Any remnants of the old BOMARC and Nike surface-to-air pads left? The NF air base used to be a key facility during the Cold War, to protect the power facilities. 232954[/snapback] We have some remnants down here, being on the front door of the Cuban missile crisis try this http://alpha.fdu.edu/~bender/nike.html Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
BB27 Posted February 9, 2005 Share Posted February 9, 2005 Found the old Nike Site on Grand Island. Nike Base Park off of Whitehaven Road. There may still be leftover equipment there on display seeing as they named the park after it. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
stuckincincy Posted February 9, 2005 Author Share Posted February 9, 2005 It's always been a reserve base, nothing more than that. I think the last time it was considered an active duty type base was way back maybe 50 years ago. The position of the base had nothing to do with protecting the power plants during the cold war. It is simply a reserve station, and a rather quiet one at that. I used to do time there, very very simple base and not much going on. 233062[/snapback] Not so sure about that. My brother-in-law, in active service with the USAF in the early '60's, was stationed there for a while. And they did have BOMARC's. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
stuckincincy Posted February 9, 2005 Author Share Posted February 9, 2005 Too bad Bell is non-existent. Aunt made aircobras. uncle did the books. Dad got whacked which led to the migration from WNY. The falls is an empty lot. pathetic. 233223[/snapback] A man who lived across the street from my family used to work there - he was an eccentric genius. IIRC, a lot of the Aircobras went to the Russians during WWII. My late mom worked at the Chevy foundry making bomb casings. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Dennis in NC Posted February 9, 2005 Share Posted February 9, 2005 There was a Nike Missle site on Grand Island, not sure if it is still there though. I remember being a kid, and walking in a friends backyard in the woods, and coming to the fence. Never knew what it was until I got older and did some research. It was one of many Nike sites scattered throughout the east coast. 233211[/snapback] Bingo! That must be the one we visited way back when. I also got whacked from Bell Aerospace, eventually leading to my exodus from the City of Good Neighbors. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
stuckincincy Posted February 9, 2005 Author Share Posted February 9, 2005 Bingo! That must be the one we visited way back when. I also got whacked from Bell Aerospace, eventually leading to my exodus from the City of Good Neighbors. 233608[/snapback] Is Calspan, formerly known as the Cornell Aeronautical Laboratory, still in existence? They were located across from the Buffalo airport. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
SF Bills Fan Posted February 9, 2005 Share Posted February 9, 2005 I think there was a nike base over in Hamburg too. They shut it down and gave it to the town recreation dept. There werr lacrosse and football fields and a hockey rink where I used to play. I remember the roof of the rink used to open and close. There were all kinds off odd things still all over the grounds like old radar emplacements and bunkers. I think NF air base has a tanker wing now. They are deplyed in Iraq or Afghanistan right now, I think. It was in the paper a while back. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
NorCal Aaron Posted February 9, 2005 Share Posted February 9, 2005 A man who lived across the street from my family used to work there - he was an eccentric genius. IIRC, a lot of the Aircobras went to the Russians during WWII. My late mom worked at the Chevy foundry making bomb casings. 233475[/snapback] Correct. Lend-Lease. Russians loved them, but I don't think them were very popular with the AAC. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
stuckincincy Posted February 9, 2005 Author Share Posted February 9, 2005 Correct. Lend-Lease. Russians loved them, but I don't think them were very popular with the AAC. 233689[/snapback] Yes...the canopy was fixed, so if you had to bail out, you had to open a door on the LH side of the cockpit - against the wind. The commies liked the ground attack firepower of the hub-firing 37mm cannon made possible by the engine being aft of the cockpit. Armored, having self-sealing tanks, it was a good ground attack plane but a bust as a fighter - inadequate control surfaces and power. http://home.att.net/~C.C.Jordan/XP-39.html Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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