Jack Kenton sent in this photo, explaining: “At the Chanute Air Museum in Illinois (with a storm on the way). This is a WV-2/EC-121 that was refurbished by former Navy types that been associated with the plane during their active duty. The Navy crews referred to it as a ” Willie Victor.”
What is that on top the fuselage?
The upper radome covers and array of height finding radar antennas (3 IIRC) while the lower radome is a single huge long-range search radar. We used to see USAF versions of this plane in Keflavik Iceland in the late 1970’s.
Appears to be the nose of a tactical recon jet in left side of frame. Maybe RF-4?
I’ve flown into Chanute, where I was based in the early ’60s, in my Cherokee. It’s now Rantoul National Aviation Center and the museum is quite memorable. This aircraft, “Willie Victor,” helps make it so. Hats off to the restorers!
During the time that the Navy and Marine Corp purchased airplanes, airplane manufacturers had letter designations. Lockheed was V, Grumman was F, McDonnell was H, etc. The letter W was for an early warning type of aircraft. The letter F was for a fighter. A was an attack aircraft. In the 1960s, Congress changed the Navy/Marine aircraft designation to the Army/Air Force designation system. So the WV stood for an early warning Lockheed aircraft.
Yep. The Carrier based AEW airplane was made by Grumman. It was called a Willie Fudd since its designation was WF. The Sub hunter version of a WF was designated S2F (second sub hunter made by Grumman) and was called a “Stoof” after the phonetic pronouciation. WFs were also called Stoofs with a Roof since they had a big radome on top.