THE VIRGINIAN-PILOT
Copyright (c) 1995, Landmark Communications, Inc.
DATE: Wednesday, March 15, 1995 TAG: 9503150478
SECTION: MILITARY NEWS PAGE: A8 EDITION: FINAL
SOURCE: BY RICHARD GRIMES, STAFF WRITER
LENGTH: Medium: 59 lines
I'm the widow of a retired Navy man. Am I allowed to fly on ``space available'' flights?
Unfortunately, the answer seems to be no. The best way to make sure in your individual case, though, is to call the Air Mobility Command at 444-4118. The people there can explain the restrictions on Space A travel and make reservations for eligible travelers.
I saw a sailor in work clothes the other day at a 7-11. Isn't it against regulations for Navy personnel to wear work dungarees away from work?
Working uniforms - which include dungarees, fatigues and winter blues worn without a tie and ribbons - may only be worn away from work if you are in transit to or from work.
Personnel in transit may not make stops of any kind when wearing these uniforms, so the person you saw grabbing coffee at the 7-11 made a mistake in doing so.
People in work uniforms can, however, stop at a drive-through window. The key seems to be staying in the car.
Wearing work uniforms even ``in transit'' was forbidden until recently because the Navy felt they failed to project the proper military appearance to the public.
Sailors were supposed to wear their civilian clothes until they got on base, then change.
The Navy relies on personnel to police the policy, and officials suggest that if you see someone breaking these rules, approach them - using the proper military decorum - and point out the problem.
What information is available on the Air Force bomber the B-58 Hustler? Is it still classified? Did it ever get into combat? Was it designed for conventional warfare?
Congratulations. You had us doing some serious head-scratching around here.
We dug through source after source looking for the B-58 Hustler, to no avail, until one of our computer experts remembered building a model of a Hustler when he was a kid.
He led us to the 1960-1961 edition of ``Jane's All the World's Aircraft.''
The B-58 flew for the first time on Nov. 11, 1956, and has the distinction of being the world's first supersonic bomber.
The delta-wing jet was also distinctive because its three crew members sat in three separate cockpits.
Powered by four General Electric engines, this 97-foot aircraft cranked up to reported speeds of mach 2. It never went into production, but some of its features can be found in today's stealth airplanes.
The Hustler did not carry its ordnance internally. Instead, it was mounted on a streamlined pod under the fuselage capable of carrying air-to-ground nuclear missiles, photographic reconnaissance equipment, and anything in between.
For more information on the Hustler, contact the Air Force History Support Office at (202) 767-0412. by CNB