ARIA Aircraft 60-0374
"The Bird of Prey"
AGAR 27
For over 32 years the Advanced Range Instrumentation Aircraft 60-0374 had been tracking, recording, and relaying telemetry data.
This aircraft was one of the original eight Apollo Range Instrumentation Aircraft and is the last configured ARIA aircraft in existence. ARIA 60-0374 is retired at the National Museum of the Air Force Dayton, Ohio.
The aircraft was to be included in the Cold War expansion of the National Museum of the Air Force that opened in 2003. The museum made the decision not to include ARIA 60-0374 in the new wing in the eleventh hour. This has allowed the last remaining ARIA aircraft to be exposed to the elements. Unfortunately, the aircraft is showing the results of this decision by the museum.
Mr. Wes Henry, Chief, Research Division, USAF Museum, responded to an email sent by alumni Bob Guere concerning why ARIA 374 was not being displayed in the new Cold War Hangar. This is an excerpt from that email:
Also, please keep in mind that we in the museum plan for the long term - that is, we try to think 20 or 30 years ahead. Even though ARIA is currently outdoors, it may not always be, and we have every intention of maintaining it as we do all other display aircraft at the USAF Museum.
I hope this helps explain our thought process regarding the museum's aircraft placement plan. Thank you for your patience and understanding as we work toward the best solution for all of our artifacts.
Wes Henry
ARIA 60-0374 was constantly being maintained for over 33 years. Hopefully, the National Museum of the Air Force will reconsider.
In 2010 ARIA 60-0374 will have been exposed to the elements without proper maintenance for 10 years.
Time-line
1960 - Constructed C-135A-BN. Construction Number 18149.
1966 -
Conversion to EC-135N with electrical and structural modifications at Douglas Aircraft, Tulsa, Oklahoma.
September 19, 1967 -
Arrived Patrick Air Force Base, Florida.
January 1, 1968 -
Aircraft Online and Operational.
December 1975 -
Transferred to Wright-Patterson Air Force Base, Ohio, 4950th Test Wing.
June 1982 -
Converted to EC-135E.
1994 -
Transferred to Edwards Air Force Base, California, 452d Test Flight Squadron.
November 3, 2000 -
Retired to the National Museum of the Air Force, Dayton, Ohio.
Specifications ARIA EC-135E
Span: |
103.8 Feet |
Length: |
141.5 Feet |
Height: |
41.7 Feet |
Weight: |
300,500 Pounds Maximum Takeoff Gross Weight |
Engines: |
Four Pratt & Whitney TF-33-PW-102 Turbofans (JT3D) 18,000 Pounds Thrust Each |
Crew: |
11 |
Cruise: |
490 Knots Maximum Speed |
Cruise: |
430 Knots Normal Speed |
Altitude: |
33,000 Feet |
Range: |
4500 Nautical Miles |
