Aircraft 61-0331 C-135B "Project III" Memorial

United States Air Force Aircraft 61-0331

The United States Air Force aircraft 61-0331 was a TRIA, Telemetry Range Instrumentation Aircraft, prior to the "Project III" conversion at Wright-Patterson Air Force Base. 61-0331 is most likely included in this photograph as it was configured prior to 1971 with the "Droop-Snoop" radome at Patrick Air Force Base Florida. 61-0331 operated as a TRIA from 1967 until its 1971 transfer from the Air Force Eastern Test Range to the 4950th Test Wing Wright-Patterson Air Force Base. There were a total of 4 TRIA aircraft produced.

The most noticeable feature of the TRIA aircraft was the large radome mounted on the front of the aircraft. The TRIA shared this style radome with the ARIA, Apollo Range Instrumentation Aircraft. At the time the only major difference between the two Programs were that the TRIA aircraft were not equipped with voice communications for the Apollo Missions. There were a total of 8 ARIA aircraft produced.

LTV Corporation modified 61-0331 prior to arrival at Wright-Patterson Air Force Base by removing the TRIA nose and installing a large radome atop the fuselage for a new series of test designed to detect and analyze nuclear explosions and their related electromagnetic pulses (EMP).

The 4950th Test Wing operated 61-0331 for the Space and Missile System Office (SAMSO). The aircraft deployed routinely to the "Burning Light" Task Force located at Hickam Air Force Base Hawaii to monitor French atmospheric nuclear test conducted at their Center d'Experimentation du Pacifiqua (CEP) including Polynesian blast sites at Fangataufa and Mururoa Atols.

61-0331 disappeared on 13 June 1971 while returning to Hawaii after observing the French Encelade atmospheric nuclear test at Mururoa. The aircraft was enroute from Pago Pago to Hickam Air Force Base. All 24 crewmembers were lost, 12 of them civilians.