Castle Air Force Base

Atwater, California

Retired aircraft lay out in the hot California sun awaiting the infrequent passerby and an occasional Cockpit Day. During the cold war five B-52 bombers took off from this base to circle the globe non-stop, becoming the first jet aircraft to make this achievement. The airstrip is one of the longest in the country and the base was once home to over 950 families and a 52 bed hospital.