Sputnk in 1957 pumped things up a bit by replacing bombers (

Sputnk in 1957 pumped things up a bit by replacing bombers (relatively slow and easy to detect) with missiles against which there was no real defense.

The primary US bomber in the early 50’s was the Convair B-36 Peacemaker.

A huge bomber with six pusher reciprocating engines as well as four jet engines, the B-36 could deliver a nuke to the Soviet Union. We saw a lot of them fly over us, leaving contrails. These were phased out for the jet powered B-47 and B-52.

Side Story: We would go as a family to the drive in movies. One movie in Beaumont was the South Park Drive in on the south side of town between the Lamar Tech campus and the Mobil refinery.