Editing Loring Air Force Base (section)

=====Operation Head Start=====
{{Main|Operation Head Start}}
Operation Head Start was conducted at the base from September to December 1958. It helped to demonstrate that a continuous airborne alert could be maintained successfully.<ref name="Headstart">{{cite video|people=[[42d Bombardment Wing]]|title=Operation Headstart|medium=Film reel|publisher=[[United States Air Force]]|location=Loring Air Force Base, [[Maine]]|date=1959|url=https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=GDWS_9uS9IM| archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20131201102521/http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=GDWS_9uS9IM| archive-date=2013-12-01 | url-status=dead}}</ref>

Before each flight, a briefing was held, alerting the crewmembers to basic world events as well as safety criteria. At least 15 hours before takeoff, the crew would thoroughly pre-flight their aircraft. Inadvertently, this also increased efficiency in terms of maintenance and other pre-flight routines.<ref name="Headstart" />

Every six hours, a bomber would take off with live warheads and continue on a pre-determined path over Greenland and eastern Canada, a trip ending 20 hours later. Frequently, "Foxtrot: No message required" messages were sent to the bomber from Strategic Air Command headquarters at [[Offutt Air Force Base]], keeping the crews alert.<ref name="Headstart" />

While entering the landing pattern, crash trucks would travel to the runway and await landing. This was standard procedure for all Head Start landings. After landing, the crew was interrogated prior to being released, so that maintenance, intelligence, and other crews could be alerted to the performance of the plane and other items that the crew might have noticed during their flight. After release, they would typically go to the Physical Conditioning room for a steam bath and rubdown.<ref name="Headstart" />

Operation Head Start eventually led to [[Operation Chrome Dome]].<ref name="GeorgeWashington">{{cite web|title=The Air Force versus Hollywood|url=http://www.gwu.edu/~nsarchiv/nukevault/ebb304/index.htm|publisher=[[George Washington University]]|access-date=6 May 2012}}</ref> Chrome Dome was an operation where bombers would be in constant airborne alert and loiter at points just outside the Soviet Union.<ref name="NationalMuseum">{{cite web |title=SAC AIRBORNE ALERT |url=http://www.nationalmuseum.af.mil/factsheets/factsheet.asp?id=1851 |publisher=[[National Museum of the United States Air Force]] |access-date=15 February 2013 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20090114035353/http://www.nationalmuseum.af.mil/factsheets/factsheet.asp?id=1851 |archive-date=14 January 2009}}</ref>