Inside US Coldest Air Force Base Operating Frozen Million $ Aircraft
Welcome back to the Fluctus Channel. In this captivating episode, embark on a riveting journey to the coldest edges of the Earth in this informative video, where we delve into the intricate operations of the US Air Force in the Arctic and Antarctic regions.
Fluctus is a website and KZread channel dedicated to sea geeks. Whenever you are curious or an incorrigible lover of this mysterious world, our videos are made for you !
We publish 3 videos a week on our KZread channel and many more articles on our website.
Feel free to subscribe to not miss any of our updates and visit our website to discover additional content.
Don’t forget to follow us on twitter:
/ fluctusofficial
Please keep the comments section respectful. Any spam, insults or troll will be deleted.
To contact us, make sure to use our email in the about section of this channel.
Пікірлер: 305
I salute all of the brave men and women who serve or have served in our armed forces! Especially to those in the polar regions. They're definitely not places I would want to be! 😊😊😊😊❤❤❤❤
@TracyPelton-lm5hp
3 ай бұрын
Well said
@smartmaxwell9017
2 ай бұрын
Why does that make them brave?
@garymiller5937
2 ай бұрын
@@smartmaxwell9017 Why? What kind of question is that? Because they're risking life and limb to protect our country and population when they wouldn't have to.!!!!!
@smartmaxwell9017
2 ай бұрын
They ain't risking no lives you just make that up in your liberal Lil mind. It's about as dangerous as being a truck driver or McDonald's cashier but you don't worship them for their bravery.
my dad was Air Force. When i was a kid we lived at Minot AFB in ND. Every winter we never missed school because of the snow. The Air Force had the streets cleared xonstantly. Osedt we got to a snowday was when it got so cold the schools heaters couldn't cope.
@jeromedavis8261
10 күн бұрын
Been there.
Definitely some of the video is from joint Base Emendorfe/Richardson in Anchorage Alaska, in one shot you can see Pioneer Peak in the C mountain range& another the steam blowing out of the stack from the power station across the Glenn highway near Eagle River. The F-15s have been replaced with the F-22 Raptor so the video is at least4yrs old. Some of the tracked snow cat video was shot here in Anchorage , you can tell by the size of the trees, they are way to big to be near Fairbanks/Wainwright 350 miles north Emendorfe/Richardson here in Anchorage where we have the privilege to watch the F-22s take off & land several times a week. God bless our men & women in uniform 🙏
@TomokosEnterprize
3 ай бұрын
I love aircraft. The fighters are a real treat to see and these days are really busy I suppose.
@dano8613
3 ай бұрын
But its not even that cold down there lol. Definitely more snow but Eielson is definitely colder lol
@freewhiteover21
3 ай бұрын
coid enough brother, been close tu a month now that anchorage hasnt been above -5/-10 777@@dano8613
I m grateful to those people who work tirelessly in the extreme condition to protect this great country
@Casteeyo...
3 ай бұрын
🙏
I was stationed at Minot AFB. That was a different level of cold. The wind there is relentless.
@Got2gofishin
3 ай бұрын
Thank you.
@steveseybolt
3 ай бұрын
Same here back in 78-79 worst winter ever! -75 w/ windchill Also when I was Real small 73-75 Plattsburgh AFB Just Brutal cold .
@Xerolinder
3 ай бұрын
The North Dakota wind is truly miserable. Lived in ND for 25 years.
Perfect example of USA armaments and manpower. Peter Lindop Uk 🇬🇧
@wendieking4184
3 ай бұрын
Before the first Gulf War ( to free Kuwait) we saw the entire armada that was staging at CFB Goose Bay, to be ready to move on as then President Gorge Bush Sr’s deadline grew nearer. They had towed each type of aircraft out to the tarmac ( it was a US built base so there was lots and lots of tarmac) and ‘parked’ them in groups. Just the sheer force of that sight told us all there probably never have to be a ground war.
Most folks just don't realise the amount of work it takes to keep there runways open clean and a good surface for braking. Take offs are not so much of a problem as aircraft tires are not driven/under power. I spent 10 years in Norman Wells NWT . Oh how I miss working at -40C and colder. A day behind you makes you feel like you really achieved something eh.
@canislupis3129
3 ай бұрын
I worked in ALERT for the Canadian forces in 77 for several months. They couldn’t build a proper air strip because of the permafrost. The Hercs were totally depended on for everything. The food was so good. It was a camp of 250 guys so food was very important. The mess hall was open 24 hours a day. You could stroll in at 2 in the morning and get steak and eggs if you wanted.
@TomokosEnterprize
3 ай бұрын
@@canislupis3129 It was in 1985 my wife Mary came south of 60 So we were up there from 1975 on to 1985. We loved it. In winter I helped build and maintained theIce roads and in Summer I was a river guide on the mighty Mackenzie.When hunting moose a moose tag was for a moose. Any size, any gender. Sure do miss those days. \
@gsheverything_2716
3 ай бұрын
Why should they realize such a thing, that's NOT there domain, everyone has a life here, same goes for you Sir
@TomokosEnterprize
3 ай бұрын
@@gsheverything_2716 ?Not sure what you mean.
@antoochibbo1355
3 ай бұрын
Kindly assist those of us looking for employment how we can get these jobs
Passed through Goose Bay, Labrador a few times in the winter with my C-130 and the snow was so deep along the taxiways all you could see was the tail.. Stopped over in St. John's Newfoundland where everything was iced over and during refueling the plane started sliding so much we had to walk with it until they brought out the ice chalks... What a great 24 years...
@JasonSuggs
3 ай бұрын
My dad was Air Force, 57-63. He was stationed at Goose Bay but I’m not sure of the year. Told me stories of how cold it was there. Said he never found anywhere that even came close to it
@northsidecoolguy5041
3 ай бұрын
My Grandfather was Stationed there as a technician years and years ago. 50+ Years ago. He loved it.
Soldiers, thank you so much for your service. It is greatly appreciated.
@Dasrose2022
3 ай бұрын
It’s the Air Force who is responsible for this..
@michaelsadams524
3 ай бұрын
@@Dasrose2022, I know. To me, all who are in the armed forces are soldiers. It truly is amazing what they do every day for us.
@Dasrose2022
3 ай бұрын
I know, I’ve been around the Military for 61 yrs but my heart is ways with the Air Force.. even though we were stationed with Army.. but my Dad was an Airman
@michaelsadams524
3 ай бұрын
@@Dasrose2022, I appreciate your father's service very much. Although I am not in the service myself, I live close to a naval air base and have many friends who are in the military. I really do appreciate our armed forces so much, It is because of them and because of God we have our freedom.
@NYCUSA
3 ай бұрын
Service of what? Bullying and Hegemony? Get a life.
This is really cool and a special thank you to all the women and men who dedicated their lives and time🙏🏽❤
@smartmaxwell9017
2 ай бұрын
They getting paid for it. Why aren't you kissing my ass for dedicating my life to my job?
I guess whoever put this together doesn’t realize Alaska is part of the U.S. Eileson AFB near Fairbanks is in the Arctic!
@powdrpuf23
3 ай бұрын
That's what I'm thinking. Eielson uses all of this too. And more. My guess is that they just didn't want to make the trip all the way up here 😂
@kp6215
3 ай бұрын
Costs of the military? No audit again was passed 12/2023.
@trob0914
3 ай бұрын
Grew up in Fairbanks as well as stationed at Eielson AFB in the 80s! Needless to say it got a bit nippy(seen -72 f), fyi in addition performed as F/F-Medic in & around Fairbanks for almost 20 years! So I’ve witnessed cold first-hand!!👍🏽🇺🇸
@simisg2121
2 ай бұрын
My dude flies 35’s there, sends me a picture of the temp from time to time, it’s crazy.
@ricknudelman8408
2 ай бұрын
Went to HS there. Colder than a well digger's axx. 1962-64. So much radiation from Russian nuke testing, the caribou/moose were getting sick. Dad brought back milk from McClellen AFB in his C-130B. Would not let us drink local milk.
God bless America, I am proud of United States of America. I love US Army Tapas, one in the world🇺🇸🇺🇸🇺🇸🇺🇸🇺🇸🇺🇸🇺🇸🇺🇸🇺🇸🇺🇸❤️🇦🇱🇺🇸🇦🇱🇺🇸🇦🇱🇺🇸🇦🇱🇺🇸🇦🇱🇺🇸🇦🇱🇺🇸🇺🇸🇺🇸🇺🇸🇺🇸🇺🇸🇺🇸❤️❤️❤️❤️❤️❤️
Perfect example of U.S.A. Performance.
@simonrano8072
3 ай бұрын
and yet the last time US bombs brought peace and democracy anywhere was 80 years ago
Why not Minot? Freezin' is the reason.
@TomokosEnterprize
3 ай бұрын
LOL. Winter winds that cut right into your soul eh.
@harryseretti3669
3 ай бұрын
Correct my Gr son is stationed there
🇮🇹Simply the Best….💪🇮🇹
No mention of the name of the AF Base??
I spent 2 years in Anchorage, AK, Elmendorf AFB, it could get a little nippy up there at times, thanks for sharing, and ouch that looks cold!
@Chris_at_Home
3 ай бұрын
I’ve lived 20 miles north of the base for 45 years. It’s minus 25 right now. It hasn’t been above 0 for 4 days.
@larrybaker5316
3 ай бұрын
oh brother!..we do miss alaska, it is so beautiful up there, we were there 1968-1970@@Chris_at_Home
@billward6222
3 ай бұрын
Was at EAFB ‘66-‘68. Great tour.
@TTVToxic-yu5ov
3 ай бұрын
@@billward6222 wow what jets were there during that time? F-104’s?
I had a friend that was stationed at Plattsburgh AFB NY and he told me that the Air Force quit working at -65 F, and he stated that he saw a few days where they didn't work. I was stationed at Lackland AFB TX where 50 was cold 😅
@rdollie1
3 ай бұрын
I was born on Plattsburgh AFB. My father (30-year vet) started his career there. He worked the flightline too many times in 30-50 below he went nose blind for the rest of his life but never once complained! He loved every day of service!
@mikeelder6298
3 ай бұрын
@@rdollie1 I was born at Keesler AFB
@watchinyourback295
3 ай бұрын
My old base. Closed in 1995. Yeah the cold SUCKED.
@mikeelder6298
3 ай бұрын
@@watchinyourback295 there's been a few bases that my dad was stationed at that have closed. Myrtle Beach AFB SC Zweibrucken AS GE Eaker AFB AR I was really disappointed that Myrtle Beach closed. I was supposed to have a BOP to Eaker AFB after returning from Wallace AS Philippines, but that didn't happen.
@watchinyourback295
3 ай бұрын
@@mikeelder6298 Plattsburgh was thrown under the buss during the BRACC closures. The base was not even supposed to be on the list.
God bless the US Army
@AurelDuka
3 ай бұрын
Awful thing to say for a military apparatus ! God please don't!
@cainmarko335
3 ай бұрын
It's US airforce
Go all you Aireal Port Dawgs ! 24/7 365 always ready anywhere, anytime. USAF Retired Veteran Port Dawg Feb1994❤😂
Eilson AFB in North Pole, Alaska is the coldest US AFB. It was into the -50’s this past week. Here it isn’t “Arctic-like”… It’s just Arctic.
Very interesting documentary vudeo.
They have been building ice airstrips in Arctic Alaska for Hercules for 50 + years. They use ice chips and water to bind them.
@Jack-vk5ko
3 ай бұрын
They use ice chips and water? But how?!, they're in a desert!
@Chris_at_Home
3 ай бұрын
@@Jack-vk5ko They grind ice off frozen lakes and drill and pump water. My first job up there in 1980 I had to get water for a seismic camp a couple of us were working at before the season started. The near by river had over four feet of ice by December. Look at the coastal areas in Arctic Alaska and there are lakes everywhere. This is also how they build ice roads.
@kennybooboo3926
3 ай бұрын
Been watching the video for several minutes and starting to wonder where they were, that is till I read your comment. I lived in Anchorage during my teens years, we had friends stationed at Elmendorf, we spent quite a bit of time there during the winters. I now live in Lahaina and I don't miss the cold at all, did enjoy the video though.
@tjmelendy6287
3 ай бұрын
In Antarctica this one is built of only snow for wheeled operations. 😊
I spent my tour of duty in Alaska stationed at Elmendorf AFB. I was there 1970 to 1975. My duties took me to every Radar site in Alaska. I hae deffinetly seen my share of extreme cold. I loved every minute of it.
Grabeh naman yung snow na yan pahirap din pala yan diyaan❤❤❤
I loved volunteering to drive our C5 s whenever it snowed.. especially going up in the calavar..that sweet taste of the glycol was ...our deice trucks had open baskets to the elements...my small crew worked the grave yard shift we were called one morning up to maintenance 2's meeting room and was asked to look out the windows and tell him what we saw....well when we finished work that night we decided to use the follow me truck and take turns skitching behind it the tires marks were all over the ramp... He did mention we kept the proper distance from the aircraft..but didn't want to see it again...
I really love those C-17s.
God bless all our military.❤
GOD BLESS ALL THE PERSONNEL WHO SUCCESSFULLY RUN THESE ARCTIC AND ANTARCTICA AIRFORCE BASES ALL YEAR ROUND. GOD BLESS AMERICA🇺🇸
Thanks for your service to our country Rob. My sister has lived in Salcha for the last 35 years ( I live in Seward). I Love Fairbanks in the summer, and I Love Chena Hot Springs in the winter
❤❤❤❤❤นับถือๆครับ
The great men and women who do this kind of work in these conditions are the best people. I was stationed at Ernest Harmon AFB Newfoundland and I missed a snow that was bad before I got there 1964. We were told we would be digging out the planes. Was cold and windy and we did get snow but thank heaven we didn't have a bad one. I worked in a hangar of maintenance of aircraft. I was admin in the office . I used to walk from my barracks out to the end of the flight line thru the snow. My barracks was Hilton the brick building. My parka probably saved my life
Alot of squadrons were working around the clock.
America is a great nation on earth
God Bless our outstanding Military ❤️💯
Perhaps, what is more impressive is the fact that the base was built in such an environment in the first place!
I remember doing snow control duties at Grand Forks (1974-1975), hated the white out conditions. First the snow sweepers ran as the snow got deeper, the snow plows would run the taxi and runways, if it got super deep, the snow blowers (two stories high) would throw the snow clear into open fields around the tarmac.
Respect
It’s so critical that the US military gets the funding they need to operate all their equipment. Constant drilling is so important.
Deicing is hazardous, sad to see these men/women exposed to heavy amounts, once again the sacrifice of serving in the military. God bless.
It sucks so bad working on jets in these conditions. Whether the extreme cold or heat they both equally suck. We landed in Thule once it was so cold our right main gear strut collapsed because the seals froze. Wrapped the gear with a -1 heater and kept it warm until we could leave. And on the flip side in Riyadh it was so hot we were not allowed to run the APU because it would overheat and when having to repair a slip way light in the air refueling port the fuselage was so hot we could literally feel the rubber on our puts soften.
@1949crewchief
3 ай бұрын
I meant to say boots soften
From northern Alberta it was minus 52 Celsius here a couple weeks ago. Our propane got so cold it turned into gel
Was a pilot there, could not turn engines off, would not be able to get started again, sometimes would run for days?
I love this military content stuff. Gives me old school discovery Chanel/ history Chanel vibes
@CSltz
3 ай бұрын
Hope you like this story. Although it doesn’t really sound like it could get that cold. When you are out there in Missouri. It really is Mis or ree. I was a dog handler and many a time I had two pairs of pants thermal underwear. Heavy socks and shirt vest and a parka on. And I was still trying to figure out if I could somehow get that dog under the parka. One of the best ones I heard was this. The guys that did the close in security around the alert aircraft. Got a “visit from the duty officer. He rolls up in his truck cracks the window open a little and asks the guy standing out there. “ Airman what would you do if someone came over that fence and tried to set that airplane on fire.” He got this for an answer. “ Sir if he would let me stand next to it and get warm. I’d let him” we never saw that guy again. Cold is cold no matter where you are. My Dad always said that the two worst places to work were. The railroad tracks and the flight line. He was right on both. I can only imagine working on that wing . Trying to get the panels shut and the little screws in when it’s 10 or so and the winds just a blowing. Or a 95 day in the sun and you forget and pick up the wrench off the concrete. I think it had to be 0 or below and the dogs got to go back to the kennel. Yes it was heated. And we had to go back. But this time we had a truck. You know I’d do it all over again.
Amazing
My Air Force tech school was at Chanute AFB(1976)which has since been decommissioned. Located in Champaign Illinois we routinely had weather at minus 50 degrees.....................BRUTAL is the only word that describes it.
Great video. Thank you.
Bless the technicians who who have to turn wrenches in those conditions
Kind of reminds me of kansas in the winter time
Interesting, thanks for sharing.
US air force is air force international air force very nice
The temperatures at Eielson Air Force Base in Alaska can reach -60 degrees Fahrenheit.
I think the missed part is the shoutout to those Civil Engineers that make sure the missions can happen
Use a remote start and have the heat on 😂 but all jokes aside thanks for your service bless all service people
I was stationed at Westover afb (SAC) tdy to Goose Bay and pcs to Ernest Harmon ab Newfoundland I froze at all 3 bases I learnt what the meaning of freezing was......
185th Refueling Wing! I live right across the interstate from there! Literally! It's the Sioux Gateway Airport! 😊
Oh yes, the harsh arctic extremes of...OHIO and IOWA?!?! HAHAHAHAHA!
@erykahbaxter1195
3 ай бұрын
Alaska?
@halbos7637
3 ай бұрын
New Mexico! There are times when the high in Albuquerque was 12 to 18 degrees Fahrenheit. Not to mention parts of Northern New Mexico being even colder. Use the weather apps on your phones to check conditions in other parts of the country and world. Really COOL video.
@Obsydeon
3 ай бұрын
@erykahbaxter1195 he's showing the 179th Airlift Wing of the Ohio National Guard in multiple shots here. They're based out of Mannsfield, Ohio. Between Cleveland and Columbus. Not exactly the edge of the arctic circle.
1974. I landed on the icecap in Greenland in a c-130. And took off. Wow. Fun
Coldest?......I can tell you that what is shown is not Thule AB, where minus 20F is the winter norm, and minus 80F is a cold day.
@cjnpete
3 ай бұрын
I had an uncle that was base commander at Thule
@mikedee8876
3 ай бұрын
@@cjnpete I never got to see the base commander at Thule...that was probably a good thing....heh
@mikedee8876
3 ай бұрын
@@cjnpete as an afterthought.....The Danes were in charge at Thule...just ask them
@cjnpete
3 ай бұрын
@@mikedee8876 that was during the 60's.. USAF TOP BRASS FULL CAJUN
@TheGor54
28 күн бұрын
My dad was a mechanic there. He said it was cold. Damn cold.
*Is this THULE Air Force Base?*
Description of “Arctic” and “Antarctic”, but shows an air base in Ohio!!!!
Ohio is not the Arctic, Joint Base Wainwright in Alaska is closer to the Arctic. or try Thule AB in Greenland. Why don't you make a video on Canadian military operations and learn something.
@davidfrost3933
3 ай бұрын
Wainwright is not a joint base. The joint base in Alaska is Elmendorf-Richardson.
@denali9449
3 ай бұрын
Fort Wainwright is an Army base is in Fairbanks. Eielson Air Force Base is 25 mile southeast of Fairbanks. The only joint base in Alaska is JBER - Joint Base Elmendorf Richardson which adjoins Anchorage. Thule Air Force Base ceased to exist in 2020; it is now Pituffik Space Base. Perhaps you could learn something?
@reneegudjon3204
3 ай бұрын
Yes Thule ,that's way way up in the eighties or around.That is extreme!
@pierrehamel4424
3 ай бұрын
I the 80’s USAF pilot coming to Cool Lake , Alberta with parkas in July…
Very interesting!
The now closed Thule Airforce Base on the NE coast of Greenland would have to have a very cold base. It did have one redeeming claim to fame, for many years it distributed the Flight Plan for Santa Clause, usually distributed around 2330 GMT/UTC on December 24.
Worked the Flightline in Upstate NY and in Iceland. Nothing more miserably cold or brutally hot than working on the Flightline.
USA is rely powerful country ❤
Feel cold just watching this
Grew up right down the street literally from the 109th in glenville NY. My uncle was a radar tech i believe on the LC130’s.
❤❤❤
2:22 that 135 was apart of our old fleet here at mcguire
I was stationed at KI Sawyer AFB in the Upper Peninsula of Michigan quite a while ago
The forces of nature are ultimately beyond the control of humans. At the end, He doth what He willet.
Maintaining runways in snow and ice, is a 24 hour job. Once crews rid the runways of ice and snow, it's time to start over again, during winter storms. Deicing only lasts around 20 minutes or so. Once an aircraft is deiced, departure needs to be done asap, or more deicing is needed. This is true for all aircraft. Commercial passenger aircraft, as well.
My fevaret plane
here in New Zealand down the South Island in Christchurch at the airport you always see USA airforce galaxy and loadmasters - I think there called - that fuel up there before they fly to the American Antartica base. Christchurch is the closest airport before the antarctic
The most northerly; & coldest US base is Thule, Greenland. Much further north than Fairbanks. Much further north than Alaska for that matter. And there are 3-4 bases/weather stations further north than Thule. The northern most being Alert, Canada.
Magimbento ug hangin na init aron mahilis ang yelo
I thought this would be about Galena AFB which is above the Artic circle in Alaska.
Perfect perfect american way of military equipment
JLTV- that thing sounds like a NASCAR Cup car!
By now my detailer does not have to even ask for a wishlist .😊
Looks like ALASKA
I was waiting for Bruce Willis to make an appearance when those snowmobiles came on the scene.( Die Hard 2 )
Usa..nr..1..................................🏃🏃.
I'd wish to work here for free
Lets tell our stuff come on keep some stuff to ourselves
Why don't they store these airplanes in a hangar so they don't have to spray these airplanes with de-icing fluid? Seems to me the cost of de-icing fluid would be much more expensive than constructing hangars. Hangars don't even have to be that warm, just so long as they keep the snow off of the airplanes since hangars have a roof.
They should just build hangers and focus on keeping the run way clean of ice n snow.
It would cost less to build hangars to store the aircraft’s in or even just a shed to keep them under to keep the snow and ice off. And to have heated driveway/heated runway. Cost way less no maintenance no labor. All this is maintenance is a big mess and big $$$$
thanks to chatgpt for helping in the script
Why not building massive hangars to house the aircrafts so that they are ready to take off and not deal with all the snow issues other than the runways?
Fort Wainwright is the coldest base in the US Air Force. -40 F in the winter. Alaska represent’s
Alaska ?
What temperature
I have a heated driveway. Is it possible to make the runways heated for safe operation?
This has to be Thule Airfore base in Greenland.
@mikedee8876
3 ай бұрын
not Thule....Thule structures are unmistakeable...whats shown looks like a stateside base
@azulaquaza4916
Ай бұрын
Yall its in antarctica
The AMOUNT OF MONEY THIS COSTS😮😮😮😮😮
Lmfao, blud never heard of Alaska bases XD
Electric 💡⚡ equipment will prove itself.
I was at Thule.....