This Warning Star is really US Navy BuNo 141309, but represents 53-0552 which was once based at McClellan (another Connie is also painted in USAF marks as "53-0552" , that one is preserved at Tinker AFB, OK). This"552" was delivered to the USN in Aug'56 as WV-2. It was assigned to the Naval Missile Range Point Mugu from Aug'61, redesignated to EC-121K in Oct'62. The aircraft was retired to AMARC in Mar'78. On 8 April 1983, it was ferried to McClellan for display at the Aviation Museum. The interior restored as USAF AEW EC-121 for September 1990 reunion of 552 AEW Wg veterans.

With three birds perched on top of the radome !

Actually US Navy machine 141309, this Warning Star is preserved in the museum at McClellan representing 53-0552, an aircraft once based here.

Delivered to the USN in 8.56 as a WV-2, this machine joined the Naval Missile Range at Point Mugu in 1961. Retired to DM in 3.78; after this photo was taken she was prepared for one final flight, ferrying to the McClellan Aviation Museum in California on 8.4.83. Displayed to represent a USAF EC-121 and painted in false marks as '53-0552' to commemorate the 552nd AEW & CW which was based at McClellan AFB from 1953 to 1977