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Skid Strip
| While
many airports have runways or landing strips, Cape Canaveral Air
Force Station has a skid strip. It actually is a runway, but the name "skid
strip" has remained from the earliest days when
Snark winged missiles were
returned to the Cape after launch. A simple landing gear with short
metal pads (skids) in place of wheels enabled the Snark to be landed
on the skid strip
by radio control. Not all landings were successful, but a successful landing
allowed a more economical study of the flight. The name
"skid strip" was coined and remains to this day.
The skid strip has hosted landings from a wide variety of aircraft, everything from missile deliveries to Air Force One. |
 Cape Map |
 Bomarc being delivered 14 May 1959 by C-124 on the Skid Strip |
 Titan II arriving by C-133 on the Skid Strip |