The Military Air Transport Service's Airways and Air Communications Service had two updates B-47Bs, one only briefly and 51-2120 for a long time. Its mission was to test high altitude navigation aids to help the Federal Aviation Administration adapt its system for the new jet transports coming into service. Since it would be operating in airspace crowded with slower propliners when near major airports, the plane took on a series of progressively eye-catching liveries.

First it looked like any other high visibility Stratojet with International orange nose, rear fuselage band and wingtips. The typical MATS fin band read, "AACS," which stood for Airways and Air Communications Service. We didn't paint it because we have other Stratojets in that same basic livery.

Next 51-2120 lost the orange nose and gained big orange flashes on the fuselage and fin, much like those seen in red on some other AACS planes. But the fin band now read "AFCS" and the fuselage titles read, "Air Force Communications Service." Here's 51-2120 in that livery:

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Then things became a bit curious. Next, 51-2120 acquired a new paint job and a name. But first, note that the fin band now reads "AACS" again. We don't know what happened to the Air Force Communications Service, but the Airways And Air Communications Service was back in business.

Whatever the proper name of the service, MATS was so pleased with their shiny new Stratojet that the held a command-wide contest to pick a name for it, to be painted on her nose when she received her new overall white livery. The winning name was, "Navaider." But something else curious happened:

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Somehow, when her new name was painted on her nose, it was spelled, "Sweet Marie." We don't know if that name was inspired by the Bob Dylan song, "Absolutely Sweet Marie," but the song and the airplane were contemporaries, so maybe...