Rode on a couple in B52 G's in 1959 at Eglin AFB on armament tests and some radar stuff. Was checked out for flying and called in every favor and then got on my knees and begged, but I got to go up on some tests. Couldn't see out of the plane from the hole we were in until they opened the bomb bay doors, but who gave a da**. One of the high points in my life as far as airplanes go. Here is some porn on new rotary launcher etc, that they are adding. Love the update, now down load information so the crews don't have to carry memory sticks anymore, In 1959 they used paper maps and loose leaf binders to set up armament panels. Mostly worked on F101b, F102 and F104, in radar and fire control computers and testing out the MB 1 nuke air to air, the Sidewinder, GAR 3 and Gar 4, which never really did much and the Gar 11 that replaced the nuke MB 1. It was one he** of a time to be alive and on the flight line, airplanes setting world records, testing out C 130, B 52, KC 135, still getting rides and flying chase with B 25, riding in B 17 on flights that were later used as targets, riding in trainer versions over 1,000 miles an hour and at 600 mph and a hundred feet off of gulf. Talking with pilots that had 10 WW2 and Korean War kills, all NCO's had served in either WW2 or Korea and most in both. Set in NCO club, kept my mouth shut, listened and bought a few beers. Bunch were sitting around BSing and one of young Sgts called them on all the narrow escapes. One old timer looked at other, said remember "****' and how that Me 109 came out of the sun and he shot at it, other one said yep, first one said lets drink one to his memory, only the ones that by the grace of God survived were there to tell stories. It had a profound effect on how I have lived my life the last 65 years. You never will know if you will be graced with a long and happy life or die in an instant at 18 as so many of them did. Enjoy life to the fullest and make peace with the Lord as only he knows how long we will have on this world. Blurb about plane tells that the first stage of design began in 1946. Air Force Armament Museum Foundation And at the end of this blurb is a picture of the bomb bay of a B52 with the new launcher. The pilot can actually dial up which weapon he wishes to use in flight and drop or launch it. The new launcher allows the B 52 to carry up to 20 of the 2,000 pound guided bombs with a good chance of hitting within 10 feet of target as compared to WW2 bombs likely hitting within about 1/4 of a mile. Reason Navy went to dive bombers and B17's and B 29's didn't really try to sink them after about 1942. B-52 HAS ALREADY USED ITS NEW CONVENTIONAL ROTARY LAUNCHER IN COMBAT - The Aviation Geek Club They show them training airmen to use the equipment for loading etc, that parents were not born when I worked on it.
Was in SAC in 1969 at Griffiss AFB NY what can you say about the Buff they are still flying today with pilots that weren't even born when they were first put into service/ Loaded nucs my time there.
Nothing like an inflight emergency with live nukes to stir up the pot. Was on weapons crew to secure weapon in case of crash or fire on flight line or strip. Thank the Lord that all we had were drills, but they got intense enough for me. Have safed missiles and bombs from accident's and that was more than fun. In 57 had people working in B52 program that had flown in 1936 in the Keystone bomber, open cockpit fabric bi-plane and were now high ranking officers or very senor non coms working on B52. Keystone B-6 - WikiMili, The Free Encyclopedia What a life time, WW2, Korea, bombers with 2 engines of 575 hp each, max speed of 100 mph, service ceiling of 14,000 feet, range of about 900 miles, in beginning, B52 and its specs 30 years later.
My cousin's son is the B-52 wing commander at Barksdale LA his dad is a retired AF fighter pilot Col.
Man, to have been around in the late 50's and 60's with all those new age Jets coming into service would have been awesome! I enlisted in 88 and got to play around with some of the remaining century jets, the F-100, the F-104, the F-105, the F-101, and more, my first and only love will always be the greatest of all, the F-4, especially the Echo and later, man, what a jet! I got to ride back seat in an F-4G twice, nothing can compare to that experience, even the F-15 and F-16 I got to ride later, the F-4 was really something! Spent many hours learning how to remove certain things from crashed aircraft, or destroying them so nobody could get their hands on anything of value, and got to know many of the pilots and crew, you never knew, one day you might be rescuing one of them. Spent a lot of time with Naval recovery systems command, lemme tell ya, those guys have some serious challenges, spent two weeks aboard the U.S.S. Grapple training for all sorts of underwater recovery missions, sadly, the Navy is getting rid of those ships now. We trained with the Coasties a lot as well, especially doing artic search and rescue and water recoveries, it was a lot of fun, but super dangerous. We also trained with both the Coasties and Navy/Marines to do boardings and to take down and secure vessels, especially warships, that was some of the most intense training I have ever been through. Got to hang with all the who's who in the JSOC community, drank a lot of beer and told stories all around, everyone was glad they didn't have to do what the others did, it was a mutual understanding between everyone, and mutual respect! It was an epic life, the dangers and risks were so high, and you are so close to it for so long, now as a retired feller, I really miss it, but that's a life for young guys, I wouldn't last ten min now!
I worked with a woman named Shirley for years, and although I had met her husband several times we never really talked. One night he had brought her dinner and while she ate, we talked. John had been a pilot in the Air Force and mentioned that he had flown the B-47 bomber. I asked about it being the first all jet bomber and he started talking. He said that flying bombers was just a little bit more exciting than flying transports, but that flying fighters...that was real flying! He flew the F-86 Sabre, both the straight-wing and swept-wing versions. He was in the Korean War, was shot down, and a POW for 6 months. I asked if he was held by the Chinese or North Koreans and luckily for him it was the Chinese. He said that he was questioned by the Chinese about his aircraft, but that he played dumb claimed that he was just a pilot and that he knew nothing about the internal workings of the aircraft. He also said that there was a white man present that wore a Chinese uniform and said nothing! He guessed that the guy was Russian! John said that he had always hated the thought that somewhere a Chinese or Korean pilot was telling his family (again) about the time he shot down a Yankee Dog (American)! I told him that toward the end of the Korean War, he might have been shot down by a Russian pilot with 1,000 hours or more of combat flight experience dating back to WW2! About that time John excused himself to go to the restroom and that is when I noticed his wife standing there with her mouth open in surprise...she had never heard most of this! That was 15 years ago, and John Bloom is dead now, but I will remember that talk for the rest of my life!
I once was deer hunting when a Warthog came in at treetop levels low and slow. Pissed me off, Wasted morning trying to hunt and BOOM Warthog on your head.
Yeah man, I'm like, Self this.243 will only piss this guy off and I'll be found looking like chopped up dog meat. Last sound I would have ever hear would have been BBBRRRRRR
the Russians and Chinese were all over the Viet War also - the few MIG engagements were damn questionable for supposedly being Viet pilots .... and there's more than a few B-52 Strategic Forces personnel that got shot down - survived the downing but not the trip back from Russia ....
Vietnam was the beginning of politicians thinking they could run a war. I spent a year there loading munitions on the F-4 and the rules of engagement were ridiculous we could not take any of the Migs out if they were on the ground only if they were in the air. Good book is Fighter Pilot life of Robin Olds --ace pilot
There were lots of former POWs that turned up after the break-up of the Soviet Union! Germans, Japanese, Americans, and others.! They had served in WW2, Korea, Vietnam, and other wars! Some had deserted, and some were POWs that were released into the interior of the USSR and had made a life for themselves there.
@duane Did you hear that along with the Launcher the B-52s are getting new engines? I was sort of shock to think that an aircraft designed so long ago is not only still flying but will be upgraded (again!) still will be flying in the near future. Why? Cost effective.
Mid 80’s I was training at Ft Hood. Had been watching a pair of A10’s working over a ridge line about three miles away. Went to work laying powder charge explosive simulators on a bridge my recon unit was to take out. I was busy wiring the last few charges and heard a swishing whistle sound , looked up and was staring into a GAU-30 as the landing lights start flashing to simulate firing. Reflex’s had me giving a burst of blanks, but knowing I would have only scratched the paint. Felt totally foolish. Pilot circled back for a look and I came to attention and saluted. He tossed one back and went on his way. I kinda felt sorry for anyone facing the real thing.
Hunter S Thompson was at Elgin AFB just around that time. I think he got there 57-58 and stayed for about 3 years. I wonder if you ever crossed paths.
One of my favorite movies EVER. I first saw this movie when I was 12 years old and it scared the hell out of me. Now that I've gotten older and wiser, I came to see the intelligence and comedy of Stanley Kubrick and came to love this movie.
