I spent 4 years at Barksdale AFB and hearing the Buff and KC-135 everyday is still a joyous thing to me. Can’t wait to hear one of the re-engined Buffs fly.
Those sounds are etched into my brain, too, brother! Along with the smoke aroma from their engine fast-start cartridges when it was time for base-wide readiness exercises...😁
About 1990, I was going to visit my in-laws in Buhl, ID but wanted to introduce my family to City of Rocks Oregon Trail landmark in southern ID. While driving on a gravel road along the Raft River, we heard a giant vacuum cleaner overhead. What a thrill watching a B52 on a low level training run up the valley. As the driver, it gave me a pretty good scare until I could finally see it through the windshield. I think it was an IFR (I follow roads) training run because it followed the road really well.
I hear you! It was a startling sight at first on the flightline watching the Buffs fly...didn't look like they ought to be able to do it. I guess if you put some massive wings and 4 pairs of powerful jet engines on a large barn it would fly too! 😀😀😀
I live next to Fairchild AFB in Spokane, WA and remember the Gulf War when they were flying in endless rotation out to Iraq and back for more bombs. You couldn't look up without seeing them low overhead for weeks.
Same here! The BUFF's, along with the KC-135's and the C-141's...and the always present T-38's, were a constant. We (22nd SPS Squadron) used to love it when the airshows were held at our base (March AFB) so we could see some variety! 😁
@@Blaydedge I was Fire Dept at Wurtsmith and Castle with a 2 year stint at Lajes in between. I also took two TDYs to Central America and finished just after Desert Storm. Got to go to March for NCO Academy.
A tad over 3000 hrs in those things with the 20th BMS at Carswell and 644th BMS at K.I. Sawyer back in the mid 80's to early 90's. Ttill miss that thing.......
Amazing plane, to still be in service after all these years. Also love how low that fence seems to be... it looks to be about half the height of fences around airports and bases here in the US...
They are lovingly looked after by their ground crews. The aircraft can fill multiple roles w/out complaint. All B52’s are getting new engines, so they’ll soldier on for many more years.
B-52's were considered "antiques" When I worked on them during Desert Storm. Yet they performed brilliantly, as they still do. The expectations for bombers is completely different. They don't need to fight like fighters or strike aircraft. Their systems are upgraded every few years. There are very few original air frame components left in these planes.
The other commenters missed part of your important question. Being a child of the Greatest Generation, I agree on the absence on the UK today, vs that fought the Battle of Great Britain. @mark
