Has Anyone Else Flown On B52s?

[Treasure_Hunter]

Has anyone else here flown on B-52s? When I was in the Air Force I volunteered to fly on the 52s on a couple of combat missions in SE Asia and practice nuke bomb training due to my job I was allowed to do so.,

The nuke bomb training was a great thrill as the plane would fly about 50 feet off the ocean at 500 mph and when reaching the pre-programmed release point it would go into a giant 180-degree vertical loop to head back in the direction we came from as they simulated releasing the nuke, it was a radar release, basically, it was like riding in the worlds fastest roller coaster. We were flying just above the ocean to simulate flying under the radar into the USSR.

 

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[crashbandicoot]

Never been in a B-52 TH.But it,s gotta be an ass kicking ride! Back in the late 60s B-52s were flying low level practice missions just down the road from me.They parked a small target car on a railroad siding just outside Cummins Prison and the birds would fly very low level to simulate drops.Was cool to park nearby and watch. I believe these were out of Eaker at Blytheville,and Barksdale at Shreveport,Louisiana. Coming over at such a low altitude you got the full effect.

 

[Mackaydon]

Got on a couple practice 'touch and goes' at March AFB, Riverside, Ca. (USAF '63-'69). They have one on display at the local museum next to the field.
Don......

 

[Treasure_Hunter]

Flying out of McCoy AFB in Orlando we did training runs over the great lakes and also the Gulf of Mexico approaching the Texas coast. I also flew at over 48,000 feet and was invited to sit in the co-pilot seat several times, got to witness refueling from KC-135 while sitting in the cockpit, and also was able to see the curvature of the earth at that altitude from the cockpit. .

 

[Treasure_Hunter]

Got on a couple practice 'touch and goes' at March AFB, Riverside, Ca. (USAF '63-'69). They have one on display at the local museum next to the field.
Don......

I got on several of those, didn't know that was what they were going to do, after 2nd time we landed and took off I asked one of the crew members what was going on and he told me the pilot need to do so many touch and goes a month. I wasn't too happy about it one time as I remember once it was on a Friday night and I was looking forward to going to the clubs, not doing a bunch of touch and goes.

 

[dougachim]

Yes when I was little. My father was into planes he had a few. His buddy owned the War eagles Museum in Santa Teresa/Sunland Park New Mexico

 

[RTR]

I've seen them, tons of em.On my way to Hawaii from Nam for R&R. The island of Guam or Wake (don't remember now which one) had enough of 52s to sink the island (just by their weight)....Five minutes before we landed they took all our cameras,and gave them back five minutes after takeoff ...

 

[Gene Mean]

TH that sounds like an incredible ride. I've only seen their awesome wingspan and design on static displays at airshows. Just an awesome sight. Thank you for your service to the USA. You must feel proud to have served.

 

[Treasure_Hunter]

I've seen them, tons of em.On my way to Hawaii from Nam for R&R. The island of Guam or Wake (don't remember now which one) had enough of 52s to sink the island (just by their weight)....Five minutes before we landed they took all our cameras,and gave them back five minutes after takeoff ...

It was Anderson in Guam, Anderson AFB is on Guam and during Nam it was used extensively for bombing missions over SE Asia. Clark in Philippines, Anderson on Guam and Kadena on Okinawa were the three main bases for B52s bombing SE Asia during Nam.

I have flown in and out of Guam, Wake Island, Philippines, and was stationed on Okinawa for 20 months. Landing on Wake island was a trip as the ocean all but touches the runway on both ends. Your landing and you think you're landing in the water as you cant see the land except from the cockpit. I landed there on a KC-135 and looking out the door window I thought hell we are landing in the water.

Wake Island airfield

 

[RTR]

It was Anderson in Guam, Anderson AFB is on Guam and during Nam it was used extensively for bombing missions over SE Asia. Clark in Philippines, Anderson on Guam and Kadena on Okinawa were the three main bases for B52s bombing SE Asia during Nam.

I have flown in and out of Guam, Wake Island, Philippines, and was stationed on Okinawa for 20 months. Landing on Wake island was a trip as the ocean all but touches the runway on both ends. Your landing and you think you're landing in the water as you cant see the land except from the cockpit. I landed there on a KC-135 and looking out the door window I thought hell we are landing in the water.

Wake Island airfield

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Small world My R&R in Hawaii was in March 1970 .Maybe you were there then ?

 

[Peyton Manning]

No I havent
But give me a chance at a Warhawk, mustang or spitfire!
And I hate flying

 

[Peyton Manning]

Also I bet Jeff OfPa has cool stories about jennies

 

[crashbandicoot]

Also I bet Jeff OfPa has cool stories about jennies

That,s cruel Peyton! Probably true though!

 

[Treasure_Hunter]

Small world My R&R in Hawaii was in March 1970 .Maybe you were there then ?

March 1970 I was in Okinawa. I have been to Hawaii 4 times but was never allowed to leave Hickam AFB, to go into town, we were flying to and from Okinawa to McCoy AFB in Orlando Florida with layovers at Hickham for refueling. They locked us in a hanger, we begged to be let out as we could see the lights of the bars right off the base but they refused, they told us NO! They said too many had gone to town and missed the flights out so we were locked in hangers with MPs at the doors.

 

[Treasure_Hunter]

Anderson AFB during the Nam war.

 

[Treasure_Hunter]

On November 19, 1968, B52 crashed at Kadena AFB, plane was taking off when they had an engine problem when they set the B52 back down on the runway jarring a 500 lb wing bomb loose, they tried to stop, as B52 is slamming on brakes trying to stop but were unable to stop before the end of runway and wings were ruptured where fuel was stored and the bomb slid into the B52.

I was in my room in the barracks sleeping when the bombs went off setting off all the bombs on the 52 and blowing a 50-foot hole in the runway, I was thrown out of my bed and when I opened my window I saw a huge mushroom cloud rising over runway because I was sound asleep when it happened my first thought was WWIII had started, after about 30 seconds I woke up enough to realize if it had been a nuke I would have been vaporized.

Kadena also had several SR-71s stations there while I was there.

SR-71 Kadena AB, Okinawa USAF Operations

 

[crashbandicoot]

I have a very good friend who was a bomb loader for those at Anderson!

 

[RTR]

LOVE the SR- 71s just imagine flying faster than a bullet This one is in D.C.

 

[ironman123]

During the VN ware we had quite a few protests at Kadena in Okinawa because of the B52 bombers beeing there and we ( army Military Police) were called in to help keep them from getting onto the air field. Sometimes the base fire trucks had to hose them to keep them from tearing the chain link fence down.
I guarded a "money run" (Pay for Troops) in a B52 to Tai land and Viet Nam a couple of times.

 

[Mackaydon]

Remembering more about 'touch and goes'.....
sometimes three would be operating at the base at the same time; one on take off, one circling around and one on final approach. It was quite a sight; and a great feeling for what they did in VN.
Don..