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Air Force resurrects 53-year-old B-52 from desert boneyard for active duty

SleepyC

150cc
b-52a.jpg

The 53-year-old Stratofortress, nicknamed the “Ghost Rider,” had been in storage in the care of the 309th Aerospace Maintenance and Regeneration Group since 2008. For safety reasons, Ghost Rider made the entire flight with its landing gear down, at a speed of only 288 mph and at a height of 23,000 feet, well below its top speed of 650 mph and ceiling of 50,000 feet. (U.S. Air Force Master Sgt. Greg Steele)

AWESOME!

Full story HERE!
 

49dimes

Damn I'm hungry
One my Father flew "Calamity Jane" out of Rome New York now sits close to me at "Battle Ship Park" Mobile, Alabama.
Operation "Chrome Dome". Caused many sleepless nights for my mother. It has been re-painted jungle colors but still displays the original SAC squadron tail number.calamity jane.jpg
 
One my Father flew "Calamity Jane" out of Rome New York now sits close to me at "Battle Ship Park" Mobile, Alabama.
Operation "Chrome Dome". Caused many sleepless nights for my mother. It has been re-painted jungle colors but still displays the original SAC squadron tail number.View attachment 13406
Very cool @49dimes. My Dad flew 106's out of Rome during the early/mid 60's if my memory serves me, so sounds like our Dad's "plowed up" some of the same air. Yep flying chrome dome missions was no piece of cake. I salute your fathers service to our country!:shake:
 

49dimes

Damn I'm hungry
Very cool @49dimes. My Dad flew 106's out of Rome during the early/mid 60's if my memory serves me, so sounds like our Dad's "plowed up" some of the same air. Yep flying chrome dome missions was no piece of cake. I salute your fathers service to our country!:shake:

I'm sure he would salute you back and of course I salute your Fathers service as well and yours. Dad was a combat veteran in the Navy during WWII and transitioned to the Air Force during Korea and Viet Nam. He started his Air Force career in F-86's at a base in Morocco, Africa (where I decided to pop out. lol) and transferred to SAC and B-52's at Roswell New Mexico In 63 and then Rome in 65. F-4's for project Air America towards the end of his service. He was a very versatile flyer. I now know why I love planes! So your Dad flew Darts! Awesome! :yesss:. But my favorite plane as a kid was the B-58 Hustler! Convair had way more contracts in the day than Boeing. lol
 
I'm sure he would salute you back and of course I salute your Fathers service as well and yours. Dad was a combat veteran in the Navy during WWII and transitioned to the Air Force during Korea and Viet Nam. He started his Air Force career in F-86's at a base in Morocco, Africa (where I decided to pop out. lol) and transferred to SAC and B-52's at Roswell New Mexico In 63 and then Rome in 65. F-4's for project Air America towards the end of his service. He was a very versatile flyer. I now know why I love planes! So your Dad flew Darts! Awesome! :yesss:. But my favorite plane as a kid was the B-58 Hustler! Convair had way more contracts in the day than Boeing. lol
Thank you! Yep, Dad Flew P-38's in the ETO during WWII becoming an ace in the process. His career like your dads was definately interesting, flying every fighter in the USAF inventory from the Steerman in primary at Eglin Field Fla to the "six". Commanded the 428 FIS flying P-38's in Europe at the ripe old age of 24 (our dad's grew up in a hurry during that time), and commanded P-80's in Iceland, and F-89, F-94 and F-102's with ADC in the states. Took the first operational fighter wing into Saigon in 1961, about the time I "popped" out at Clark AFB in the PI.
The "Hustler" was an awesome bird. Way before it's time, able to not only fly Mach 2 at altitude but Mach 1 on the deck. Convair had some good birds including the current F-16(General Dynamics I believe was part of Convair).
The F-86 was very cool indeed. Bet your dad had a blast flying it.:big-grin:
 

49dimes

Damn I'm hungry
Thank you! Yep, Dad Flew P-38's in the ETO during WWII becoming an ace in the process. His career like your dads was definately interesting, flying every fighter in the USAF inventory from the Steerman in primary at Eglin Field Fla to the "six". Commanded the 428 FIS flying P-38's in Europe at the ripe old age of 24 (our dad's grew up in a hurry during that time), and commanded P-80's in Iceland, and F-89, F-94 and F-102's with ADC in the states. Took the first operational fighter wing into Saigon in 1961, about the time I "popped" out at Clark AFB in the PI.
The "Hustler" was an awesome bird. Way before it's time, able to not only fly Mach 2 at altitude but Mach 1 on the deck. Convair had some good birds including the current F-16(General Dynamics I believe was part of Convair).
The F-86 was very cool indeed. Bet your dad had a blast flying it.:big-grin:

All I can really remember back in Africa was getting his fighter helmet and O2 Mask and pretending "I was in charge" lol. (I was barely 4yo and could barely hold the helmet). I find it interesting though that my Dads favorite plane was the P-38 which he never flew! I distinctively remember him telling me that and was surprised because I thought it would be the B-52. He did say Chrome Dome operations sucked because of the flights lasting as much as 3 days routinely. Crew fatigue was a huge concern he said along with great amounts of boredom. I do remember him saying the most thrilling flying he did was in the F-4 dodging SAM's. Knife Edge at 760 knots as one goes by the belly and one goes by the canopy! He said "charley" always popped off 2 at a time. The most "excitement" I saw in combat was dodging anti ship cruise missile's called HARPOON. I actually heard one blast by starboard and made me believe in chaff. Ironically we shot down 2 F-4's (Iranian) with SM-1's. and sank an Iranian Frigate.
 

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I love good old fashioned American engineering. 6 years that jet has sat in the heat and all they had to do was throw some new rubber in it, fuel it up, and turn the key.

I may have exaggerated the mild resto process a little, but the point is still there :cool:
 

Doc

50cc
I was an engine tech at Castle back in the late 60s we had over 50 of the b 52s and over 50 KC 135 tankers as well, Training pilots navigators and boom operators. That's a lot of engines to maintain. They flew 24 hours a day, I had trouble sleeping at home on leave where I couldn't hear them. lol
Doc
 
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