III Corps

Why do you call it a piece of ****? Just because a few people who flew BUFs said it was? And what are you trying to say when you say the analysis comes from a bunch of BUF guys? That the BUF guys are at the bottom of the chain?

History does not reflect the crews' opinion and the machine appears to be capable of doing its assigned task. It has been around about as long as the BUF and is still cruising the skies. It has been modified about as many times as the BUF and is capable of carrying long range stand off missiles like the BUF.

I've been in a few Russian machines and simulators and the Russians just take a different approach to things. Their ADIs for example... instead of an inside out view like western ADIs, they take a god's eye view. And they often take a more utilitarian approach than the gold-plate (if one can call the cockpit of a BUF gold-plate ) From the videos, at least you can stand up in the Bear's cockpit, something you can not do in the BUF except when climbing from the EWO/Bomb-nav stations.

Over the years I have been privileged to fly many different machines from different countries. What I have found is all airplanes have strengths and weaknesses. You play to the strength and respect the weakness.

I wonder if the Bear crew got a look at the BUF and what their opinion of it was.

III Corps

Has Putin put Blackjacks up? Or the Backfire? No one is saying anything about them if so...

The Backfire has shown up at Paris and Farnborough a few times but not the Blackjack. The Backfire had TIGHT cockpit and earlier versions were not well liked by the crews due to the lack of space. The M apparently addressed some of those problems. But a nice looking machine that looks good loafing around the skies in France and England.

rickair7777

Ah, the good 'ol days...

reCALcitrant

Yes, I am saying that BUFF (not BUF) crews are at the bottom. Except for us reserve guys who hire straight into it, nobody chose the assignment. WE fly the almost the oldest pile of **** still releasing weapons. Notice I said we because I fly them. All that being said, I think the BUFF is very capable and I do have a sick love for the old thing. .10 mach faster that the bear (airframe up to D-model) and holds a ****load more different weapons. I won't even get into how many. Also, when a bunch of aircrew flying an old ass airplane like the Buff call something a peice of ****...it's probably a peice of ****. The mighty B-52 is circling the skies of Afghanistan and Iraq tonight killing bad guys while the bear is sitting in some hangar getting its props (hehe) balanced. Oh BTW, we won the cold war. Er go (wow latin from a BUFF pilot) we can call it a peice of ****.

Slice

i before e except after c.
peace out.

wordfromthewise

i dont understand why the fighters let the bear get so close to the carrier????
isnt that a threat or a hostile act? i bet if a US aircraft flew over a russian warship with thousands of lives at stake they would have shot it down. can someone please explain...

LineTroll

Shoot it down and start a war, or let them fly over the ship... You pick.

III Corps

I know the BUF (leaving out F for fat and just going with the guts of the slur) since long ago I was exiled to SAC for a long 4yr period. I refueled them and even got to fly an H a couple of times. It is indeed an excellent machine. And it seems history repeats itself with the BUF crews being looked down upon. We created a Mason Williams song called Commie Bombers with the final line of "How to be a commie bomber, its just a curse... to be SACs finest just be ATC's worst." It got lots of laughs.

And I was around for all the jokes about the 'dreaded 7 engine approach' and that DFCs or at least Air Medals were in the crew meals out of U-Tapao while the fighters were going north. Everyone stopped laughing when the BUFs went north and the crews flew into the teeth of the NV defenses without all the jinking. Huge ones to do that... and repeatedly the BUF has accomplished its mission.

And yes, we did win the cold war but the Bear is rousing again and we would be foolish not to take notice, old Tu-95s or not.

You out of Barksdale? Went in there more than a few times with the 'water wagon'. Have you been sentenced to Diego Garcia? One place I missed.

(oh, I think it is 'ergo'.. one word unless one is confused and is thinking about the V1 abort thread where you hit V1, ask the other guy what he wants to do and he says, "Er.... go?")

III Corps.. former 'tanker toad'

wordfromthewise

ya i guess, thats gotta be nuts though. sittin on the carrier watching a russian bomber fly over. i bet those hornets had their missiles locked and ready to go

AirTahoe

Wow interesting story