Museum of Flight

[Cowracer]

Originally Posted by Cowracer

d21? I thought they only launched them from a b-52?

Tim

on second look, definalty not a D21. What the hell is that thing?

Tim

[B47]

Originally Posted by herk7769

Mmmm, remind me over a beer to "ruminate" about this.
Look close at the driver

What is that - I see the C-130, but what is being launched from it?

[Herk7769]

Originally Posted by B47

What is that - I see the C-130, but what is being launched from it?

Huh?

[B47]

Originally Posted by herk7769

Huh?

Your post # 17 - what is hanging from the pylon?

[Herk7769]

Originally Posted by B47

Your post # 17 - what is hanging from the pylon?

I don't see anything. What are you referring to?
Must be invisible...

[B47]

Originally Posted by herk7769

I don't see anything. What are you referring to?
Must be invisible...

OK - I get it - no more questions

[F.R.O.G.]

Herk, the Wonder Woman plane looks very much like what I expected. The old comic book renditions don't really do it justice.

[Herk7769]

Originally Posted by B47

I been there - back when the B47s were being sent there. Kinda brings a tear to your eye when you think back to the time these planes were operational and how well they were maintained and how they were operated during the Cold War and other times and then to see them baking under the Arizona sun.

You can goggle and see videos of B52s being hacked up so the metal could be reclaimed.

Turbo - you will see a lot of "Tail Numbers" there being they are almost all military aircraft.

While those B-52s were being chopped up and scrapped, they were not done so for the metal. It was the SALT that required any aircraft capable of launching a cruise missile be counted as a nuclear delivery platform.

The Year They Killed 365 B-52's — Military Forum | Airliners.net

Those Buffs were destroyed in order to keep as many Minutemen missiles as we could and stay compliant. Not well known, but all the DC-130 drone birds were converted back to trash haulers or destroyed since all the IT&E and OT&E of the cruise missile program was done with C-130s.

Don't ask how I know...

[B47]

Originally Posted by herk7769

While those B-52s were being chopped up and scrapped, they were not done so for the metal. It was the SALT that required any aircraft capable of launching a cruise missile be counted as a nuclear delivery platform.

The Year They Killed 365 B-52's — Military Forum | Airliners.net

Those Buffs were destroyed in order to keep as many Minutemen missiles as we could and stay compliant. Not well known, but all the DC-130 drone birds were converted back to trash haulers or destroyed since all the IT&E and OT&E of the cruise missile program was done with C-130s.

Don't ask how I know...

True, but not B52s were scrapped strictly for SALT purposes. I believe that only the "g" and some of the "h" models were destroyed for that purpose. They were kept in their destroyed condition for X amount of time so Russian satilites could photograft them so the Russians could be satisfied they were destroyed. But most of the surplus military aircraft sent there were/are ultimately cut up for scrap. There are different stages of storage for the aircraft there - some are first stripped of their military equipment and parts and then destroyed, others are preserved for possible later reactivation and others are kept for their parts to keep other aircraft flying.

[Herk7769]

Originally Posted by B47

True, but not B52s were scrapped strictly for SALT purposes. I believe that only the "g" and some of the "h" models were destroyed for that purpose. They were kept in their destroyed condition for X amount of time so Russian satilites could photograft them so the Russians could be satisfied they were destroyed. But most of the surplus military aircraft sent there were/are ultimately cut up for scrap. There are different stages of storage for the aircraft there - some are first stripped of their military equipment and parts and then destroyed, others are preserved for possible later reactivation and others are kept for their parts to keep other aircraft flying.

Yes. But 365 were strictly SALT driven.

[B47]

Originally Posted by herk7769

Yes. But 365 were strictly SALT driven.

Yep - but there were over 740 B52s built and not all were destroyed for SALT purposes.

My point is that the majority of military aircraft sent to the boneyard are ultimately scrapped out.

I also think you will agree that those of us who built,flew,and maintained these aircraft feel a little sad when remembering these aircraft in their operational days.

[Herk7769]

Originally Posted by B47

Yep - but there were over 740 B52s built and not all were destroyed for SALT purposes.

My point is that the majority of military aircraft sent to the boneyard are ultimately scrapped out.

I also think you will agree that those of us who built,flew,and maintained these aircraft feel a little sad when remembering these aircraft in their operational days.

Totally. In fact we have an AMARG tour planned during our trip to San Diego this year.

Davis-Monthan Air Force Base - 309thAMARG

Home : Pima Air & Space Museum : Tucson, Arizona

[B47]

Originally Posted by herk7769

Totally. In fact we have an AMARG tour planned during our trip to San Diego this year.

Davis-Monthan Air Force Base - 309thAMARG

Home : Pima Air & Space Museum : Tucson, Arizona

Enjoy your trip - we stayed at the Voyager RV park on Kolb Road which is very close to DM.

When I went to DM in 1978 it was before all the security measures were in effect and I got an informal tour by one of the employees there. I went mostly to see if there were any B47s left and there weren't many.

[Herk7769]

Originally Posted by B47

Enjoy your trip - we stayed at the Voyager RV park on Kolb Road which is very close to DM.

When I went to DM in 1978 it was before all the security measures were in effect and I got an informal tour by one of the employees there. I went mostly to see if there were any B47s left and there weren't many.

Our plan is to camp on the base at the FAMCAMP. I will try to get some B-47 photos if there are any left.

[B47]

Originally Posted by herk7769

Our plan is to camp on the base at the FAMCAMP. I will try to get some B-47 photos if there are any left.

That's very nice of you and thanks. There's an old neglected EB-47E at the Pima Air & Space Museum and don't bother wasting your film on that one.

We took a wrong turn in Tucson on our way to the Voyager RV park on S. Kolb Road and went along one side of the boneyard where you could see many moth balled C-130s sitting out in the sun.

Once again -thanks and have a safe trip.