Aircrews Refuel B-52s in Flight for the Fight

Defend America News ^ | Master Sgt. Scott King

[farlander]

Well, actually ideally suited for it too, with JDAM precision munitions. Lots more efficient than having a number of fighters rotate around.

Guys up in that B-52 are probably buzzing around bored out of their mind, drinking coffee, and punch in a few numbers when the guys below request a drop.

[verity]

Do you guys take American Express? lol

[phantomworker]

Didn't know that! This is the last I heard the B-52's:

[manwiththehands]

I knew we were still flying the BUFF, but the KC-135, too? Makes me homesick for the Air Force. My first duty station was a SAC base for both.

[joesnuffy]

Love those 'Buffs'

[One4Indictment]

Maybe that BUFF is carrying one of THESE

[mad_as_he$$]

Don't call me Ethel!

[mad_as_he$$]

Early Spring weeding. Mostly loitering waiting for $hit to happen. There will be Toweliban movement soon I am told. They are just not sure when.

[Robert357]

You don't need a B-52 strike to deal with a small rag-tag group of terrorists.

True, but as the article says....
Whenever we, as B-52 aircrew members, have the opportunity to shape the battlefield with our armament....."

I would hate to be on the receiving end of such a shaped battlefield.

If I might comment, the Canadian forces have been getting their butts kicked hard recently in Afghanistan to the point that the Canadian news has been getting on their leaders case. I sense that some of this might be an attempt to cut our northern neighbors some ground battlefield slack. But that is just speculation on my part.

[oxcart]

FANTASTIC PHOTO! EVER FILL ONE OF THESE UP?

[Echo Talon]

hell ya now thats a nice photo! :)

[tanknetter]

Wonder why they're not using the newer KC-10s over there??

There's a LOT more KC-135s than there are KC-10s. And the KC-10s, with their ability to refuel both boom/receptical aircraft of the USAF and the probe/drogue aircraft of the USN/USMC, the Brits and most of our allies, are more valuable deployed into an environment where there is greater diversity of assets ... like Iraq

(Although I should mention that some USMC, RAF and coalition aircraft are deployed to Afghanistan. While there are some -135s equipped with wingtip probe/drogue pods, my recollection is that the probe/drogue needs in Afghanistan are being handled by RAF tankers).

[winker]

This was my work view for three years from 1966-1970. Laying next to the boom operator flying the ruddervators and seeing places like Guam, Wake Island and Okinawa disappearing in the distance was my world. We lived in the KC-135 and carried a pair of spare engines along one for the tanker and one for the B-52's or what ever was needed.

As a Jet Engine Mechanic we not only was a flying Gas Tank but a fully equipped parts operation as well. That view is burned into my memory; the view is spectacular as you can imagine but it is deadly serious work to co-ordinate the aerial ballet required to successfully accomplish that task.

[phantomworker]

How about this one?

[Ruy Dias de Bivar]

Yawn. Ho Hum. Been there. Seen that.





But dog gone it is still FASCINATING!

[Homer_J_Simpson]

I guess I need to modify my idea of what close air support is. I thought it was when they zoom in at treetop level and strafe and bomb the bad guys threatening the good guys. I can't see B-52's pulling that off.

[Ruy Dias de Bivar]

We filled up a SR-71 once over the Pacific. I didn't get to watch as it was not allowed at that time. I later found that the boom operator would have let me watch. Too bad he didn't tell me till after it was done.

Refuled B-52s & F-104s.

[Ruy Dias de Bivar]

***This was my work view for three years from 1966-1970.***

Mine too. 1966-1969. Jet over 2 aircrarft mechanic.
Walker AFB, NM
Little Rock AFB.
Kadina AFB, Okinawa.
Guam.
Ban-UTapao, Thailand
Fairbanks, Ak.
And that paradise on earth, Goose Bay, Labrador, Canada. In winter.

[oxcart]

Yes, those Blackbirds were rather secretive critters.