Posted on 12/16/2008 6:59:43 AM PST by pabianice
December 16, 2008: The B-52 is upgrading its nuclear window shades. The original ones, which depended on ropes and pulleys to put sunshades over the inside of cockpit windows after a nuclear weapon was dropped (to prevent too much heat and light from the detonation from getting in), never worked well, and have long since fallen into disuse. Instead, crews bought the same kind of thermal shades used automobile windshields, and used those just to keep the aircraft cool while parked in sunny climes.
But now the U.S. Air Force is getting serious about B-52 use in nuclear warfare, and part of that preparation includes new “thermal curtains” for the half century old bomber. The new, seven shade set, costs $2,500, and is normally kept in a storage bag. Twice a year, there will be a drill, in which the “thermal curtains” will be taken out and deployed. The rest of the time, the crew will use new, cheaper, sun shades (costing about $300 a set) for just keeping the interior cooler when the sun (another nuclear explosion, actually) is bright, hot and shining through the 13 windows on the aircraft.
The new shades and “thermal curtains” will be issued to aircraft next year.
Nothing new. It’s just a part of the “taking back the nuclear enterprise” gig that’s also resulting in the standup of Global Strike Command. A little like spring cleaning or fixing up your dad’s (or in this case, your granddad’s) old Chevy truck with some nice new seat covers.
Colonel, USAFR
LOVE SHACK,
BABY LOVE SHACK!
No implications at all about prepardeness.
Honest.
Funny, with Nobama’s desire to unilaterally disarm the US of nuclear weapons, I’m expecting another type of “curtains” for the B-52.
Interesting though that nuke warfare is being discussed (disgusted) more today as an active possibility than under Bush’s rule.
Pansies. All we got was an eye patch to wear so that after the detonation we’d have one eye left to get home.
Still, it amazes me that this ancient airframe has remained so useful.
WTF? Must be a misprint. Gotta be about 6 zeroes missing.
Since when is ANY weapons system measured in hundreds or thousands of dollars?
Nucular.
I didn't know that they were ever used. It was B-29s that dropped the nukes on Japan.
- one .45 caliber automatic
- two boxes of ammunition
- four days' concentrated emergency rations
- one drug issue containing antibiotics, morphine, vitamin pills, pep pills, sleeping pills, tranquilizer pills
- one miniature combination Russian (pronounced 'Rooshan') phrase book and Bible
- one hundred dollars in rubles
- one hundred dollars in gold
- nine packs of chewing gum
- one issue of prophylactics
- three lipsticks
- three pair of nylon stockings
"Shoot, a fella could have a pretty good weekend in Vegas with all that stuff."
Major T. J. “King” Kong Survival kit contents check. In them you’ll find: one forty-five caliber automatic; two boxes of ammunition; four days’ concentrated emergency rations; one drug issue containing antibiotics, morphine, vitamin pills, pep pills, sleeping pills, tranquilizer pills; one miniature combination Russian phrase book and Bible; one hundred dollars in rubles; one hundred dollars in gold; nine packs of chewing gum; one issue of prophylactics; three lipsticks; three pair of nylon stockings. Shoot, a fella’ could have a pretty good weekend in Vegas with all that stuff.
Great. Now I am inspired to watch Dr. Strangelove—AGAIN! lol
Whew, I am relieved to read about the upgrades
and glad that the old classic still has a role to play.
I first read the headline “...Curtains For The B-52...”
and thought it was bad news for the old birds.
Thank you Major Kong, that was awesome.
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