[Salgak]

Ahem. Only the airframe of the B-52 is 50's tech. The Buff was DESIGNED FROM DAY ONE to be upgraded in a modular fashion: It may have been built in the late fifties, but most of its' electronics are late 80's at the oldest. . .

[TomB]

Ahem. Only the airframe of the B-52 is 50's tech. The Buff was DESIGNED FROM DAY ONE to be upgraded in a modular fashion: It may have been built in the late fifties, but most of its' electronics are late 80's at the oldest. . .

I'm aware of that, so has much of the shuttle. I was just pointing out the silliness of the argument that becuase the shuttle is based on 70s technology, it is worthless today.

[El Gato]

Ahem. Only the airframe of the B-52 is 50's tech. The Buff was DESIGNED FROM DAY ONE to be upgraded in a modular fashion: It may have been built in the late fifties, but most of its' electronics are late 80's at the oldest. . .

The same is true of the Shuttle. For example Columbia was on her second flight after a major "depot" overhaul and upgrade. One thing replaced was the flight control computers. Besides those TF-33 engines on the BUFF are late 50s tech, with very little technology upgrade since.