BS: AIRPLANES!!!

Subject: BS: AIRPLANES!!!
From: JohnInKansas
Date: 21 Jun 12 - 06:24 PM

A site devoted to post-WWII airplane photos, from the 2009 Edwards Air Force Base Open House has been pointed out to me, and might be of interest to anyone with some memory of news, mostly from when we were a little younger.

The Photo Blog consistes of "lots" of remarkable photos, and a few short (not really too impressive) audio clips of some fly-over engine noises, with short comments about each photo. Most of the shots are of airplanes "in flight" but taken from the ground. Quite a few of the shots are (IMO) better than the "official photos" generally available from the gov.

Take a look. If the first few don't snatch your attention you don't have to look at them all.

John

Subject: RE: BS: AIRPLANES!!!
From: gnu
Date: 21 Jun 12 - 07:54 PM

Cool. Thanks.

Subject: RE: BS: AIRPLANES!!!
From: GUEST,999
Date: 21 Jun 12 - 07:59 PM

Some great shots on there, John. Just a note because I don't think they've explained anywhere: The BUFF is a B-52, called so because it's a Big Ugly Fat F***er--first heard of that from a book about the Vietnam War. If anyone knows the origin, I'd be grateful.

Edwards AFB is in California?

Thanks for the memories, John. Neat thread. I'm not sure that Leon Uris coined the phrase, but there is a lot of 'terrible beauty' on that site.

Subject: RE: BS: AIRPLANES!!!
From: GUEST,999
Date: 21 Jun 12 - 08:00 PM

Gnu, I was just about to message you about this thread.

Subject: RE: BS: AIRPLANES!!!
From: Bobert
Date: 21 Jun 12 - 08:25 PM

Love the pics, John... I grew up fascinated with planes... My dad would take me over to Graham Road field... It was dirt and all the pilots hung out at a bar (excuse me, aviators club) there were WW II vets who owned a hodgepodge of older planes and give one a couple bucks to take me up... Guess I was around 10 and these guys would let me fly their planes as they would spin their stories... Got purdy good at landing old tail draggers...

(But Boberdz... Dind't you wreck an ol' Super Cub when you were 16???)

Well, yeah but like my "licensed pilot" says, "Brother... Any landing you walk away from is a good one"...

B;~)

Subject: RE: BS: AIRPLANES!!!
From: Jeri
Date: 21 Jun 12 - 08:46 PM

Edwards AFB is in California.

Subject: RE: BS: AIRPLANES!!!
From: GUEST,999
Date: 21 Jun 12 - 09:01 PM

Thank you.

Subject: RE: BS: AIRPLANES!!!
From: JohnInKansas
Date: 21 Jun 12 - 09:07 PM

k-1

I belive the NATO code name for the B52 was "Buffalo" and is probably the original source for "BUFF," although the translation you gave was commonly known (and recited) when you asked any what "what's that big m***f**r?" ... .

Lots of people shortened it to "BUF" and left out the "fat" part. The 4-letter version was used mostly by the "politically correct" speakers who often also substituted "Fella" (fellow) for F**ker when "informing civilians."

Although basically a high altitude plane, most B52 "combat" missions (and training runs, of course) included long runs in "terrain avoidance" mode below 500 feet AGL and sometimes down to 50 feet which made it "below the radar" to within less than 100 miles (12 seconds?) of the target.

Ref: AGL = Above Ground Level

Later "radar invisible" planes like the B1, B2, B3 usually get pinged at around 200 - 300 miles (according to rumors) if the target has recent good detection systems, and "visual contact" quite a bit farther if the enemy has aircraft up. Even though it's still short notice, the enemy scramble can still get off the ground to get to them before the bomb gets to the ground from the altitudes where they generally launch/drop them. They'll still get the target, but there's a small but real additional risk tradeoff for the crew.

All of the above (it's claimed) can launch guided cruie missiles from 300 to 700 miles out (again according to published rumors) so variations in penetration modes/methods make them all nasty if they're on "the other side."

Fortunately there have been few recent needs for "strategic bombing" of the kinds that were far too frequent in earlier deployments.

John

Subject: RE: BS: AIRPLANES!!!
From: JohnInKansas
Date: 21 Jun 12 - 09:15 PM

Edwards AFB is in California but mostly it's sort of "nowhere." There's nothing nearby, it's a long drive from anywhere you can even park a car, much less rent a room, and the usual heat and dust make it unsuitable for habitation by even hardy camels. (Besides it's "stony desert" and the pebbles hurt the camels' feet.)

The description at the website of the "long lines" to get onto the base are probably accurate, but I'd guess the lines didn't reach "civilization" of any indentifiable kind at the longest tail end.

(And yeah, BTDT)

John

Subject: RE: BS: AIRPLANES!!!
From: Charley Noble
Date: 22 Jun 12 - 03:48 PM

Got my WW 2+ airplane fix for the day. Got any links for WW 1?

Charley Noble

Subject: RE: BS: AIRPLANES!!!
From: JohnInKansas
Date: 22 Jun 12 - 04:07 PM

Charley

Someone told me that the photographer who took all those photos also has another site up with photos from one of the Seattle Air Museums, and possibly some others.

The comment came after I'd looked and posted, and I haven't checked to see whether the site linked has any links or info about his other stuff. It was implied that he specializes in air shows and aircraft displays, so one might turn up more if they just searched on his name.

Let us know if you find some goodies. You'll probably beat me to any follow up.

John

Subject: RE: BS: AIRPLANES!!!
From: Little Hawk
Date: 22 Jun 12 - 06:36 PM

Nice. Do I see the nose of a WWII Romanian I.A.R. 80 fighter plane over to the left side in one shot?

Subject: RE: BS: AIRPLANES!!!
From: GUEST,999
Date: 22 Jun 12 - 09:44 PM

LH, you seldom cease to amaze me. WTF knows that?

While we're here, I found a great philosophical singularity today while talking with my daughter. Other than that, how's things? You writing? Singing? If you don't want to respond on thread, e-mail me.

Subject: RE: BS: AIRPLANES!!!
From: Bonzo3legs
Date: 23 Jun 12 - 03:12 PM

Aeroplanes!!