Low Flying B-52

[HAL Pilot]

I thought it might be a really good fake until I read this (the pics & story fare rom different web sites):

http://patronsix.com/html/vp-6_with_b-52_crews.html

When we got back to Hickam, Pete and I exchanged notes. At the time, I had thought that OUR low-level fly bys were exciting; Pete's crew apparently had no problem "getting down in the weeds" and had flown their "BUF" past the carrier at or below FLIGHT DECK LEVEL. Pete told me that when he looked out the window, he had to look UP in order to see the island and the masts! P-3 operating procedures only allowed us to fly at a minimum of 200-300 feet, but apparently the Air Force guys had no such minimum altitude limitations.

 

[FMRAM]

wow...

 

[Spot]

Reminds me of that one guy who was doing all kinds of crazy stuff in B-52's and ended up banking it too hard at an air show and planting it.
http://s92270093.onlinehome.us/CRM-Devel/resources/paper/darkblue/darkblue.htm

 

[jai5w4]

Reminds me of that one guy who was doing all kinds of crazy stuff in B-52's and ended up banking it too hard at an air show and planting it.
http://s92270093.onlinehome.us/CRM-Devel/resources/paper/darkblue/darkblue.htm

It's the same dude...

-J

 

[HeyJoe]

Reminds me of that one guy who was doing all kinds of crazy stuff in B-52's and ended up banking it too hard at an air show and planting it.
http://s92270093.onlinehome.us/CRM-Devel/resources/paper/darkblue/darkblue.htm

Some folks say that was same guy. Might be urban legend, but the shoe fits.

Classic case of failure of chain of command to deal with repeated instances of flagrant violations of the rules and predictable loss of an aircraft and its crew. Take a look: http://www.rapp.org/archives/2004/09/aircraft_crash_videos/

 

[NavyLonghorn]

Just to fill the Navy guys in (who didnt have to experience the ass pain of Vance or Moody), BUFF spots actually go to T-38 guys.

Imagine sellecting "jets" and getting BUFFS.

That could explain the crazy flying.

 

[TXHusker05]

Lt. Col. Bud Holland was the guy that parked his B-52 face first into the lawn at an airshow... at like 300 knots. I had a video of it somewhere around here on my computer, I'll look for it.

Found it: http://www.navyseals.com/community/navyseals/socomdigital/video_11.html

Right in the middle is his crash, there are a lot of other aircraft mishaps in there too.

 

[Lonestar155]

I noticed something very odd about the photograpgh though. The first photograph shows the B52 at the END of the flight deck or (Aft) with its nose slightly lowered as if it was descending. The second picture showed a photograph from vultures row or on the tower of the carrier which also shows the B-52 at the same angle of attack. It would by these sequence of events the B-52 would have struck the ocean at one point.

 

[FlyinSpy]

I thought it might be a really good fake until I read this (the pics & story fare rom different web sites)

I'm not buying it. The B-52 seems to have some very significant nose-down trim that would put it in the drink shortly after clearing the bow. Also, the second pic seems to show the same aspect ratio/perspective as the first pic; if it was that close to the flight deck edge, it would be a lot larger. I don't doubt the story in the attached link, but I'm questioning whether this pic and that story are the same.

I'm betting Photoshop.

 

[nittany03]

Just to fill the Navy guys in (who didnt have to experience the ass pain of Vance or Moody), BUFF spots actually go to T-38 guys.

Imagine sellecting "jets" and getting BUFFS.

That could explain the crazy flying.

That sounds crazy. Wouldn't the T-1 be much better training for someone going to fly a heavy? There's the AF for you . . . :icon_roll

 

[TXHusker05]

Another question on that photo, wouldn't the ocean be even slightly disturbed by 8 jet engines flying at like 100 feet above sea level? You are right about it seeming too small in the picture from the carrier, but I am not sure.

 

[zippy]

I'm not buying it. The B-52 seems to have some very significant nose-down trim that would put it in the drink shortly after clearing the bow.

Re: the low nose... The faster you go, the lower the pitch of the nose in flight(at least thats the way it works for us in 34/44 land).

 

[MasterBates]

Works that way in helo land too.

Nothin like hangin in the straps at MaxQ/Max FWD CG.

 

[MIDNJAC]

Re: the low nose... The faster you go, the lower the pitch of the nose in flight(at least thats the way it works for us in 34/44 land).

beat me to it.......down that low and fast, there is a LOT of lift being generated by the wings and horizontal stabilizers. (not to mention that if they were accelerating/decelerating the aircraft could be pitching about its CG) This will change the standard profile for straight-and-level.

 

[Fly Navy]

I noticed something very odd about the photograpgh though. The first photograph shows the B52 at the END of the flight deck or (Aft) with its nose slightly lowered as if it was descending. The second picture showed a photograph from vultures row or on the tower of the carrier which also shows the B-52 at the same angle of attack. It would by these sequence of events the B-52 would have struck the ocean at one point.

Come on dude, you fly. Certain aircraft are nose down in level flight at certain speeds. This is not uncommon.