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Upgrades point B-52 to the distant horizon
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I know it was out of necessity because of size, but the fact that the wheels and landing configuration are separate looks to me like it would be the best thing since cotton candy; I wish they would do it on some Civilian Aircraft. to set your wheels on the centerline and configure the aircraft up to, I believe,45 degrees. Looks like it would beat the heck out of a full crab, kicking back to heading and praying at the last minute. Used to ramp right beside these on the ground in 'Nam. It is still a thrill to stop alongside I20 in Bossier Cy, LA and watch them do long, strait in finals to Barksdale. So low, so slow, and everything dragging
That section of I20 needs an observation lane so you can stop and watch! They catch my attention every time I pass through there.
Yeah, I forget the exit number but there is a convenience store right there at the North end that you can generally watch from and get a coke too. Don't remember exactly where but you can take that loop to the North and have a good view of them too, but they are higher up there.
Stationed at Loring with the 42nd BW in 1961-64 ... Newlywed and the first time one of these big beautiful babies comes over the house she says: "WHAT was that??" I reply: "Just the sound of peace, honey."
50 years later and still married, she sees a B52 the other day and says to me: "There's the sound of peace."
50 years later and still married, she sees a B52 the other day and says to me: "There's the sound of peace."
I can't think of anything else, and I mean ANYTHING else that is still working in excellent shape this long. We need to engineer everything we make like we did the B-52.
Everything else is designed with only one purpose - Planned Obsolescence
Then again, our economy would crumble if we purchased only one car, one fridge, one radio, one television. In the US our economy is based on consumption. At that consumption comes at such a huge cost to us. So many people have small economy cars with huge payments because they had to roll in the previous cars debt and finance it over 5, 6, even 7 years now. Its sad!
I used to think that other nations give us a hard time about our consumption - but I'm starting to think they are mocking us instead. We have found ourselves living lower quality of life year after year - due to debt. The average person in this country isn't all that knowledgable regarding finance despite the one semester long "home economics" course that supposedly prepares you for life. Im not talking about professionals with an advanced education, but the rest of the nation - the vast majority. They make so little compared to us and they pay the most for everything because they pile on the debt just to "keep up with the Jones's." When someone making a solid 100K buys a 20K car he will pay cash, but someone making 18k will buy the same car for maybe 30k because their credit history and income don't seem like a safe investment so the interest rate is higher.
If we on the other hand started manufacturing again, and exporting like we used to - and building everything like we have the B-52 - we would be doing well again. And manufacturing now is definitely possible than it ever has been. The weaker our dollar is the better it is for exporting products and services to other nations. When the dollar is strong we can't sell nearly anything.
Everything else is designed with only one purpose - Planned Obsolescence
Then again, our economy would crumble if we purchased only one car, one fridge, one radio, one television. In the US our economy is based on consumption. At that consumption comes at such a huge cost to us. So many people have small economy cars with huge payments because they had to roll in the previous cars debt and finance it over 5, 6, even 7 years now. Its sad!
I used to think that other nations give us a hard time about our consumption - but I'm starting to think they are mocking us instead. We have found ourselves living lower quality of life year after year - due to debt. The average person in this country isn't all that knowledgable regarding finance despite the one semester long "home economics" course that supposedly prepares you for life. Im not talking about professionals with an advanced education, but the rest of the nation - the vast majority. They make so little compared to us and they pay the most for everything because they pile on the debt just to "keep up with the Jones's." When someone making a solid 100K buys a 20K car he will pay cash, but someone making 18k will buy the same car for maybe 30k because their credit history and income don't seem like a safe investment so the interest rate is higher.
If we on the other hand started manufacturing again, and exporting like we used to - and building everything like we have the B-52 - we would be doing well again. And manufacturing now is definitely possible than it ever has been. The weaker our dollar is the better it is for exporting products and services to other nations. When the dollar is strong we can't sell nearly anything.
An incredible airplane! I've posted a photo of one at KMCO on static display. IT's awesome to see one close up. This airplane was stationed in Orlando.
A long time past I used to vacation at a cottage on Lake Huron a few miles North of Oscoda, MI where Wurtsmith AFB was located. I would sit on the beach and watch the B-52s and KC-135s go out down wind, turn to base then make their approaches on the main E-W runway.