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Too bad. One less BUFF.

Shame :(/>

You don't think that can be buffed out? I'm glad the crew got out safe. I wonder if there are any B-52's left at AMARG that are capable of being refurbished and returned to duty?

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...I wonder if there are any B-52's left at AMARG that are capable of being refurbished and returned to duty?

I believe there are 10 or so H model B-52's in Type-1000 storage that could be brought back into service if needs be. IIRC B-52H "Ghost Rider" was brought back into service in 2015 after 6 or 7 years of being in storage to replace another B-52H damaged in a fire and deemed too costly to repair.

Glad the crew is safe and sound!

:cheers:

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It will be well over a year from the time the efforts to resurrect Ghost Rider at DM started until she is fully combat capable and ready to rejoin her sisters on the ready line. God only knows the $$$ cost of bringing her back. It will probably be several months before any decision to bring back another one is made and then a year + to get it done. Ghost Rider was in the best condition of the H models at DM, so picking another one will mean one in even worse shape. I hope the Gods and Generals in DC get the ball rolling soon.

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It will be well over a year from the time the efforts to resurrect Ghost Rider at DM started until she is fully combat capable and ready to rejoin her sisters on the ready line. God only knows the $$$ cost of bringing her back. It will probably be several months before any decision to bring back another one is made and then a year + to get it done. Ghost Rider was in the best condition of the H models at DM, so picking another one will mean one in even worse shape. I hope the Gods and Generals in DC get the ball rolling soon.

Between ten and thirteen million to get "Ghost Rider" back into fully operational condition and 1 year of work seeing as how there is no rush (far less then that if its an emergency). When she was pulled there were 12 'H' model BUFFS in Type-1000 storage, now there are 10. Those 10 could be brought back into fully operational condition in about the same time and same cost if needs be (baring any unforeseen circumstances during restoration obviously). Considering what the Feds spend (waste?) on other projects $10-$13 million is a small price to pay for a strategic bomber when you really get down to it.

Definitely one of my favorite aircraft.

:cheers:

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When she was pulled there were 12 'H' model BUFFS in Type-1000 storage, now there are 10. Those 10 could be brought back into fully operational condition in about the same time and same cost if needs be (baring any unforeseen circumstances during restoration obviously).

I was fortunate enough to be able to do the Pima-sponsored bus tour of AMARG last fall, and noticed that one of the jets was missing all 4 engines from the right wing...that must be the one that is no longer Type 1000? Depending on what else is missing though, presumably that jet could be regenerated also, for instance taking the engines from the jet that had the cockpit far that the Ghost Rider is replacing?

I'll be curious to see if another one gets regenerated to replace 60-0047.

Truly thankful there was no loss of life.

Jonah

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Some news sources say it caught fire on runway - that makes some sense because the Nav & Radar Nav have down-ward ejection seats. I don't know the minimum safe ejection altitude, but the photos of the burning jet (for example http://worldwarwings.com/breaking-b-52-crashes-in-guam-crew-of-7-onboard?a=mk&var=ww2-b52-crash) suggest to me it was on the ground when something went wrong. The front-end is in far-too-good a shape to have fallen out of the sly.

Edited by Alan in Yorktown
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Some news sources say it caught fire on runway - that makes some sense because the Nav & Radar Nav have down-ward ejection seats. I don't know the minimum safe ejection altitude, but the photos of the burning jet (for example http://worldwarwings.com/breaking-b-52-crashes-in-guam-crew-of-7-onboard?a=mk&var=ww2-b52-crash) suggest to me it was on the ground when something went wrong. The front-end is in far-too-good a shape to have fallen out of the sly.

Several reports I've seen have all said it was an aborted takeoff.

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