Stratojet

[Subdeacon Joe]

 

 

 

 

[Hardpan Curmudgeon SASS #8967]

I had a boss once who'd been a B-47 navigator/bombardier.  He and a few of his colleagues were quite upset when they were re-assigned to tankers due to a critical need.  Some time later they were given the opportunity to transfer back to '47's.  They declined, and flew happily on for many years in KC-97's and -135's.  Evidently the B-47's Navigator/Bombardier's position and job were pretty miserable.  

 

He told the story of being at either Plattsburgh (New York) or Minot (North Dakota), as I recall, during the Cuban Missile Crisis.  A plane just sitting on the flight line was making odd groaning noises... needless to say, it got some attention.  And then the tail fell off. 

 

Pretty beast, but dangerous.  It never saw combat, but something like ten percent of 'em crashed - more than 200 planes, and over 450 crewmen killed.  

 

   

[Utah Bob #35998]

Such a beautiful bird!

[Trailrider #896]

9 hours ago, Hardpan Curmudgeon SASS #8967 said:

I had a boss once who'd been a B-47 navigator/bombardier.  He and a few of his colleagues were quite upset when they were re-assigned to tankers due to a critical need.  Some time later they were given the opportunity to transfer back to '47's.  They declined, and flew happily on for many years in KC-97's and -135's.  Evidently the B-47's Navigator/Bombardier's position and job were pretty miserable.  

 

He told the story of being at either Plattsburgh (New York) or Minot (North Dakota), as I recall, during the Cuban Missile Crisis.  A plane just sitting on the flight line was making odd groaning noises... needless to say, it got some attention.  And then the tail fell off. 

 

Pretty beast, but dangerous.  It never saw combat, but something like ten percent of 'em crashed - more than 200 planes, and over 450 crewmen killed.  

 

   

Yes, the B-47 could be dangerous.  There was a "point" in their aerodynamic envelope where the Mach number and the Critical Mach were only a few mph apart, called "The Coffin Corner". It could definitely be a tricky bird to fly.  As to "never having flown in combat", quite a number of the RB-47's conducting electronic intelligence (elint) ops near the Soviet Union were shot down with the loss of the crew!  (Saw a flying jacket worn by a recce pilot that said, "Recon - Alone, Unarmed, Unafraid...Bull$#itt!")

[Church Key, SASS # 33713]

I worked with a guy who piloted them until he left the Air Force as a Major to fly for American Airlines. He knew his day's were over when an F4 Phantom caught up with him when he was going full tilt and said "Bang you are a goner'" Up to then they could outrun fighters.