15 ship B-52 MITO at Minot.........

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=wJ7niLYSVFo

I posted this in P+R due to the political slant I put into my article......but for the sheer aviation perspective it's something you don't see to often anymore, so here san's politics, as I imagine many of you don't go to that section of the board, is the video of the June 9th exercise at Minot AFB.

Turn up the volume and count 'em !! The whole squadron gets airborne starting from the mole hole in under 10 minutes.

 

Impressive performance, though I wish the cameraman had used a Steadycam.

Here's the similar operation with older B-52Gs, with a lot more smoke due to water injection, from the movie "A Gathering of Eagles". Love the pre-camouflage look!

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Cq6Hpxyrhyo

 

I saw this very thing at Larsen AFB in 1964 when I was there instructing some courses for Boeing. All of a sudden there was sirens and roaring as the B-52's cranked up and got ready but before them the KC-135's taxied out and took off with their customary shrieking roar with water injection and black smoke. Then the big stuff came out and one every 15 or 16 minutes roared off leaving a thick cloud of black smoke through which the succeeding planes had to find their way. Every other broke left or right out of the murk to see where the hell they were going as they climbed out. The display of guts and airmanship was unforgettable. Quite a show !