In the mid-seventies I met an air force pilot that had flown the B-58 and the B-52. He said the Hustler was a dream to fly...with hydraulic controls, a touch to the stick would send the plane in to a steep turn. But the B-52 was like driving a Mac truck. You'd turn the big wheel, tap your toes for a while, and the the BUFF would slowly start to turn. :-)
He said the 52 was kept over the 58 because of Viet Nam. The Hustler just wasn't good at carrying conventional bombs like the BUFF.
I also remember Air Force planes breaking the sound barrier in SW Ohio when I was a lad. My dad always told me they were Hustlers from a base in Northern Ohio, but I don't know if it's true. We weren't very far from Wright-Patt at Dayton.
I reserve the right to delete patently offensive comments. Or, really, any comment I feel like. Or I might leave a really juicy comment up for private ridicule. Also spammers.
You can always offend hippies in the comment section. Chances are, those will be held up as a proper example...
I had no idea that they tried a satellite intercept so early.
ReplyDeleteIn the mid-seventies I met an air force pilot that had flown the B-58 and the B-52. He said the Hustler was a dream to fly...with hydraulic controls, a touch to the stick would send the plane in to a steep turn. But the B-52 was like driving a Mac truck. You'd turn the big wheel, tap your toes for a while, and the the BUFF would slowly start to turn. :-)
ReplyDeleteHe said the 52 was kept over the 58 because of Viet Nam. The Hustler just wasn't good at carrying conventional bombs like the BUFF.
I also remember Air Force planes breaking the sound barrier in SW Ohio when I was a lad. My dad always told me they were Hustlers from a base in Northern Ohio, but I don't know if it's true. We weren't very far from Wright-Patt at Dayton.