Blast from the past

[bakubo]

It has been a while since had the blast....

Such an iconic image. No title necessary. I would recognize the Shanghai Oriental Pearl Tower anywhere!

[Greg Beetham]

I don’t know if this counts as a blast from the past, in the early 90’s I think, (MF isn’t ideal too try to shoot PIF’s with so it might be out of focus a bit or the shutter speed might not have been fast enough).
Greg
Bronica ETRS Zenznon 250/5.6 (I think)

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[sury]

Greg, it is more like a blast of the past. And it counts.

Henry, here is the rest of it.

[url=https://flic.kr/p/vZenH]

[bakubo]

I don’t know if this counts as a blast from the past, in the early 90’s I think, (MF isn’t ideal too try to shoot PIF’s with so it might be out of focus a bit or the shutter speed might not have been fast enough).

Is that a B-52?

[bakubo]

Henry, here is the rest of it.

Sheesh, this is really embarrassing. Now that I see the whole thing everyone can clearly see it is the Seattle Space Needle.

[sury]

Henry,
You are killing me.

[mikeriach]

Yes it is a B52(Buff). As fate would have it, we are due to get around 8 of the beasts at an airbase in the UK this week for exercises.
Wonderful machines and due to soldier on for quite some time in the future as they are so adaptable.

Mike

[sury]

I actually went inside on a tour. That cockpit was super cramped for a plane of its size.
I may have some photos of the interior at home. Will see if I have any.

Sury

[bakubo]

Yes it is a B52(Buff). As fate would have it, we are due to get around 8 of the beasts at an airbase in the UK this week for exercises.
Wonderful machines and due to soldier on for quite some time in the future as they are so adaptable.

In 1971 I went on a school trip for tour of a U.S. Air Force base in San Antonio, Texas. There are several around there, but I think it was Kelly Air Force Base. I recall at one point riding in a bus through a huge building that had a whole bunch of B-52s inside. We had an Air Force guy in the bus with us as we slowly drove through and he was pointing out different models of the plane that people were working on. My recollection is that it was a repair and outfitting facility and that he said it was the largest square footage building in the world.

[mikeriach]

It sure would need to be a huge hanger given the sheer size of the beast.

[bakubo]

It sure would need to be a huge hanger given the sheer size of the beast.

It was much bigger than just a normal hangar. There were dozens of B-52s lined up all inside with space between them, vehicles moving around, equipment, crews working on them, etc.

I found this info about Kelly Air Force Base:

http://proft.50megs.com/kelly.html

Kelly repaired and overhauled B-52s for over 30 years. In the early 1960s, the B-52 was the major depot-level maintenance workload for SAAMA. Modifications to the B-52s performed at Kelly increased the load capability of each plane and increased the aircraft's range. In addition, the San Antonio shops camouflage-painted the B-52s for Southeast Asia operations.

Down around the middle of the following page there is a small photo of Building 375. That was probably the building we were in.

http://proft.50megs.com/kafb-cr.html

In the early '50s, propeller whine was replaced by jet roar. Boeing B-47s, first operational all jet strategic bombers, began to line Kelly ramps awaiting their turn to pass through the overhaul and modification lines in building 375, at that time the world’s largest hangar. They would be followed by a succession of aerial armament including the B-58 Hustler, the F-102 Delta Dagger, and now the venerable B-52 Stratofortress.

I remember also that we went inside a C-5 Galaxy which was described as the largest plane in the world.

[Greg Beetham]

I’m reading the history of Kelly airbase that Henry found and it’s quite interesting, it’s going to take a while to finish so I might have to go back and do that later.

I have a few photos of the B52’s when they were here that time, it was a memorial service for the battle of the Coral Sea if I remember correctly, maybe it was the 50th anniversary of it, I remember we did have that commemoration and there were lots of separate events all over the district and at the airbase. Upon sifting through the photos I took at the time I see there was a 707 with the presidential paint livery but I’m pretty sure it wasn’t the president that time, maybe it was the secretary of state, and there was also a special plane for the marine band.

I remember the pilot of the first B52 did another circuit of the field instead of landing because of all the people who had turned up outside the gate to the airbase, it must have been on the local radio that they were coming in. I don’t think they had been to Townsville before and there are lots of plane buffs here besides me.
The display at the airbase was open to the public a couple of days later I think.
Greg

Ps I remember a lot of people also went out to see the C5 when the first one came here too and I think the pilot of that one did a couple of laps of the base to give everyone a good look, there were people all over the place just like other times, that area is a busy intersection normally but when there is a crowd lots more pull over to see what’s going on.

Bronica ETRS

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[Birma]

I like the lighting and perspective on that one, Sury. Nice blast

[sury]

Thank you Andy. I was caught up in the B52 blast and for a moment forgot which blast you are referring to....

Sury

[Birma]

Nice shots of the b52 in flight and on the ground, Greg. Just one would seem huge, an aircraft hanger full of them would be mind boggling