During the First Gulf War, the 4300 PBW at Diego Garcia was using G model
BUFFs, and Navy JP5 fuel. it was easier to tell the crew to expect a hot
start on all eight engines, and then tell them when one does not hot start.
Also on the first night of air operations we had a bomber with an outboard
hydro leak behind the jet blast of #1and 2 engines. the Hydro fluid caught
fire as it was dripping down and the ground around the wing started to burn.
I was on the plane next door and saw this rushed over with the fire bottle.
the fire guard or the ground man did not see it.

also while on alert I had a bad Cartridge start, flames shot out of the
starter exhaust duct then caught some fuel in the cowling on fire. My crew
was very happy the I was alert that day. with all those warheads onboard, it
could have been a mess. fire guards had a job, but prey that they never have
to use it. Plus you want one that can keep his mind on what he is doing.
"Smartace11" wrote in message
...
Sure...and just about anyone who starts a/c engines can say the
same...fireguards are a waste of time...

Well, I for one was always glad to have one when we were starting an
bombed up,
fueled up F-4 using the cartridge start system. It was always a relief to
see
that the world was still there after the black/red smoke cloud cleared. A
few
got burned up to the wheels on that little operation. Ditto with hot pit
refueling. There is/was a gate guard as Davis-Monthan AFB that caught
fire
with a loss of life when the refueling nozzle slipped off and raw JP4 got
sucked into the inlet on #1, belched flame and caught the pool of fuel
under
the jet on fire. Backseater jumped out the left side of the plane as was
the
usual route, right into the flame. If he had gone the right side or over
the
nose as the fronst seater did he wold have survived.