On 14 Aug 2006 04:55:17 -0700, "Jay Honeck" wrote:

The B-1 is awesome! I've never quite figured out why the B-52 still
seems to grab most of the glory whenever there's a fight, cuz the B-1
is just soo much more cool.

It's just old age and treachery overcoming youth and skill. :-)

The B-52 is the only front-line combat aircraft in the world where you can ask
your grandfather for advice on how to fly it.

The B-52s were built right after WWII, the aluminum they're built of came from
thousands of scrapped B-17s, B-24s, and P-51. It literally has combat in its
blood. The B-1's aluminum came from recycled Tab, Fresca, and Lite Beer cans.
The B-1 needs kevlar for structural strength; the only kevlar needed in a B-52
is in the pilot's jockstrap.

The B-52's unofficial nickname (BUFF) incorporates one very dirty word. Its
official nickname, "Stratofortress," conjures images of stout stone walls and
George C. Scott in the War Room, crouching down with his arms extended like
wings, saying, "If the pilot's good, I mean if he's reeeally sharp, he can
barrel that thing in so low, oh it's a sight to see. You wouldn't expect it with
a big ol' plane like a '52, but varrrooom! The jet exhaust... frying chickens in
the barnyard!"

The B-1's unofficial name? "Bone". Probably took a Second Lieutenant all of
five minutes to think of that one. And its official nickname is "Lancer."
Sheesh. Sergeant Garcia led a troop of Lancers, and they never caught Zorro.
The name conjures images of some guy in a frilly chartreuse shirt and purple
capri pants yelling "Yooo-hooo, Lancer, let's go for a cappucino at Starbucks on
the way to the Barbara Streisand film festival!"

Yep, give me a B-52, anytime.... :-)

Ron Wanttaja