I finished up my 4 years at Loring. Never got to watch the birds take off, did all my time there helping them stay ready to take off. My last day in the AF I spent the night in the office as NCO on duty, took a no notice ORI call, called in the office crew, as they came in I went out and processed out of the Air Force.
After President Reagan took office, In 1982 we finally had spare parts for all of our 30 FB-111 bombers and KC-135's. After working all night for 3 days, me and a friend went off base to where the end of the run way and off base and watched all 30 FB-111s and 15 KC-135s take off over our heads at 100 feet. MITO style. Oh how I wished we had cameras like today!! We were crew chiefs on the FB-111A,and we had a party that morning, getting off duty and a case of Bud.!! Once in a life time experience. Awesome!!
I just love the responses to these types of videos, especially about S.A.C. bombers and tankers. I am a S.A.C. brat and I can tell you that readiness came at the cost of lives all to often. To all here who were pilots, crewmembers, maintenance, ordnance and security personnel. Good job! I am forever grateful to you all. To the men and women who served so faithfully, your service is not forgotten.
I am still haunted by images like these. I was stationed at Minot AFB from 1984 - 1991, and I saw numerous MITOs, the sun glinting off the wings and jet exhaust into the east. It was a vision of what the end of the world would look like. I am so grateful we did not have to use these weapons in war, and that rough men stood ready in the night to visit violence upon those who would do us harm. (USAF, 1984 - 2004)
I was at Minot from 82-93 with the 5th FMS Loved it there especially the mito launches during a ori,met my wife there beautiful woman. Years served 1982-2004
Memories, memories, memories . . . . of 4000+hrs in the old D model, many tours and 160+ missions in "Nam," but as almost all of us would readily agree, the thing we old crewdogs miss the most was the incredible camaraderie of probably the most highly trained group of professional aviators ever assembled. Even the endless 7-day alert tours were bearable due to the many shared experiences and life- long friendships that still remain to this day. I don't think any of us would've missed it, for sure!
The "Griff” I was there stationed there from 86 to 90 416OMS "Bomber Branch" I worked the Bomber Flight line in all types of weather with a lot of great people, there was nothing that could compare to a B52-G late night refuel or a J-57 engine drop in the month of January, it makes you realize that the rest of life will be easy and that the ride back to the chow hall and dorm “Bldg 450” would be well appreciated. SAC was a Warrior Command and we were proud to stand watch. "No Job To Tough"
Been there, done that. 20 year career in SAC flying B-52s. The smoke is largely due to water injection into the engines to increase thrust by increasing the mass expelled by the engines. Made it a bit hard to see after the first few if the wind wasn't strong enough to blow it away. Awake turbulence also added to the excitement. It was easy to over control the aircraft and bet a harmonic oscillation going.
I was wondering about the wake turbulence. It's not as if you can rotate before the point of the other take off when you're that close together nor climb out above the glidepath of the previous aircraft either
True. Mostly you just had to be careful. I've watched people get the harmonic oscillation going. Each "wing wobble" would get a little bigger until the plane looked like it was going to do an aileron roll, which B-52s can't really do well.
Mike Brannick I read President George HW Bush ordered all bombers on alert status to stand down in 1989, so does that mean the 3rd leg of our nuclear triad is disarmed right now?
I don't think we have any daily alert so if we need to launch it will take several hours to get planes ready to go fight. That would change if a threat was determined to require a fast response. Unless Barrie thought it was too provocative.
Mike Brannick ya there's no way to arm them in time should things go bad in a hurry and things do go bad and the Russians see us arming our planes that could make them want to launch a first strike. Dangerous game and I sure don't trust our fearless leader to defend our country
Whoa! My first assignment(1977-1980) Never thought I'd see this place ever again. But it looks like there launching from the opposite end of the hammerhead toward the alert pad. Never saw them do that.
As a former SAC B-52 pilot, I thank you so much for posting this. I watched another MITO video on here and wondered what was up. "Back in the day" those were "real" MITO's!
Brian, I agree this is the best one out there I've seen. I saw another one and they joked MITO stood for Maximum Interval Take Off!! Seemed like it was a minute or two between each takeoff.
Served as a firefighter at Grand Forks AFB in the early 80s, always thought the SPs had a tough job, locked, loaded, and walking a beat at all hours in all weathers. We had a healthy respect for you boys, especially when we were on the Alert Pad. The word was that the 3rd "halt" was written on the bullet, I never tested that proposition. We did get jacked up once, we were responding to a call of smoke on the Alert Pad. Apperently our dispatcher didn't get the word to you boys that we were
Thank you for this video. Brings back a flood of memories. I am a retired 463/2W2 that worked in the Griffiss AFB Weapons Storage area from 1984-1986. I went on to spend the majority of my career associated with the mighty BUFF in one way or another at Griffiss, Edwards, Fairchild, and finishing out my career at SAC (subsequently STRATCOM) Headquarters at Offutt. Watching this footage takes me back to Upstate New York watching MITO's in awe of the effort of the GAFB troops that made it happen!
We lived about 7 miles out, in Lee Center, back in those days and the planes would be fanning out into formation as they passed over our place (at least from a RWY 33 takeoff)... awesome sight!
I was with the 416th OMS at Griffiss (Asst. Crew Chief on #0239. My partner was Crew Chief Marty Riopelle - SUPER DUDE!) Thanks for posting man. Brought back good major memories! God bless us, every one!
Thanks for posting this. I spent three years at Griffiss (74-77) and then another ten at Wurtsmith (82-92), all in aircraft maintenance. I don't think we'll ever see MITO's like that again as demonstrated by that Minot video. Those were back in SAC and very few officers and NOC's today have ever had the honor of serving in SAC.
Watching this, did once again, give me chills. I enjoyed my time in SAC. Glad to see the comments on here that the Cold War was won. It did not just end. All SAC personnel poured a lot of blood, sweat, tears, and sacrifice into winning that conflict. The standards we were held to back then were very necessary, but unthinkable now. No offense to any current BUFF or tanker crews intended. Godspeed to all our current military personnel.
I was an SSBN guy, but I do like seeing how the other parts of the triad went about their business. We were all professionals. We all played a part in the Cold War.
I live in directly south of Barksdale. Im glad the we won the cold war, and hoped I would never see another. However, it is a growing concern of mine that we are entering into a (hopefully) cold war with China. Not a good thing.
When were you at Griffiss and Dyess. I was at Griffiss from 77-81. I was an alert controller and became a boom in 78. Went to Dyess in 81 and retired from there in 88.
Correction to my previous post: I was in the 9th plane which was a tanker. This was a 15 ship MITO and I remember all we did for a month prior to this was discuss procedures and how the MITO would work. It was a very high pressure exercise for the aircrews and I imagine the support people as well. It was fun to actually take part in the MITO as well.
Man, I remember riding my motorcycle from the barracks at Griff out to this observation point on perimeter road to watch this kinda stuff. Man, what great memories. Anyone remember JJs outside the Floyd gate?
wild video, I was stationed at Griffis in 81 and 82 in the 416 MMS, loved to see those buff's do their stuff. Thanks for posting this video and rekindling memories.....
When I was in high school we lived West of March AFB in the early '80s. The first time a bunch of these came low and fast over the ridge I about crapped, it was so cool.
March 1980 - 82. I lived on base maybe 50 yards from the flight line. KC-135's took off about 3:00 am, a Buff might have been doing engine runs most of the hours before this, then the B-52's took off around 5:00 am. I didn't get much sleep, but I forgot about that whenever I saw the B-52 in flight.
Watched one of these scrambles at a SAC base near my home in Texas...October, 1962...Didn't know then that it was full panic mode...The Russians were setting up missile shop in Cuba, and got caught by one of our recons. I was 14 years old...and thought that I might not reach 15...Thank God Khrushchev, and the Politburo blinked...Mostly...thank God for the United States Air Force...
I would say it was filmed around the summer of 87 or 88, by the hat style the one person is wearing at time line (3min 53 seconds). It is a blue FMS hat. and the one B-52 with the old paint scheme taking off could be tail number 501, one of the last to get the new paint job. Nice video, they were truly the good old days at the griff. John L. OMS bomber branch
@ASG15IAG - The B-1B is not configured for nuclear weapons any more. Not sure why they took the capability away, but it is not part of the nuclear inventory from what I've heard. BUFFS Forever!
You resurrect memories. I believe the term was "Buy None". I believe a Buy None was the nickname for a Local Practice ORI, done in preparation for the HQ SAC Operational Readiness Inspection. In either case, we all worked our asses off. Not many people assigned to the wing realized that command post, battle staff, security, munitions maintenance, and maintenance personnel worked for many hours securing weapons and aircraft long after the exercise was terminated.
Excellent video. I was in the 97th MMS and got to fly as a "Weapons System Instructor". I was sitting downstairs for several of these and upstairs for one. It was a surreal experiences watching the monitor for the white dots that were the engines of the one in front!!! FLIR was the coolest! Nothing like banking hard left or right knowing the wing tip might still be close enough to the ground to clip the tower!!!
Awesome video! I was a A model tanker crew chief at Carswell and March Air Force Bases.... Pulled Alert @ Carswell and Grand Forks..... Was directly involved in every SAC and local exercises for close to 15 yrs... Thank you for posting this wonderful bit of SAC history!
My dad was Air Police, flight line Sgt. during the 60's. Last base we were at was KI Sawyer. I remember this so well. Watching this was like going home for me. Thanks.
Ahhh...water take-offs and real MITO's. Not to mention that everyone had been on base for days and up for hours during the "generation". My first assignment as a B-52 co-pilot at Carswell was for our crew to take a BUFF Kelly AFB during Global Shield so the maintenence troops could practice re-generating it. We stayed at the Hilton in San Antonio and spent the weekend on the Riverwalk. Sweet! Again, thanks for posting this. Awesome!
I was stationed there with C Flight Security Police 81-86. Great shots...brought back some great memories. Last time I saw the Buffs there they had the white bellies and the new ALCM missile pods. The 49th F-106's were awesome! Thx!
That's what I was thinking.Wind direction dictated the change. Yet I don't ever remember us doing that at Griffiss. We would have had to though at one time or another.Oh Well that was forever and a day ago. Can't remember everything. It was still cool to remember and see the old place in action once again. Thanks for the posting.
This is Great.... I was a snowplow driver with the 416th CES from 78 to 82. And had to clear the runway many times for these Birds. Lots of SNOW back then. Have great memories of Griffiss,even married a girl from Rome.
I know you posted this 10 years ago, but if you read it... If I close my eyes and think about it, I can still hear the brush trucks off in the distance, out there attacking the snow on the runway!!! (82-87 with the 49th!)
I remember seeing MITOs when I was a kid at Griffiss in the mid-60s. They were one of the most impressive sights on the planet, especially when you think about what SAC was all about.
So if the year of the video shoot was right, and I'll agree on the paint scheme limiting it down, good ol' 501. I was in the best seat in the house, E.O.R. truck. These guys were up on the hill I believe. If you wanted to know what it felt like being there and cheering on the planes until the last one that wobbled it way airborne, we might have sounded like idiots to anyone else that might have overheard us but to a person we took everything we did to heart and gave everything we could to the job. SAC was such a great command to be brought up in, setting standards for lots of careers, sad how it was stabbed in the back in a dark alley and left alone to die.
Man, this brings back some memories, I was at Carswell AFB between 84-88, and in the 90's I visited Griffis AFB when the drawdown was inprogress, I was a C-141 crewchief then. Thanks for loading this vid, stay thirsty my friend!!
Back in 1964 they were called Crome Dome alerts if I recall and we had to have the birds off in a very short time and they had H-bombs on them at that time. I worked on the of the hill and could see all the action of the alert.
Thanks to all you Griffis USAF SAC guys I miss your flying over Utica. I now fish for trout in the Mohawk . The Chestnut AVe bridge is new.The ethylene glyclol antifreeze is cleaned up and there's an industrial park at the place.
I was tower controller at Grand Forks from 80 to 84. The incredible thing was if it was a calm day the smoke would hang for hours. We did a launch in '83 and flushed everything except for a couple of bombers and tankers. It was 20 some aircraft and It was a rwy 17 departure so they all climbed out south and east to avoid the missile fields to the west. It was amazing. I have an old super 8 movie I shot if I could only find it!
@PeoplesWar I surely do hope so! Funny - for the crewchiefs, it meant 12-hr shifts, but it was sort of neat, because the wife's club would have this schoolbus they'd bring out on the flightline to supply us (maintenance & security too) with doughnuts & coffee. Funny, the stuff ya remember!
thank you for the video. I was a B52 G/h C F at Barksdale from 1985 to 1995. Remember the MITO very well. I \also remember the Elephant Walks of the Alert Aircraft as well. Those were the days my friend. Todyas airman have no idea of what your talking about. LOL
Looks like a Coco. Saw it once at Westover. I think it was in '64. Didn't get near the flight line too often as I worked at COC (the 8th AF command post) the site (in the mountain)
@Z0ne5ive It was part of the START package, the US chose to remove the B-1's from the nuclear inventory and keep the B-52's and B-2's for the nuclear mission. We simply had more bomber's in our inventory than Russia post-Cold War, and some tough decisions were needed on how many to keep for nuclear role. Since the BUFF is the perfect stand-off platform, and the B-2 more capable of stealth penetration than the B-1, that left the Lancer as the odd-man out.
I was stationed at this base in 88, and deployed to desert shield/storm from here to Westover, then overseas. I miss this base, the memories I have of it, the friends I made, the pride it gave me, and the great sadness I felt when we bugged out in the last days from Bldg 51. That travesty that happened called woodstock on this base left a sour memory, and it grieves me even to think that this happened on these grounds, where men and women left their lives behind in answering a call to arms
I was at KI for the GS's from 78-82. I remember a winter one where we MITO'd in a near blizzard. We had all of our BUFF's as well as a couple from Griffiss as well as a slew of Tankers. We had so many planes going at once, I could see the planes on my ASG-21 radar while we were still on takeoff roll and just lifting off!! That was freaky. We got a bit high and I counted no fewer than 6 airplanes on my scope. I'd just advise the pilot of where the closest one was. He said good idea!
Holy cow that was freaking cool. Love the B-52 but neither of the CONUS bases that operate them have the best reputations. I don't think either the B-52G or the KC-135A are still in service anymore (I want to say the -135s are all the R models with the big turbofan engines.)
I did this many times as a Co and AC in G models at Mather and later as an AC and IP in Bones at Dyess. Much more "exciting" in the water wagons. Bones accelerated so fast, you just weren't as close to the aircraft ahead of you as you were in the Buff.
I’ve always been overly interested in SAC. From its organization to its installations. I was born in 1990, so I was to young to see it for myself. Its hard to imagine the sheer size of the command. I believe there are around 85 b52s in service at 3 bases today. To think there where 400 at one time spread across 50 bases is mind boggling. Just wish there was more documentary’s.
Correction Sept 15 1980. However An Article I read on it Claimed No One Died. Thats incorrect. 7 People Died and 1 B-52 Bomber Burned to the ground. I ought to know. I was there and attended the Funeral Service for the maint crew that died that day.
@ASG15IAG I have heard of this exercise. I was under the impression that Global Shield was done only in 1979 and 1981? I have a DVD with footage of Global Shield '79. VERY impressive exercise. Makes me want to join the Air Force. What exactly was practiced during Global Shield '88 or '89?
Global Shield was an exercise that simulated escalating tensions worldwide. Everyone on the base was called in and every aircraft was upgraded to "alert" status. Special weapons were loaded onto each bomber and they were all placed on 15 minute ground alert. The weapons and maintenance guys and gals were graded on loading the weapons, the readiness of each aircraft, and security was scrutinized to the Nth degree. Then the real weapons were unloaded, stored and then each plane was "scrambled" as if the order had been given by the SAC commander for a "mass launch". Which is what you just saw....an EWO MITO...back in the day. And what a great launch it was. Those MITO's back in the Cold War era were dicey at best. I don't think they do them the same now.
Ok, nice video and all, yeah, I was stationed at GAFB in Rome, but, I guess they didn't make video camera tripods for long distance shooting of such historic important events, huh? I had to get up and walk around I was so frickin' dizzy from the bouncing around. Brought back miserable memories of flying around on C-130's for duty assignments.
Mike Brannick, did you by chance run into Lt. Col. Jim Denson? He flew the B-58 and B-52. He came into the service as an Army artillery man and entered pilot training. I worked with him after he retired from the Air Force.
Trying to burn JP-4 & water/methanol = smoke, extra noise and a little thrust. TF33s were a much efficient power plants and no need to carry 8000+lbs of water . Always surprised me that USAF did not convert all B-52s (and KC-135A) to TF33 in early to mid 60s.
Right next door to us in Utica over at GAFB..lots of power there...wow. Imagine what "we" could have poured onto an enemy with just the Griffis gang alone.
@ASG15IAG Does the Air Force do anything like Global Shield anymore? I know with the activation of Global Strike Command, it opens the door for more training opportunities and such.
This brings back many fine memories of watching the B-52s, KC-135s and F-106s take off from Griffiss. We used to sit at the end of the road just outside the main runway. The noise was deafening but the feeling of those big jets flying off the runway was awesome. Many thanks for this video. When was it shot? I'm thinking late 80s. It seems they were fledging everything they had that day.
Real Impressive to watch over the net,would be quite something else in person. Out of nterest sake how many Nukes would have been carried by each Buff if "that" call came through and the cold war went hot? Also I imagine this would have happened at airbases around the world at the same time?
coming. Right after we crossed the red line, the floods came on, SPs were pointing their M16s at us, and a Peacekeeper armoured car rolled up with its swivel-mounted M60 manned. We all did EXACTLY as we were told, stopped the trucks and spread-eagled on the tarmac till things were sorted out.
ASG15IAG- Wondering when this was shot, when were you there, where did you work? I worked Combat Crew Comm/TACOM, 1983-1985, across from the Command Post, issuing Comm Kits, SATCOM info and stuff to Tanker Navs and Bomber EWOs.
I was in the 9th tanker that day. This video brought back alot of memories. Thanks to whomever posted it.
I finished up my 4 years at Loring. Never got to watch the birds take off, did all my time there helping them stay ready to take off.
My last day in the AF I spent the night in the office as NCO on duty, took a no notice ORI call, called in the office crew, as they came in I went out and processed out of the Air Force.
After President Reagan took office, In 1982 we finally had spare parts for all of our 30 FB-111 bombers and KC-135's. After working all night for 3 days, me and a friend went off base to where the end of the run way and off base and watched all 30 FB-111s and 15 KC-135s take off over our heads at 100 feet. MITO style. Oh how I wished we had cameras like today!! We were crew chiefs on the FB-111A,and we had a party that morning, getting off duty and a case of Bud.!! Once in a life time experience. Awesome!!
Possibly one of the coolest videos on UA-cam… wow
I just love the responses to these types of videos, especially about S.A.C. bombers and tankers. I am a S.A.C. brat and I can tell you that readiness came at the cost of lives all to often. To all here who were pilots, crewmembers, maintenance, ordnance and security personnel. Good job! I am forever grateful to you all. To the men and women who served so faithfully, your service is not forgotten.
I am still haunted by images like these. I was stationed at Minot AFB from 1984 - 1991, and I saw numerous MITOs, the sun glinting off the wings and jet exhaust into the east. It was a vision of what the end of the world would look like. I am so grateful we did not have to use these weapons in war, and that rough men stood ready in the night to visit violence upon those who would do us harm. (USAF, 1984 - 2004)
HAUNTED??? Wow!!!
I was at Minot from 82-93 with the 5th FMS Loved it there especially the mito launches during a ori,met my wife there beautiful woman. Years served 1982-2004
I was a cop at Griffiss in 1983 and 1984, boy does that bring back memories!!!! Thank You!!!
Memories, memories, memories . . . . of 4000+hrs in the old D model, many tours and 160+ missions in "Nam," but as almost all of us would readily agree, the thing we old crewdogs miss the most was the incredible camaraderie of probably the most highly trained group of professional aviators ever assembled. Even the endless 7-day alert tours were bearable due to the many shared experiences and life- long friendships that still remain to this day. I don't think any of us would've missed it, for sure!
Way to Go 👍
The "Griff” I was there stationed there from 86 to 90 416OMS "Bomber Branch" I worked the Bomber Flight line in all types of weather with a lot of great people, there was nothing that could compare to a B52-G late night refuel or a J-57 engine drop in the month of January, it makes you realize that the rest of life will be easy and that the ride back to the chow hall and dorm “Bldg 450” would be well appreciated. SAC was a Warrior Command and we were proud to stand watch. "No Job To Tough"
Been there, done that. 20 year career in SAC flying B-52s. The smoke is largely due to water injection into the engines to increase thrust by increasing the mass expelled by the engines. Made it a bit hard to see after the first few if the wind wasn't strong enough to blow it away. Awake turbulence also added to the excitement. It was easy to over control the aircraft and bet a harmonic oscillation going.
I was wondering about the wake turbulence. It's not as if you can rotate before the point of the other take off when you're that close together nor climb out above the glidepath of the previous aircraft either
True. Mostly you just had to be careful. I've watched people get the harmonic oscillation going. Each "wing wobble" would get a little bigger until the plane looked like it was going to do an aileron roll, which B-52s can't really do well.
Mike Brannick I read President George HW Bush ordered all bombers on alert status to stand down in 1989, so does that mean the 3rd leg of our nuclear triad is disarmed right now?
I don't think we have any daily alert so if we need to launch it will take several hours to get planes ready to go fight. That would change if a threat was determined to require a fast response. Unless Barrie thought it was too provocative.
Mike Brannick ya there's no way to arm them in time should things go bad in a hurry and things do go bad and the Russians see us arming our planes that could make them want to launch a first strike. Dangerous game and I sure don't trust our fearless leader to defend our country
Whoa! My first assignment(1977-1980) Never thought I'd see this place ever again. But it looks like there launching from the opposite end of the hammerhead toward the alert pad. Never saw them do that.
As a former SAC B-52 pilot, I thank you so much for posting this. I watched another MITO video on here and wondered what was up. "Back in the day" those were "real" MITO's!
Brian, I agree this is the best one out there I've seen. I saw another one and they joked MITO stood for Maximum Interval Take Off!! Seemed like it was a minute or two between each takeoff.
Served as a firefighter at Grand Forks AFB in the early 80s, always thought the SPs had a tough job, locked, loaded, and walking a beat at all hours in all weathers. We had a healthy respect for you boys, especially when we were on the Alert Pad. The word was that the 3rd "halt" was written on the bullet, I never tested that proposition. We did get jacked up once, we were responding to a call of smoke on the Alert Pad. Apperently our dispatcher didn't get the word to you boys that we were
Thank you for this video. Brings back a flood of memories. I am a retired 463/2W2 that worked in the Griffiss AFB Weapons Storage area from 1984-1986. I went on to spend the majority of my career associated with the mighty BUFF in one way or another at Griffiss, Edwards, Fairchild, and finishing out my career at SAC (subsequently STRATCOM) Headquarters at Offutt. Watching this footage takes me back to Upstate New York watching MITO's in awe of the effort of the GAFB troops that made it happen!
Man I miss the Griff....I still go up on Star Hill and look and wait for em to come back I can see em still to this day from the view of the overlook!
We lived about 7 miles out, in Lee Center, back in those days and the planes would be fanning out into formation as they passed over our place (at least from a RWY 33 takeoff)... awesome sight!
I was with the 416th OMS at Griffiss (Asst. Crew Chief on #0239. My partner was Crew Chief Marty Riopelle - SUPER DUDE!) Thanks for posting man. Brought back good major memories! God bless us, every one!
I was a tanker crew chief 85-89 on 62-3513. I remember you and Marty! I wish you the best Brother!
@@a300fe1 WOW! Tiny World! Thanks man! And back at you!
I miss hearing the B52's fly over our house all the time
Thanks for posting this. I spent three years at Griffiss (74-77) and then another ten at Wurtsmith (82-92), all in aircraft maintenance. I don't think we'll ever see MITO's like that again as demonstrated by that Minot video. Those were back in SAC and very few officers and NOC's today have ever had the honor of serving in SAC.
96 BW SAC Dyess Texas. late 70s, early 80s. B-52Ds...
Watching this, did once again, give me chills. I enjoyed my time in SAC. Glad to see the comments on here that the Cold War was won. It did not just end. All SAC personnel poured a lot of blood, sweat, tears, and sacrifice into winning that conflict. The standards we were held to back then were very necessary, but unthinkable now. No offense to any current BUFF or tanker crews intended. Godspeed to all our current military personnel.
I was an SSBN guy, but I do like seeing how the other parts of the triad went about their business. We were all professionals. We all played a part in the Cold War.
I live in directly south of Barksdale. Im glad the we won the cold war, and hoped I would never see another. However, it is a growing concern of mine that we are entering into a (hopefully) cold war with China. Not a good thing.
Reagan could not have won the cold war without SAC and the rest of thebTriad.
But yes, I credit primarily Ronaldus Magnus.
Where were you Stationed
LAFB.,Me. Myself
Been in a few of those during my 24 year career Fairchild AFB,Griffiss AFB and Dyess AFB...would do it all over again ! (B-52G and B-1B)
When were you at Griffiss and Dyess. I was at Griffiss from 77-81. I was an alert controller and became a boom in 78. Went to Dyess in 81 and retired from there in 88.
I was ay the Griff '77-'85 then to Dyess on the B-1 retired in '95.
Correction to my previous post: I was in the 9th plane which was a tanker. This was a 15 ship MITO and I remember all we did for a month prior to this was discuss procedures and how the MITO would work. It was a very high pressure exercise for the aircrews and I imagine the support people as well. It was fun to actually take part in the MITO as well.
Man, I remember riding my motorcycle from the barracks at Griff out to this observation point on perimeter road to watch this kinda stuff. Man, what great memories. Anyone remember JJs outside the Floyd gate?
Crew chief 584 80-88. hahhahhah Know JJs like the back of my hand... too bad it burned for the second time. Shout out to all my fellow crew chiefs!
You mean "Juvenile Junction"? 87-90
wild video, I was stationed at Griffis in 81 and 82 in the 416 MMS, loved to see those buff's do their stuff. Thanks for posting this video and rekindling memories.....
When I was in high school we lived West of March AFB in the early '80s. The first time a bunch of these came low and fast over the ridge I about crapped, it was so cool.
March 1980 - 82. I lived on base maybe 50 yards from the flight line. KC-135's took off about 3:00 am, a Buff might have been doing engine runs most of the hours before this, then the B-52's took off around 5:00 am. I didn't get much sleep, but I forgot about that whenever I saw the B-52 in flight.
Watched one of these scrambles at a SAC base near my home in Texas...October, 1962...Didn't know then that it was full panic mode...The Russians were setting up missile shop in Cuba, and got caught by one of our recons. I was 14 years old...and thought that I might not reach 15...Thank God Khrushchev, and the Politburo blinked...Mostly...thank God for the United States Air Force...
I would say it was filmed around the summer of 87 or 88, by the hat style the one person is wearing at time line (3min 53 seconds). It is a blue FMS hat. and the one B-52 with the old paint scheme taking off could be tail number 501, one of the last to get the new paint job. Nice video, they were truly the good old days at the griff. John L. OMS bomber branch
@ASG15IAG - The B-1B is not configured for nuclear weapons any more. Not sure why they took the capability away, but it is not part of the nuclear inventory from what I've heard. BUFFS Forever!
You resurrect memories. I believe the term was "Buy None". I believe a Buy None was the nickname for a Local Practice ORI, done in preparation for the HQ SAC Operational Readiness Inspection. In either case, we all worked our asses off. Not many people assigned to the wing realized that command post, battle staff, security, munitions maintenance, and maintenance personnel worked for many hours securing weapons and aircraft long after the exercise was terminated.
Excellent video. I was in the 97th MMS and got to fly as a "Weapons System Instructor". I was sitting downstairs for several of these and upstairs for one. It was a surreal experiences watching the monitor for the white dots that were the engines of the one in front!!! FLIR was the coolest! Nothing like banking hard left or right knowing the wing tip might still be close enough to the ground to clip the tower!!!
Thanks for sharing! I worked AMS Bomb Navigation at Griffiss 86-92. Good memories.
Awesome video! I was a A model tanker crew chief at Carswell and March Air Force Bases.... Pulled Alert @ Carswell and Grand Forks..... Was directly involved in every SAC and local exercises for close to 15 yrs... Thank you for posting this wonderful bit of SAC history!
How does this not have one million views? This thing is EPIC!
My dad was Air Police, flight line Sgt. during the 60's. Last base we were at was KI Sawyer. I remember this so well. Watching this was like going home for me. Thanks.
Ahhh...water take-offs and real MITO's. Not to mention that everyone had been on base for days and up for hours during the "generation". My first assignment as a B-52 co-pilot at Carswell was for our crew to take a BUFF Kelly AFB during Global Shield so the maintenence troops could practice re-generating it. We stayed at the Hilton in San Antonio and spent the weekend on the Riverwalk. Sweet! Again, thanks for posting this. Awesome!
Castle 80 to 90
am damn proud of it too.
Excellent, vintage footage.
I was stationed there with C Flight Security Police 81-86. Great shots...brought back some great memories. Last time I saw the Buffs there they had the white bellies and the new ALCM missile pods. The 49th F-106's were awesome! Thx!
Absolutely beautiful.
That's what I was thinking.Wind direction dictated the change. Yet I don't ever remember us doing that at Griffiss. We would have had to though at one time or another.Oh Well that was forever and a day ago. Can't remember everything. It was still cool to remember and see the old place in action once again. Thanks for the posting.
This is Great.... I was a snowplow driver with the 416th CES from 78 to 82. And had to clear the runway many times for these Birds. Lots of SNOW back then. Have great memories of Griffiss,even married a girl from Rome.
I know you posted this 10 years ago, but if you read it... If I close my eyes and think about it, I can still hear the brush trucks off in the distance, out there attacking the snow on the runway!!! (82-87 with the 49th!)
I remember seeing MITOs when I was a kid at Griffiss in the mid-60s. They were one of the most impressive sights on the planet, especially when you think about what SAC was all about.
I was stationed at the "Griff" from 1978 to 1981. Sad the place shut down.
So if the year of the video shoot was right, and I'll agree on the paint scheme limiting it down, good ol' 501. I was in the best seat in the house, E.O.R. truck. These guys were up on the hill I believe. If you wanted to know what it felt like being there and cheering on the planes until the last one that wobbled it way airborne, we might have sounded like idiots to anyone else that might have overheard us but to a person we took everything we did to heart and gave everything we could to the job. SAC was such a great command to be brought up in, setting standards for lots of careers, sad how it was stabbed in the back in a dark alley and left alone to die.
Man, this brings back some memories, I was at Carswell AFB between 84-88, and in the 90's I visited Griffis AFB when the drawdown was inprogress, I was a C-141 crewchief then.
Thanks for loading this vid, stay thirsty my friend!!
This is fantastic! BUFFs pulling vapour... who knew? And the KC's are loud!
Back in 1964 they were called Crome Dome alerts if I recall and we had to have the birds off in a very short time and they had H-bombs on them at that time. I worked on the of the hill and could see all the action of the alert.
This video brought back alot of memories. I was in SAC on top of the hill back in !963-65.
The were called Crome Domes if I recall at that time.
Thanks to all you Griffis USAF SAC guys I miss your flying over Utica. I now fish for trout in the Mohawk . The Chestnut AVe bridge is new.The ethylene glyclol antifreeze is cleaned up and there's an industrial park at the place.
I was at Griffiss AFB 63/65 on top of the hill in the shop that repaired, issued the survival equipment if they had to bailout.
I was tower controller at Grand Forks from 80 to 84. The incredible thing was if it was a calm day the smoke would hang for hours. We did a launch in '83 and flushed everything except for a couple of bombers and tankers. It was 20 some aircraft and It was a rwy 17 departure so they all climbed out south and east to avoid the missile fields to the west. It was amazing. I have an old super 8 movie I shot if I could only find it!
Ahhhh, the good old days!
@PeoplesWar I surely do hope so! Funny - for the crewchiefs, it meant 12-hr shifts, but it was sort of neat, because the wife's club would have this schoolbus they'd bring out on the flightline to supply us (maintenance & security too) with doughnuts & coffee. Funny, the stuff ya remember!
The Griff! 668th BMW, my alma mater, ‘89-‘92. Great Italian food in the town of Rome, NY!
thank you for the video. I was a B52 G/h C F at Barksdale from 1985 to 1995. Remember the MITO very well. I \also remember the Elephant Walks of the Alert Aircraft as well. Those were the days my friend. Todyas airman have no idea of what your talking about. LOL
3:30 taking off nose-down, I love it. BUFF does what she wants!
Looks like a Coco. Saw it once at Westover. I think it was in '64. Didn't get near the flight line too often as I worked at COC (the 8th AF command post) the site (in the mountain)
@Z0ne5ive
It was part of the START package, the US chose to remove the B-1's from the nuclear inventory and keep the B-52's and B-2's for the nuclear mission. We simply had more bomber's in our inventory than Russia post-Cold War, and some tough decisions were needed on how many to keep for nuclear role. Since the BUFF is the perfect stand-off platform, and the B-2 more capable of stealth penetration than the B-1, that left the Lancer as the odd-man out.
I was stationed at this base in 88, and deployed to desert shield/storm from here to Westover, then overseas. I miss this base, the memories I have of it, the friends I made, the pride it gave me, and the great sadness I felt when we bugged out in the last days from Bldg 51. That travesty that happened called woodstock on this base left a sour memory, and it grieves me even to think that this happened on these grounds, where men and women left their lives behind in answering a call to arms
I was at KI for the GS's from 78-82. I remember a winter one where we MITO'd in a near blizzard. We had all of our BUFF's as well as a couple from Griffiss as well as a slew of Tankers. We had so many planes going at once, I could see the planes on my ASG-21 radar while we were still on takeoff roll and just lifting off!! That was freaky. We got a bit high and I counted no fewer than 6 airplanes on my scope. I'd just advise the pilot of where the closest one was. He said good idea!
I was there!
Holy cow that was freaking cool. Love the B-52 but neither of the CONUS bases that operate them have the best reputations. I don't think either the B-52G or the KC-135A are still in service anymore (I want to say the -135s are all the R models with the big turbofan engines.)
I did this many times as a Co and AC in G models at Mather and later as an AC and IP in Bones at Dyess. Much more "exciting" in the water wagons. Bones accelerated so fast, you just weren't as close to the aircraft ahead of you as you were in the Buff.
I was at Mather 84-86, Jet shop 320th
jack wagner I was at Mather '81-'86, 441 BMS.
+Hin11 I was with the 320th BMW/SPS '78-'82
I’ve always been overly interested in SAC. From its organization to its installations. I was born in 1990, so I was to young to see it for myself. Its hard to imagine the sheer size of the command. I believe there are around 85 b52s in service at 3 bases today. To think there where 400 at one time spread across 50 bases is mind boggling. Just wish there was more documentary’s.
Never gets Old...
Loring AFB 1969
Utapao RTNB 70-71
Engine Man
AWESOME!!! I was a tanker crew chief (62-3514) during the first Global Shield. What an experience!!!
I was a tanker crew chief on 62-3513 from 85-89. Miss those days
I miss those days I was attached to an AFB where Vulcans and Victors were deployed against the USSR whenever a Bear was detected in our airspace.
@ASG15IAG Thanks for all your info! This is great stuff!
Another impressive sight an Elaphant Walk and launch of F4 Phantoms
I couldnt help but yell, "yeah yeah yeah yeah' at my computer on that.
@ASG15IAG
One correction, the B-1 is no longer a nuclear delivery platform, it is only used in conventional missions.
Correction Sept 15 1980. However An Article I read on it Claimed No One Died. Thats incorrect. 7 People Died and 1 B-52 Bomber Burned to the ground. I ought to know. I was there and attended the Funeral Service for the maint crew that died that day.
More than 10% of the ENTIRE CURRENT FLEET of B-52!
Wish Griffiss was still open. Those were the days
Who couldn't love this lots of smoke and noise
Today NORAD can't find it's own ass, even *with* a map, compass, a flashlight, and a mirror.
DORKS
Wowww maaan! Cant believe I missed this.
@ASG15IAG I have heard of this exercise. I was under the impression that Global Shield was done only in 1979 and 1981? I have a DVD with footage of Global Shield '79. VERY impressive exercise. Makes me want to join the Air Force.
What exactly was practiced during Global Shield '88 or '89?
Global Shield was an exercise that simulated escalating tensions worldwide. Everyone on the base was called in and every aircraft was upgraded to "alert" status. Special weapons were loaded onto each bomber and they were all placed on 15 minute ground alert. The weapons and maintenance guys and gals were graded on loading the weapons, the readiness of each aircraft, and security was scrutinized to the Nth degree. Then the real weapons were unloaded, stored and then each plane was "scrambled" as if the order had been given by the SAC commander for a "mass launch". Which is what you just saw....an EWO MITO...back in the day. And what a great launch it was. Those MITO's back in the Cold War era were dicey at best. I don't think they do them the same now.
That's a serious ass kicking right there. LOL
Ah
Memories.....
USAF B-52 Veteran
Amazingly...not one flame out or blown engine....
I love the choice of your user name asg15iag! I was a 32171G! 320FMS-Mather, 43AMS-Andersen, and 93OMS-Castle.
Ok, nice video and all, yeah, I was stationed at GAFB in Rome, but, I guess they didn't make video camera tripods for long distance shooting of such historic important events, huh? I had to get up and walk around I was so frickin' dizzy from the bouncing around. Brought back miserable memories of flying around on C-130's for duty assignments.
Mike Brannick, did you by chance run into Lt. Col. Jim Denson? He flew the B-58 and B-52. He came into the service as an Army artillery man and entered pilot training. I worked with him after he retired from the Air Force.
Trying to burn JP-4 & water/methanol = smoke, extra noise and a little thrust. TF33s were a much efficient power plants and no need to carry 8000+lbs of water . Always surprised me that USAF did not convert all B-52s (and KC-135A) to TF33 in early to mid 60s.
Right next door to us in Utica over at GAFB..lots of power there...wow. Imagine what "we" could have poured onto an enemy with just the Griffis gang alone.
That was apocalyptic sight, guys. Fallout feel intensifies.
@ASG15IAG Does the Air Force do anything like Global Shield anymore? I know with the activation of Global Strike Command, it opens the door for more training opportunities and such.
This brings back many fine memories of watching the B-52s, KC-135s and F-106s take off from Griffiss. We used to sit at the end of the road just outside the main runway. The noise was deafening but the feeling of those big jets flying off the runway was awesome. Many thanks for this video. When was it shot? I'm thinking late 80s. It seems they were fledging everything they had that day.
The place you didn't want to be was #2 in the 3 ship. The pucker factor could get pretty high especially when the visibility was poor.
I am reminded of a quote from Robocop: "They're goin' to kick somebody's ASS!"
The gunner's station has been removed, from B-52.
Real Impressive to watch over the net,would be quite something else in person. Out of nterest sake how many Nukes would have been carried by each Buff if "that" call came through and the cold war went hot? Also I imagine this would have happened at airbases around the world at the same time?
When were you at KI. We were there 62-67. My dad was flight line sgt.
coming. Right after we crossed the red line, the floods came on, SPs were pointing their M16s at us, and a Peacekeeper armoured car rolled up with its swivel-mounted M60 manned. We all did EXACTLY as we were told, stopped the trucks and spread-eagled on the tarmac till things were sorted out.
ASG15IAG- Wondering when this was shot, when were you there, where did you work? I worked Combat Crew Comm/TACOM, 1983-1985, across from the Command Post, issuing Comm Kits, SATCOM info and stuff to Tanker Navs and Bomber EWOs.
Didn't this used to have sound? That was part of the excitment.
i take it MITO is minimum interval rake off and it would be for a full nuclear strike?
Simply amazing, but at the same time, utterly terrifying if this was for real.
What year was this? Was this during an exercise?
Never saw a BUFF pulling vapour, that's sick...
The awesome show of freedom.