I met a young B-52 pilot at a museum about seven years ago. He said the joke in the community is, "The mother of the last guy to fly a B-52 has not yet been born." 😊
It's wild, the F-16 and F-15 had their first flights a whopping FIFTY Years ago, look at cars that came out then like a Volkswagen Golf Mk I, now we're at the Mk VIII 😁 At least the F-16 seems to get slowly phased out in favor of the F-35, but it's obviously still not obsolete and also the F-15 was kinda reborn with the new F-15EX, while it's original successor - the F-22 went out of now over 10 years ago. The C-130 is a similar "living mummy", in production since the 1950s, still going strong after the C-130J modernization (even Germany and France ordered 10 [K]C-130Js although they are the main customers and contributors to the Airbus A400M that's completely made from scratch).
F-16 still produced to this day with the latest F-16V goes to Bahrain and Slovakia. It's also worth mentioning there are several countries opted to upgrade their older F-16 fleet such as Taiwan under the F-16V upgrade, Mid-Life Update for Polish, and PoBIT on United States. It's a long walk for a Viper to be phased out even on stateside. @@kuchenblechmafiagmbh1381
I was a B-52 crew chief for several years in the 1980s assigned to the H model which is the last version built in 1960/61. The H models are still flying and will soon get new Rolls Royce engines to replace the aging Pratt &Whitney TF-33 engines that are over 50 years old to keep them flying into the 2050s It's sad to see the BUFF in this shape. Like seeing the corpse of an old reliable friend. That open hatch hanging down at the rear of the plane is where the drag chute resided and deployed when the pilot pulled a lever next to the throttle quadrant in the cockpit. The drag chute location was moved to the top of the plane on the G and H models after the tail gunner was relocated to the front cockpit next to the electronics warfare officer and controlled the guns via a radar scope
I'm a SAC Trained Killer myself, worked out of Fabrication Branch. I worked the B-52D, G & H modles before they deactivated SAC. My last SAC assignment was with the 68th BW at SJAFB NC. The USAF sent me to Hickam AFB just before they deactivated the 68th BW. We were the first to get a couple of the new KC-10s to test in late 79 or early 80 just before I PCS to Hickam. I never wanted to leave SAC and after Hickam I tried to get orders to Whiteman AFB to work the B-2 or any of the BUFF bases. But the USAF sent me to DMAFB in AZ. That's where I spent the last of my active duty time until 94 when I took the buyout and then wound up in the AZ ANG with the 162FW. I still miss that B-52 and SAC. Y'all stay safe
@EIBBOR2654 Thank you for your service! You guys don't get enough thanks for what you did back in 1983, I was 11 years old and I was aware of the "Temperature" in the world (since then Ive found out how REALLY close we were especially in Nov.), I literally couldn't sleep at night. Our family Parrish was only a block away and the school was next door to the church so I went to mass at 7am almost every morning before school that whole year. I was petrified..... I would like to THANK YOU from the ABSOLUTE BOTTOM of My Heart for Holding the line..... You helped in making sure that after all of those (we'll say RESTLESS nights because I did eventually go to sleep out of exhaustion) Restlessnights my family and I woke up the next morning ALIVE and with a thriving, beautiful American community to live in. Once again THANK YOU, and God bless you, your fellow servicemen, and YOUR FAMILY for their sacrifice as they are also often forgotten about for THEIR sacrifices.
Thanks for that info. I volunteered at the Air Force Office sometime in the 1970s. I was turned down due to asthma. Severe asthma. I told the Recruiter I wear an oxygen mask every so often in the hospital due to asthma attacks. That was on the 3rd day of filling out application forms. He showed me a huge book, on a rotating plate, due to it's immense size & weight...the rules say you can't join the Military if you ever have asthma after age 11...even if it appears to have subsided, and perhaps you're breathing better. He punched the top of his desk, and his coffee cup fell off on the floor. Man, was he upset...for a minute there, he had a flag-folding Boy Scout. The Army Recruiter heard all this and met me outside after I was turned down. He put an arm around my shoulder and told me: you could join the Army, just don't say anything about having asthma. I walked some 5 miles to their office on Cicero Ave to fly fighter jets. I told the Air Force Recruiter I thought the federal government had plenty of money to cure asthma. Nope. I guess not. I think these great men of our military get a big check when they get a new volunteer. I'd like a moment to thank the recruiter for his kindness. I'm sorry I was unfit for service. I hope the Lord is still taking good care of those great men in that Recruiting Office on the East side of Cicero Ave, in I would guess Oak Lawn, Illinois. God Bless America.
This is what I found this morning: One of the abandoned B-52s at Edwards, AFB is an RB-52B-30-BO Stratofortress and was transferred to AFFTC in 1965. This airplane was used extensively for “Barrier Tests.” It was retired and now sits at the Rogers Dry Lake Bed. You’re able to walk right up to it, and you can tell it’s been used and abused. The other B-52E-55BW was loaned to General Electric for engine tests in the 1960s. Now the plane just sits in three different pieces near Rogers Lake Bed. This airplane was actually used to test the General Electric TF-39 for the Lockheed C-5A “Galaxy” program.
That E model was lastly used in a test where they blew it up, that's why you see the melted aluminum, and areas in and around the fuel tanks that show fire damage.
Forrest, I consider myself a “Google Earth Expert”. I use it everyday for my job. I also fancy myself as a serious history buff. You manage to educate, enlighten and entertain me in both areas with your well done and highly informative videos. I always look forward to what you will come up with next. Thank you. Keep them coming!!
Fascinating look at that early technology. Will never understand destroying property: shooting street signs, breaking windows, et al. Thanks for another great video, Forrest.
So, Great video. I was stationed at Edwards from 81 to 85. The B-52's were still completely intact less engines and avionics. That spot was our go to camping destination. We would load up the dirt bikes and the beer and spend the weekend out there. I still have good parts from those planes in my garage. I drank a lot of beer while sitting on the wings. In the late 80's the scrappers found them and started to dismantle them for the aluminum and the magnesium wheels. The scrappers would soon find out that no one in the Lancaster/Palmdale area would accept airplane scrap. The Air Force put two engines on each one and some JP-4 and ran them across the lakebed and off into the desert. Then they pulled the engines off. Your video brings back great memories for me. I think the wooden outriggers were early wheel struts to keep the wings from hitting the ground during landing. And by the way one of the first things we were taught on the flight line was that popping your head up inside a bomb bay or wheel well was the quickest way to get bit in the face by a rattle snake.
@@mikesp1 Nice. We probably crossed paths. I was a BB stacker in bldg. 1600. We were the shop with the pool table. I drove a really loud blue 67 VW bug.
That area you were surmising was a fuel tank, was exactly that. And the rubber you were wondering about was there as a sealant, and also to help seal holes from shrapnel or small arms fire. Another fine job Forrest.
I read that fuel tanks with a sealant lining were installed in B-17s in WW2. They probably got many an American air crew back to their base in England.
The rubber was the actual fuel tank bladders. The G and H models were the only B52 models to have a wet wing, or the entire inside of the wing held fuel, minus the dry bays around the engine pylons. The inside of those wings, G & H models, had sealant on the seams, and fasteners that went through the wing skin surfaces.
My Dad liked the B-58 Hustler. As a kid, 1960 or so, Dad got me a large (seemed huge to me at age 4) plastic toy B-58. PVC plastic, not the stiff and brittle ABS. Dad would toss that plane as hard as he could from the porch and it behaved well in the air until it slowed down. My memory after 64 years is that it would flutter and settle softly in the grass. This plastic toy seemed three feet long to me back then.
At the :32 second mark,as pointed out by someone else, is a B-58 Hustler. The odd looking piece of ground next to it with the white stripes on it is a satellite calibration marker. Satelites were flown over these to check camera focus and instrumention. In the desert between Phoenix and Tucson there are whats called Corona markers in the desert floor. The center of the markers are one mile apart and they were used as a reference mark back when satellites actually carried film. They would fly over and photograph them as a scale marker for the rest of the film. They would measure the distance on the film with a scale or ruler and that would be used to check distances on the rest of the photos.
I’ve seen video of the destruction process. The USAF built what was essentially a giant guillotine and used it to chop the fuselage in half in a single chop. Great video.
Same. I’ve also seen in person the end result where the bombers are left chopped to pieces. You can probably still see some on google earth at the boneyard located in Tucson at Davis-Monthan AFB.
@@antoniograncino3506Castle also has the fastest SR-71, according to blackbird pilots. I attended a "sled driver" convention at the Meseum of Flight in Seattle. When the question was asked if one particular SR-71 stood out amongst the others as far as top speed, they all said it was the SR-71 on display at Castle. I grew up in Turlock, I've been to Castle more times than I can count.
@@andrewb9708 That's the museum where you can see some of the planes from Hwy 99? If so, do you know if that F4 visible from the highway is the RF4C? My dad flew rear seat on the RF4C out of Okinawa.
@@telcobilly You cannot see Castle's display aircraft from the 99. However, there is a B-17 and F-4 on display in Tulare that's right off of 99's northbound lanes.
Thank you for sharing this video. I recently retired after almost 21 years on Active Duty. My career field maintains and operates the aircraft arresting systems that safeguard USAF assets. I was aware of systems that we developed in years past to arrest SR-71's and the space shuttle, but have never been made aware of a B-52 test. You learn something new every day. Thank you!
To me, this would be the ultimate retirement gig. Driving a well fit-out diesel swapped Jeep, going around our amazing country to document sites and objects like this...
Enjoy watching your videos; indeed, the unique perspective, cinematography, and narration bring to life the history of what once was - giving these old birds another chance to spread their wings and tell a story. Always valued-added! Josh
Joined the Air Force and worked on B-52 D and E’s as a crew chief and later as a flight line expediter. We lived in Lancaster and Palmdale when Dad worked on the B 70. We left the Antelope Valley in 1965 so this video brings back a lot of memories . Thank you for the research and the video
Good Day. Excellent venture into the desert grave yard. Wonderful Planes. You mentioned the F-111. My last base was in New Mexico at Cannon AFB TAC 1974, was a F-111 training base. Love those planes. I was assigned to the 27th CES and I was a power lineman. I took care of all base power and the airfield power and lighting. Loved It. Thank You for this fine and educated posting. I have subscribed. Watch out for snakes!
When I was a lad back in the early 1960's my family used to drive over to Platsburg AFB in upstate NY to watch B-52's take off and land on their "round the clock" patrols over the Arctic.
I was stationed at Dyess AFB TX. from 79 to 83, and when I first got there, both the G model B-52s and KC-135's had water injection engines still being used. They would literally rattle the ground when they were taking off. They also still had tail gunners manning the turrent in the rear before they were modified to have automatic guns in the turrent. Most of my supervisors and shop chiefs were in Vietnam and the Korean wars.
Grew up next to Edwards back in the 50s and 60s. As a young boy then, the desert was all there was to do and explore. On foot and bicycles in the beginning, then dirt bikes after that, a few of us had been to all the places in that great big desert and on the dry lake beds there also. A great time to be alive. And yes it got very hot and even a challenge at times, but it also made us both stronger and tougher in life. Where most younger people these days do the opposite things that make them weaker and sicker.
I was in the USAF and during the cold war Edwards AFB was high security but now you can go just about anywhere on the base, it's been largely abandoned after the Shuttle program was cancelled. Back in the 90's I went to an airshow there and met Chuck Yeager.
Not really, after 9/11 security got really tight and the air shows were canceled for a long time. As of now, you cannot pass the gates unless you are escorted by Air Force Personnel or a DOD contractor. BTW, they have resumed the airshows.
I was an ARFCOS courier back in the mid-70's. 'Opportune air' was our go-to lift for a post-delivery back leg. I lucked out and caught a hop aboard a B-52 being ferried from Anderson/Guam via Hickam/HI, Travis/CA to Tinker/Oklahoma. Helluva treat for this young Marine.
Air Force Systems Command and Aur Force Logistics Command were combined in 1992 to consolidate their roles into a single command called Air Force Material Command. This allows this command to be responsible for the full life of weapon systems that they support from their acquisition to sustainment to end of life. That B-52 was definitely an early model - A or B model because that tail gun system was the A3A system that used twin 20mm cannons. I am retired maintainer who worked on the tail guns till their official end in 1991 - I work the G Model ASG-15A and ASG-21 systems.
Another great video, i appreciate the efforts you make to travel to these impressive pieces of aviation lost in the wild, i can't wait to one day maybe go there and see them in person. Farewell from Saint-Dizier France
Those are B-52 D models. The oldest made and first retired. The H models are what’s left in active inventory soon to be converted to up engined J model. They lifted sections of Jersey barrier with cranes and then dropped the concrete barriers on sections of the planes to literally, as you see, break them into pieces.
That truss holding up the B-58 nose is new. The B-58 WAS sitting on its own nose hear in the past, I guess somebody out there needed a B-58 main nose gear for some reason, and flaps too. The flaps used to be attached.
@@Desert_Explorer_75 THANK YOU! This explains so much now after viewing updates of the B-58 they are working on, where the main gear was disassembled while in hangar. They never stated where they received the nose gear.
Awesome sharing, sir! My dad was a B-17 pilot, shot down over Germany April ‘44, and a POW until the end of the war. Even as these aircraft may not have seen action, I think of the airmen as you show the interiors. God bless ALL who’ve served 🇺🇸 and Thank You for this close up look! ✌🏽
I was the Base Civil Engineer at Edwards in the late 90s. One day Jimmy Doolittle III, who was the vice-commander of the Air Force Flight Test Center at the time (and my neighbor), told me he was going to try and find where a mock-up of a Japanese battle ship had been constructed out on the lake bed during WWII. We visited the base history office to take a look at the records and get an idea of where to look before going out on the lake bed. All we could find was a turnbuckle that had been used on the mock-up. Then we went to where these old aircraft were parked to check them out. As I recall, they were pretty much in the same condition as they are now. Someone below said that the aircraft attesting system was a cable, not a barrier -- which is not true in this instance. They tested s system that was meant for large aircraft without tail hooks, like the B.52. It was a netting affair that caught the nose and wings of the aircraft. I've seen photos of it. Apparently, it wasn't effective as I don't believe it was ever deployed.
Air Force Systems Command went away in 1992, because it merged with the AF Logistics Command. Together, they became AF Materiel Command. Instead of just doing Flight Test and Acquisitions (Systems Command) or heavy maintenance overhauls and component upgrades/changes (Logistics Command), the AF combined the commands missions into one. AF Materiel Command uses the emblem of the former AF Logistics Command.
If you see a boulder of some kind with a big bullet sitting on the rock. That's their keep out sign. You have to look a little closer, but they are there. 😊 Just an FYI. It gets so windy there you can't put up signs they just blow away. Thank for letting us leave comments. I've tried to tell other people but they don't let you leave comments.
Mr. Haggerty. I was a full time archaeologist on Edwards AFB from 1993 to 2012. During my stay there I recorded those planes along with several others in that very area. They are located on what is called PHOTO Resolution and were deemed as targets. Two things I must mention, first the area is considered part of EDWARDS AFB and is considered a restricted area. Second you are lucky that the military police did not arrest you for your trespass. Other than that. Nice video.
From what I can tell numerous people have been there and there is not a sign or a fence restricting access. My guess is that personnel at Edwards are not very concerned about this location. I found out other people have made videos about it and have gone out there to take pictures. These aircraft are also easily seen from the road.
@@forresthaggertychannel4301 I know there have been a lot videos made and yes they can be seen from the road. Curious enough, there is fencing located south of Ave B and the area is highly restricted west of Lancaster BLVD at the gate entrance. Also, there are barriers located further east and up to the AFRL. I am just saying that if one goes out there, don't be surprised if you are braced by the Military Police, if you go out there again. BTW, the road is public, but if you come from the opposite direction off the 58, you will see signs warning you about the restrictions.
@@coleparker Well he didn't enter from the opposite direction did he? He went from a public road onto the dirt track and there were no signs at all, no fences, no gates. What sort of dumbass security only has one set of signs on one side? As he says, I doubt people on the base are too bothered, hence the lack of signage.
@@Chunky246If one gets detained they have nothing to complain about. Excusing it by saying other people have done it is absurd. It's a military base. At some point common sense has to kick in. If the question even has to be asked, then you shouldn't be there. We aren't entitled to just go wherever we want. And, what if someone gets hurt? A piece of the aircraft falls off while they're poking around. Or, they fall off the fuselage and get seriously injured? They're gonna turn right around and try to sue the govt because they had to sneak out into the desert and onto a military base so they could poke around stuff they have no business being anywhere near, and then got hurt. Think people.
Excellent Video, you are right in the middle of Mojave Green territory and they are known to occasionally not give you any warning before they strike. Guarantee you were walking over a few sleeping under that metal waiting on the sun to come up as well.
7:12 The door hanging down is probably the drogue shoot door that drops down and deploys the chute that helps slow down the B52 on landing. I had an uncle that flew on B58s at Little Rock Air Force Base.If I'm not mistaken they removed Snoopy's from landing gear and used it on a B58 at the museum on the former Castle AFB
@@maxxq nope, there's a comment a few above this one from a former pilot who confirmed that the door on this model was for deploying a drogue chute. I can't say if I remember ever seeing a B-52 take off at such an angle that it would need a tail-strike skid, but that's a good guess anyway
That was my initial thought when I saw it but after watching several videos, they all deploy out of the top of the tail, not beneath. Maybe a backup went there or maybe older models had it there,I have no clue. However, and am not criticizing you, because my spelling skills abandoned me years ago, I did get a chuckle out of you using "shoot" and "chute" in the same sentence.
I was an assistant crew chief on a B52E 60620 at Kirtland AFB 1968-72. Kirtland was a AF Systems Command base in those days. We tested a multitude of systems from weapons to release mechanisms. Spent some time at Edwards.
Both are "tall tail" B-52 which was B though F models. The last F models were retired in the early 80's. The ones are the video are quite old they look to be C models which makes them pretty old and the intact one might be a B based on what is left of the tail gun rad domes it has the mounts for two 20mm cannons a early armament used only on the B-52B so that airframe is very old and was retired from USAF in the mid 60's. I would say that those two have been sitting out there for quite some time probably since the mid to late 60's.
When I was in tech school at Chanute AFB in '78 I would go out to the FL and crawl around in the cannabilized 52's there. Lots of fun and knowledge learned from those days!
That is so cool. Good for you. I also love finding stuff like this on Google Earth. Thank you so much for sharing. If I ever get out that way from Texas I will definitely stop by to take a look.
The coolest thing about the B58 hustler was that it had full escape capsules for the crew so they could eject safely at super sonic speeds. If needed, the crew could even fly the aircraft while inside the capsule without ejecting.
That wooden object you were looking at is about where the wing tip protection gear was located. It was just inside of the drop tank that carried fuel also. With a full fuel load that gear supported the outer end of the wing. When a plane came back from a mission those gear would be as high as my head above the ground.
Just FYI... They don't need to have a sign, because you're technically already on the reservation. They have large signs way back on the North and South ends, on the perimeter entrance, that basically explains they have a right to stop people anywhere on the reservation. Which they will definitely do. Ask me how I know. I could also tell the story of how I went down for a shuttle landing one morning, and was spotted by a Blackhawk attached to Fort Irwin, who was on security detail... and they circled me, with a door gunner manning a 50, who made it very clear they wanted me to leave. Not trying to be a downer... Just don't want anybody getting in trouble.
Great video! Your research and narration really puts this above other videos of these wrecks. There are also tanks, vehicles, and other planes out there, to the east of where you are in this video. There's a dirt road that runs eastward, almost all the way to the 395 with a lot more stuff on it.
7:00 the upper part of the very rear once held an observation dome. Which means the plane still had its original manual rear gunner configuration before the plane was retired. In the mid 90s the manual rear gunner station was removed and upgraded to a radar-tracked machine gun. And the operator moved to the mid cabin.
I grew up on Edwards AFB... actually from 8th-12th grade. When I was in boy scouts we used to camp in the area, and we used to visit them a lot. (circa 1986-1988) one time while we are out camping, we took part in a mass casualty event where they hired hollywood makeup artists to come in. we camped for the night, then the next morning the makeup team showed up... we were all randomly given cards (the scouts with injuries and vitals) the makeup team did the makeup and we were strewn about. the air force brought in several dummy missiles, can't remember what they were, but reminded me of AIM-9 sidewinders, but honestly don't know. anyways... they started some fires, story was that a military jet went down in the middle of a boy scout camp. they then sounded the alarm, and ambulances and helicopters were dispatched. when the first responders showed up, they would evaluate (read the vitals from the cards in our pockets) and treat. I had shrapnel (literal piece of metal about the size of two quarters side by side, sticking out of my cheek. I remember the makeup taking forever to get off LOL. anyways... I was DOA, so... no transportation... damn I wanted ride in the helicopters.. I think about 4 of the scouts got a helicopter ride, the rest that were still alive went by ambulances, and I had to camp out via scout truck with the other dead LOL was a lot of fun... i think i was around 14 or 15...
The aircraft on the outskirts of the South end of Edwards AFB are used as Satellite Resolution and Calibration targets. Not too far from the B-52's you will also find a B-58 Hustler or what's left of it. They are slowly being brought back in by The Edwards Museum so they can be put on display in the future.
I worked at the 309th AMARG for 15 years. On a number of occasions, we delivered various "demilitarized" aircraft, including B-52s, to a number of different military bases to serve as targets for training purposes. These aircraft appear to have been used in that manner. The START aircraft can still be seen lined up at AMARG having been surgically cut apart to proove that they have been removed from service.
The early B-52 variants had bladder fuel cells. These two look like C/D/F variants. With the G/H models, Boeing switched to the integral, or "wet" wing fuel tanks.
I keep ending up on this channel because of content. I might as well “subscribe”and “like”. Great job on your channel man. Seem to be on something. Thanks for the videos. Just got out of hospital with Covid and some of your videos kept me entertained. Thanks.
Took my kids to see those planes when I was stationed there. The first time both were still intact. Went back later was sad to see the one cut up. Had worked on the H model at Ellsworth AFB in the early 80’s.
The landing gear, the reason for the twist is so that the gear could fit inside the aircraft when retracted. The two wheels on one side retracted back while the other side retracted forward. @8:56. Same for the rear landing gear. They could also turn left and right when deployed so the plane could crab walk, mainly to help with crosswind landings. Also @10:57 is where a retractable wheel would come down to stop the wingtips touching the ground during takeoff and landing because the wings were so large. Looks like they’ve attached those wooden stabilisers after decommissioning.
Really enjoyed this, and your drone images are a real treat! This is probably not possible at Davis-Monthan Air Force Base in Tuscon, but hundreds of retired airplanes are visible just from the perimeter roads. Great post!
There are all sorts of aircraft you can get close to at the Pima Air and Space Museum on the south side of Valencia Rd across from DMAFB. There is a list of aircraft with photos on their web site. As far as the birds in the Bone Yard, you can’t get up close but you can see much of what’s out there driving around on public perimeter roads and on any number of mapping/aerial photo sites. As far as drones, the base is restricted airspace and with 3 other airports nearby, almost all of Tucson has altitude limitations of one sort or another.
The wooden frames at the wingtips may have been wheels and made from wood to break away during a hard landing, I built a model of the B-52 as a kid and remember the wheels, and they still have them because of the enormous wingspan, I’ve watched them take of from the flight line at Nellis AFB, I also watched the C-5 galaxy which was frightening because the enormity of it
Those planes have been along the south base perimeter since at least the late 70s as I saw them in '78 while assigned to EAFB. In case you didn't look carefully the skin on the Hustler (B-58) is a sandwich of aluminum and titanium with a honeycomb interior.
In the mid 1980's my Mom and Dad took me to London for the weekend to sell a microlight wing. On the way back we stopped at Duxford for the day, highlight was walking up to the B52 exhibit they had and I reached one of the main wheel bogies and as 13 year old and rather short I tried to reach the top of the tire it seemed so enormous. The size of these aircraft is so off the scale.
I actually saw them cutting up the B-52s in Davis-Monthan ... I likely have pictures somewhere ... I was still in the military and I was dropping off a P3 that was to be stored there forever. They had a huge crane with a giant guillotine on it and what they would do is they would raise it up and drop it right on top like a knife edge.
Convair B58😱😱⁉️ that should be in a museum, what's left of it!! Fantastic video, thank you! Good to know some old relics from the by gone era still laying about in the universe of aviation history!
This is truly fascinating. I remember seeing the airplane cemetery going through the Mojave Desert on the bus. But I didn't know about these planes you found on your own. They are separated from the rest of the plane cemetery and are on their own. The desert is such a fascinating place just as YOU Forrest Haggerty are a fascinating man. I really enjoyed watching this one. I hope to meet and collaborate with you on a video someday.
Remarkably unchanged from my visit to the same location in 1992, during my first tour at Edwards AFB. These aircraft were disabled in place as part of the drawdown of strategic bombers decades ago. These aircraft, which are still on the AFB property, were then used as radar targets for various platforms. The B-58 Hustler out there should be restored and placed in a museum, in my humble opinion.
Thanks for this video. I would love to be able to go on these adventures. There is something about abandoned airplanes that amazes me. All that technology and precision craftsmanship wasting away. You knew someone’s dad and mom made their livelihood and did the very best they could do in defense of our nation making these planes.
I met a young B-52 pilot at a museum about seven years ago. He said the joke in the community is, "The mother of the last guy to fly a B-52 has not yet been born." 😊
It's wild, the F-16 and F-15 had their first flights a whopping FIFTY Years ago, look at cars that came out then like a Volkswagen Golf Mk I, now we're at the Mk VIII 😁
At least the F-16 seems to get slowly phased out in favor of the F-35, but it's obviously still not obsolete and also the F-15 was kinda reborn with the new F-15EX, while it's original successor - the F-22 went out of now over 10 years ago.
The C-130 is a similar "living mummy", in production since the 1950s, still going strong after the C-130J modernization (even Germany and France ordered 10 [K]C-130Js although they are the main customers and contributors to the Airbus A400M that's completely made from scratch).
F-16 still produced to this day with the latest F-16V goes to Bahrain and Slovakia. It's also worth mentioning there are several countries opted to upgrade their older F-16 fleet such as Taiwan under the F-16V upgrade, Mid-Life Update for Polish, and PoBIT on United States. It's a long walk for a Viper to be phased out even on stateside. @@kuchenblechmafiagmbh1381
It might even be the grandparents! The B-52 just keep flying on.
Why guy ? :)
My uncle was a B 52 pilot. Retired around 1972. He died a few months ago just shy of 99.
I was a B-52 crew chief for several years in the 1980s assigned to the H model which is the last version built in 1960/61. The H models are still flying and will soon get new Rolls Royce engines to replace the aging Pratt &Whitney TF-33 engines that are over 50 years old to keep them flying into the 2050s
It's sad to see the BUFF in this shape. Like seeing the corpse of an old reliable friend.
That open hatch hanging down at the rear of the plane is where the drag chute resided and deployed when the pilot pulled a lever next to the throttle quadrant in the cockpit. The drag chute location was moved to the top of the plane on the G and H models after the tail gunner was relocated to the front cockpit next to the electronics warfare officer and controlled the guns via a radar scope
I'm a SAC Trained Killer myself, worked out of Fabrication Branch. I worked the B-52D, G & H modles before they deactivated SAC. My last SAC assignment was with the 68th BW at SJAFB NC. The USAF sent me to Hickam AFB just before they deactivated the 68th BW. We were the first to get a couple of the new KC-10s to test in late 79 or early 80 just before I PCS to Hickam. I never wanted to leave SAC and after Hickam I tried to get orders to Whiteman AFB to work the B-2 or any of the BUFF bases. But the USAF sent me to DMAFB in AZ. That's where I spent the last of my active duty time until 94 when I took the buyout and then wound up in the AZ ANG with the 162FW. I still miss that B-52 and SAC. Y'all stay safe
@EIBBOR2654 Thank you for your service! You guys don't get enough thanks for what you did back in 1983, I was 11 years old and I was aware of the "Temperature" in the world (since then Ive found out how REALLY close we were especially in Nov.), I literally couldn't sleep at night. Our family Parrish was only a block away and the school was next door to the church so I went to mass at 7am almost every morning before school that whole year. I was petrified..... I would like to THANK YOU from the ABSOLUTE BOTTOM of My Heart for Holding the line..... You helped in making sure that after all of those (we'll say RESTLESS nights because I did eventually go to sleep out of exhaustion) Restlessnights my family and I woke up the next morning ALIVE and with a thriving, beautiful American community to live in. Once again THANK YOU, and God bless you, your fellow servicemen, and YOUR FAMILY for their sacrifice as they are also often forgotten about for THEIR sacrifices.
Thanks for that info. I volunteered at the Air Force Office sometime in the 1970s. I was turned down due to asthma. Severe asthma. I told the Recruiter I wear an oxygen mask every so often in the hospital due to asthma attacks. That was on the 3rd day of filling out application forms. He showed me a huge book, on a rotating plate, due to it's immense size & weight...the rules say you can't join the Military if you ever have asthma after age 11...even if it appears to have subsided, and perhaps you're breathing better. He punched the top of his desk, and his coffee cup fell off on the floor. Man, was he upset...for a minute there, he had a flag-folding Boy Scout. The Army Recruiter heard all this and met me outside after I was turned down. He put an arm around my shoulder and told me: you could join the Army, just don't say anything about having asthma. I walked some 5 miles to their office on Cicero Ave to fly fighter jets. I told the Air Force Recruiter I thought the federal government had plenty of money to cure asthma. Nope. I guess not. I think these great men of our military get a big check when they get a new volunteer. I'd like a moment to thank the recruiter for his kindness. I'm sorry I was unfit for service. I hope the Lord is still taking good care of those great men in that Recruiting Office on the East side of Cicero Ave, in I would guess Oak Lawn, Illinois. God Bless America.
well you are pretty cool thanks cool
The sheer size and scale of the aircraft is awesome. You provide excellent vantage points.
Facts
This is what I found this morning:
One of the abandoned B-52s at Edwards, AFB is an RB-52B-30-BO Stratofortress and was transferred to AFFTC in 1965. This airplane was used extensively for “Barrier Tests.” It was retired and now sits at the Rogers Dry Lake Bed. You’re able to walk right up to it, and you can tell it’s been used and abused.
The other B-52E-55BW was loaned to General Electric for engine tests in the 1960s. Now the plane just sits in three different pieces near Rogers Lake Bed. This airplane was actually used to test the General Electric TF-39 for the Lockheed C-5A “Galaxy” program.
Thanks, that helps clarify a lot.
Yes, those are "D" models and I highly doubt that they were part of the nuclear bomber reduction of 1991.
Next time take a geiger counter out there with you.
@@CrystalLakeEast😂
That E model was lastly used in a test where they blew it up, that's why you see the melted aluminum, and areas in and around the fuel tanks that show fire damage.
Forrest, I consider myself a “Google Earth Expert”. I use it everyday for my job. I also fancy myself as a serious history buff. You manage to educate, enlighten and entertain me in both areas with your well done and highly informative videos. I always look forward to what you will come up with next. Thank you. Keep them coming!!
Enjoyed your video
I agree ! I love the actual history behind these pieces of history! 🙏🏾 thank u for your work! And happy new year
Fascinating look at that early technology. Will never understand destroying property: shooting street signs, breaking windows, et al. Thanks for another great video, Forrest.
So, Great video. I was stationed at Edwards from 81 to 85. The B-52's were still completely intact less engines and avionics. That spot was our go to camping destination. We would load up the dirt bikes and the beer and spend the weekend out there. I still have good parts from those planes in my garage. I drank a lot of beer while sitting on the wings. In the late 80's the scrappers found them and started to dismantle them for the aluminum and the magnesium wheels. The scrappers would soon find out that no one in the Lancaster/Palmdale area would accept airplane scrap. The Air Force put two engines on each one and some JP-4 and ran them across the lakebed and off into the desert. Then they pulled the engines off. Your video brings back great memories for me. I think the wooden outriggers were early wheel struts to keep the wings from hitting the ground during landing. And by the way one of the first things we were taught on the flight line was that popping your head up inside a bomb bay or wheel well was the quickest way to get bit in the face by a rattle snake.
Excellent story! Thank you for sharing. I enjoyed reading it!🙏
I was a jet engine mechanic stationed at Edwards from 1983 to 1986. I explored that B52 and the B58 when I was there
@@mikesp1 Nice. We probably crossed paths. I was a BB stacker in bldg. 1600. We were the shop with the pool table. I drove a really loud blue 67 VW bug.
@ we must have I work engine dispatch in building 1600 I had a 66 nova and a Kawasaki triple
@@JScott-wz2ugwas it a cal bug
Engineering marvels of the time. Designed and built pre computers. Pretty impressive. Thanks Forrest!!!
That area you were surmising was a fuel tank, was exactly that. And the rubber you were wondering about was there as a sealant, and also to help seal holes from shrapnel or small arms fire. Another fine job Forrest.
I read that fuel tanks with a sealant lining were installed in B-17s in WW2. They probably got many an American air crew back to their base in England.
The rubber was the actual fuel tank bladders.
The G and H models were the only B52 models to have a wet wing, or the entire inside of the wing held fuel, minus the dry bays around the engine pylons.
The inside of those wings, G & H models, had sealant on the seams, and fasteners that went through the wing skin surfaces.
@@JoeJ94611❤
The 'Buff' seems to have a never ending service life! I had a B58 model when I was a kid! I am now 69yrs. Thanks for this post!
My B58 kit was made by Monogram.
My Dad liked the B-58 Hustler. As a kid, 1960 or so, Dad got me a large (seemed huge to me at age 4) plastic toy B-58. PVC plastic, not the stiff and brittle ABS. Dad would toss that plane as hard as he could from the porch and it behaved well in the air until it slowed down. My memory after 64 years is that it would flutter and settle softly in the grass. This plastic toy seemed three feet long to me back then.
im a kid and have a b52 model :)
I'm 67, had a B52 model and a B58 model, I probably have a 1000 hours flying them in my bedroom back in the day with my dog Winnie.
Thanks Forrest!
At the :32 second mark,as pointed out by someone else, is a B-58 Hustler. The odd looking piece of ground next to it with the white stripes on it is a satellite calibration marker.
Satelites were flown over these to check camera focus and instrumention. In the desert between Phoenix and Tucson there are whats called Corona markers in the desert floor. The center of the markers are one mile apart and they were used as a reference mark back when satellites actually carried film. They would fly over and photograph them as a scale marker for the rest of the film. They would measure the distance on the film with a scale or ruler and that would be used to check distances on the rest of the photos.
Thanks
I’ve seen video of the destruction process. The USAF built what was essentially a giant guillotine and used it to chop the fuselage in half in a single chop. Great video.
Same. I’ve also seen in person the end result where the bombers are left chopped to pieces. You can probably still see some on google earth at the boneyard located in Tucson at Davis-Monthan AFB.
The Convair B-58 is still one of my favorite aircraft. Great video!
Castle Air Museum has just added a B-58 to their exhibits.
@@antoniograncino3506Castle also has the fastest SR-71, according to blackbird pilots. I attended a "sled driver" convention at the Meseum of Flight in Seattle. When the question was asked if one particular SR-71 stood out amongst the others as far as top speed, they all said it was the SR-71 on display at Castle. I grew up in Turlock, I've been to Castle more times than I can count.
@@andrewb9708 Yup, been there, seen it. Wasn't moving very fast at the time. I was most in awe of the B-36 there.
@@andrewb9708 That's the museum where you can see some of the planes from Hwy 99? If so, do you know if that F4 visible from the highway is the RF4C? My dad flew rear seat on the RF4C out of Okinawa.
@@telcobilly You cannot see Castle's display aircraft from the 99. However, there is a B-17 and F-4 on display in Tulare that's right off of 99's northbound lanes.
Thank you for sharing this video. I recently retired after almost 21 years on Active Duty. My career field maintains and operates the aircraft arresting systems that safeguard USAF assets. I was aware of systems that we developed in years past to arrest SR-71's and the space shuttle, but have never been made aware of a B-52 test. You learn something new every day. Thank you!
The B52 is one of my favorite planes. Quality video once again. Thanks Forrest
Forrest, you are the Google Earth nerd we all wish we could be. Thanks for another great video!
To me, this would be the ultimate retirement gig. Driving a well fit-out diesel swapped Jeep, going around our amazing country to document sites and objects like this...
Enjoy watching your videos; indeed, the unique perspective, cinematography, and narration bring to life the history of what once was - giving these old birds another chance to spread their wings and tell a story. Always valued-added! Josh
Joined the Air Force and worked on B-52 D and E’s as a crew chief and later as a flight line expediter. We lived in Lancaster and Palmdale when Dad worked on the B 70. We left the Antelope Valley in 1965 so this video brings back a lot of memories . Thank you for the research and the video
I worked at Edwards in the late '80s I saw the Challenger land on that flatbed it's been the heart of my soul ever since
Good Day. Excellent venture into the desert grave yard. Wonderful Planes. You mentioned the F-111. My last base was in New Mexico at Cannon AFB TAC 1974, was a F-111 training base. Love those planes. I was assigned to the 27th CES and I was a power lineman. I took care of all base power and the airfield power and lighting. Loved It.
Thank You for this fine and educated posting. I have subscribed. Watch out for snakes!
When I was a lad back in the early 1960's my family used to drive over to Platsburg AFB in upstate NY to watch B-52's take off and land on their "round the clock" patrols over the Arctic.
I was stationed at Dyess AFB TX. from 79 to 83, and when I first got there, both the G model B-52s and KC-135's had water injection engines still being used. They would literally rattle the ground when they were taking off. They also still had tail gunners manning the turrent in the rear before they were modified to have automatic guns in the turrent. Most of my supervisors and shop chiefs were in Vietnam and the Korean wars.
you really are becoming our own Google Earth Tour Guide😊 love it
Grew up next to Edwards back in the 50s and 60s. As a young boy then, the desert was all there was to do and explore. On foot and bicycles in the beginning, then dirt bikes after that, a few of us had been to all the places in that great big desert and on the dry lake beds there also. A great time to be alive. And yes it got very hot and even a challenge at times, but it also made us both stronger and tougher in life. Where most younger people these days do the opposite things that make them weaker and sicker.
I was in the USAF and during the cold war Edwards AFB was high security but now you can go just about anywhere on the base, it's been largely abandoned after the Shuttle program was cancelled.
Back in the 90's I went to an airshow there and met Chuck Yeager.
Not really, after 9/11 security got really tight and the air shows were canceled for a long time. As of now, you cannot pass the gates unless you are escorted by Air Force Personnel or a DOD contractor. BTW, they have resumed the airshows.
Edwards is extremely busy. It's the home of the test pilot school, NASA, a bunch of test programs. Its far from abandoned.
No, you can't go wherever you want at Edwards AFB.
@@coleparkerone airshow in 2022. No more scheduled currently.
@@Desert_Explorer_75 Thanks for the info. I have not been to one in years.
I was an ARFCOS courier back in the mid-70's. 'Opportune air' was our go-to lift for a post-delivery back leg. I lucked out and caught a hop aboard a B-52 being ferried from Anderson/Guam via Hickam/HI, Travis/CA to Tinker/Oklahoma. Helluva treat for this young Marine.
Air Force Systems Command and Aur Force Logistics Command were combined in 1992 to consolidate their roles into a single command called Air Force Material Command. This allows this command to be responsible for the full life of weapon systems that they support from their acquisition to sustainment to end of life.
That B-52 was definitely an early model - A or B model because that tail gun system was the A3A system that used twin 20mm cannons. I am retired maintainer who worked on the tail guns till their official end in 1991 - I work the G Model ASG-15A and ASG-21 systems.
THANK YOU FOR BRINGING US THIS AWESOME. VIDEO!!😊😊😊
PLEASE CONTINUE!???😊😊😊😊
Great find, Forrest! That early morning orange sunlight looks beautiful in the desert.
Another great video, i appreciate the efforts you make to travel to these impressive pieces of aviation lost in the wild, i can't wait to one day maybe go there and see them in person.
Farewell from Saint-Dizier France
They can be seen from the road and access to them is very easy with a vehicle that can drive through sand.
Those are B-52 D models. The oldest made and first retired. The H models are what’s left in active inventory soon to be converted to up engined J model. They lifted sections of Jersey barrier with cranes and then dropped the concrete barriers on sections of the planes to literally, as you see, break them into pieces.
That truss holding up the B-58 nose is new. The B-58 WAS sitting on its own nose hear in the past, I guess somebody out there needed a B-58 main nose gear for some reason, and flaps too. The flaps used to be attached.
The gear went to Castle AFB museum when they received their B58 from the now closed Chanute AFB museum in Illinois.
@@Desert_Explorer_75 THANK YOU! This explains so much now after viewing updates of the B-58 they are working on, where the main gear was disassembled while in hangar. They never stated where they received the nose gear.
Awesome sharing, sir! My dad was a B-17 pilot, shot down over Germany April ‘44, and a POW until the end of the war. Even as these aircraft may not have seen action, I think of the airmen as you show the interiors. God bless ALL who’ve served 🇺🇸 and Thank You for this close up look! ✌🏽
I was the Base Civil Engineer at Edwards in the late 90s. One day Jimmy Doolittle III, who was the vice-commander of the Air Force Flight Test Center at the time (and my neighbor), told me he was going to try and find where a mock-up of a Japanese battle ship had been constructed out on the lake bed during WWII. We visited the base history office to take a look at the records and get an idea of where to look before going out on the lake bed. All we could find was a turnbuckle that had been used on the mock-up. Then we went to where these old aircraft were parked to check them out. As I recall, they were pretty much in the same condition as they are now. Someone below said that the aircraft attesting system was a cable, not a barrier -- which is not true in this instance. They tested s system that was meant for large aircraft without tail hooks, like the B.52. It was a netting affair that caught the nose and wings of the aircraft. I've seen photos of it. Apparently, it wasn't effective as I don't believe it was ever deployed.
My grandmother married into the Doolittle family and is buried in the Doolittle cemetery.
Air Force Systems Command went away in 1992, because it merged with the AF Logistics Command. Together, they became AF Materiel Command. Instead of just doing Flight Test and Acquisitions (Systems Command) or heavy maintenance overhauls and component upgrades/changes (Logistics Command), the AF combined the commands missions into one. AF Materiel Command uses the emblem of the former AF Logistics Command.
We like all the details you provide in all of your video's. Looking forward to your next one.
If you see a boulder of some kind with a big bullet sitting on the rock. That's their keep out sign. You have to look a little closer, but they are there. 😊 Just an FYI. It gets so windy there you can't put up signs they just blow away. Thank for letting us leave comments. I've tried to tell other people but they don't let you leave comments.
Forrest… love how active you’ve been with the channel lately! Thanks so much, man
Fascinating stuff Forrest! Thank you for sharing this!
This was very informative. I always enjoy learning new things. Thanks Forrest!
Thank you for watching it Vianey!🙏
Mr. Haggerty. I was a full time archaeologist on Edwards AFB from 1993 to 2012. During my stay there I recorded those planes along with several others in that very area. They are located on what is called PHOTO Resolution and were deemed as targets. Two things I must mention, first the area is considered part of EDWARDS AFB and is considered a restricted area. Second you are lucky that the military police did not arrest you for your trespass. Other than that. Nice video.
From what I can tell numerous people have been there and there is not a sign or a fence restricting access. My guess is that personnel at Edwards are not very concerned about this location. I found out other people have made videos about it and have gone out there to take pictures. These aircraft are also easily seen from the road.
@@forresthaggertychannel4301 I know there have been a lot videos made and yes they can be seen from the road. Curious enough, there is fencing located south of Ave B and the area is highly restricted west of Lancaster BLVD at the gate entrance. Also, there are barriers located further east and up to the AFRL. I am just saying that if one goes out there, don't be surprised if you are braced by the Military Police, if you go out there again. BTW, the road is public, but if you come from the opposite direction off the 58, you will see signs warning you about the restrictions.
@@coleparker Well he didn't enter from the opposite direction did he? He went from a public road onto the dirt track and there were no signs at all, no fences, no gates. What sort of dumbass security only has one set of signs on one side? As he says, I doubt people on the base are too bothered, hence the lack of signage.
@@Chunky246If one gets detained they have nothing to complain about. Excusing it by saying other people have done it is absurd. It's a military base. At some point common sense has to kick in. If the question even has to be asked, then you shouldn't be there. We aren't entitled to just go wherever we want. And, what if someone gets hurt? A piece of the aircraft falls off while they're poking around. Or, they fall off the fuselage and get seriously injured? They're gonna turn right around and try to sue the govt because they had to sneak out into the desert and onto a military base so they could poke around stuff they have no business being anywhere near, and then got hurt. Think people.
@@forresthaggertychannel43011950s, 60s era B-52s that predate arms treaties? There might be toxic chemicals in these wrecks?
Excellent Video, you are right in the middle of Mojave Green territory and they are known to occasionally not give you any warning before they strike. Guarantee you were walking over a few sleeping under that metal waiting on the sun to come up as well.
7:12 The door hanging down is probably the drogue shoot door that drops down and deploys the chute that helps slow down the B52 on landing. I had an uncle that flew on B58s at Little Rock Air Force Base.If I'm not mistaken they removed
Snoopy's from landing gear and used it on a B58 at the museum on the former Castle AFB
Are you sure? I'm thinking ti might actually be an anti-tail strike skid to prevent damage to the fuselage on a high-nose up landing or take off?
@@maxxq nope, there's a comment a few above this one from a former pilot who confirmed that the door on this model was for deploying a drogue chute. I can't say if I remember ever seeing a B-52 take off at such an angle that it would need a tail-strike skid, but that's a good guess anyway
That was my initial thought when I saw it but after watching several videos, they all deploy out of the top of the tail, not beneath. Maybe a backup went there or maybe older models had it there,I have no clue. However, and am not criticizing you, because my spelling skills abandoned me years ago, I did get a chuckle out of you using "shoot" and "chute" in the same sentence.
I was an assistant crew chief on a B52E 60620 at Kirtland AFB 1968-72. Kirtland was a AF Systems Command base in those days. We tested a multitude of systems from weapons to release mechanisms. Spent some time at Edwards.
You always hit a home run Forrest!
I used to crawl around those planes in the early ‘90s with my dad. Brings back great memories!!! I don’t remember the one being cut up at that time.
Thanks for sharing, that was great video, appreciate you finding the history of those planes as well
Thanks for the tour and taking your time!
Merci beaucoup, c'est vraiment impressionnant à regarder. Le B52 est énorme 😉
Very cool, thanks for taking us with you.
Both are "tall tail" B-52 which was B though F models. The last F models were retired in the early 80's. The ones are the video are quite old they look to be C models which makes them pretty old and the intact one might be a B based on what is left of the tail gun rad domes it has the mounts for two 20mm cannons a early armament used only on the B-52B so that airframe is very old and was retired from USAF in the mid 60's. I would say that those two have been sitting out there for quite some time probably since the mid to late 60's.
Very possible.
When I was in tech school at Chanute AFB in '78 I would go out to the FL and crawl around in the cannabilized 52's there. Lots of fun and knowledge learned from those days!
Interesting tour of the planes. I was waiting for a rattlesnake to show itself!
I was wondering if it was too cold for them, that early
That is so cool. Good for you. I also love finding stuff like this on Google Earth. Thank you so much for sharing. If I ever get out that way from Texas I will definitely stop by to take a look.
Thank you for providing the coordinates!
What a fascinating video!
Be careful out there with it being so dark. Love your content. Been watching since your Nicole and Belushi video.
The coolest thing about the B58 hustler was that it had full escape capsules for the crew so they could eject safely at super sonic speeds. If needed, the crew could even fly the aircraft while inside the capsule without ejecting.
but these are B52s.
@@derniko1992 did you watch the whole video? he also finds a b 58 hustler
@@realtimestrategy227he didn't find anything. They have been there for 50 plus years!!
@@Desert_Explorer_75 did you really think that I meant he was the first to ever discover them when I said he found it? lol
The B-58 Hustler Snoopy footage was awesome! I'm on the East coast but I'd like to see it one day. Thanks Forrest!
You got some cool cool videos bro😊I especially liked the 'killdozer' one. I remember when happened back then. Was some crazy s--t for sure
I was just in the cockpit of a B-52. It is amazing how small and cramped it is!
That wooden object you were looking at is about where the wing tip protection gear was located. It was just inside of the drop tank that carried fuel also. With a full fuel load that gear supported the outer end of the wing. When a plane came back from a mission those gear would be as high as my head above the ground.
Just FYI... They don't need to have a sign, because you're technically already on the reservation. They have large signs way back on the North and South ends, on the perimeter entrance, that basically explains they have a right to stop people anywhere on the reservation. Which they will definitely do. Ask me how I know. I could also tell the story of how I went down for a shuttle landing one morning, and was spotted by a Blackhawk attached to Fort Irwin, who was on security detail... and they circled me, with a door gunner manning a 50, who made it very clear they wanted me to leave. Not trying to be a downer... Just don't want anybody getting in trouble.
Thanks. That is all I was doing.
Ok im intrigued and want to visit for myself. Nice video and i cant wait......love history!
Great video and absolutely stunning site to visit. Onc can clearly see your editing skills also have improved!
Greetings from a fan from Germany
Great video! Your research and narration really puts this above other videos of these wrecks. There are also tanks, vehicles, and other planes out there, to the east of where you are in this video. There's a dirt road that runs eastward, almost all the way to the 395 with a lot more stuff on it.
I crawled thru these exact birds as a kid in the boy scouts back in the 90’s. What a blast from the past
Really good video! Very well done! Thank you for your time and talent
7:00 the upper part of the very rear once held an observation dome. Which means the plane still had its original manual rear gunner configuration before the plane was retired. In the mid 90s the manual rear gunner station was removed and upgraded to a radar-tracked machine gun. And the operator moved to the mid cabin.
I grew up on Edwards AFB... actually from 8th-12th grade. When I was in boy scouts we used to camp in the area, and we used to visit them a lot. (circa 1986-1988) one time while we are out camping, we took part in a mass casualty event where they hired hollywood makeup artists to come in. we camped for the night, then the next morning the makeup team showed up... we were all randomly given cards (the scouts with injuries and vitals) the makeup team did the makeup and we were strewn about. the air force brought in several dummy missiles, can't remember what they were, but reminded me of AIM-9 sidewinders, but honestly don't know. anyways... they started some fires, story was that a military jet went down in the middle of a boy scout camp. they then sounded the alarm, and ambulances and helicopters were dispatched. when the first responders showed up, they would evaluate (read the vitals from the cards in our pockets) and treat. I had shrapnel (literal piece of metal about the size of two quarters side by side, sticking out of my cheek. I remember the makeup taking forever to get off LOL. anyways... I was DOA, so... no transportation... damn I wanted ride in the helicopters.. I think about 4 of the scouts got a helicopter ride, the rest that were still alive went by ambulances, and I had to camp out via scout truck with the other dead LOL was a lot of fun... i think i was around 14 or 15...
I do like that the airframe provides a mini eco system for avian life in the desert.
Absolutely outstanding video Sir. Thank you so much for sharing this!
The aircraft on the outskirts of the South end of Edwards AFB are used as Satellite Resolution and Calibration targets. Not too far from the B-52's you will also find a B-58 Hustler or what's left of it. They are slowly being brought back in by The Edwards Museum so they can be put on display in the future.
I worked at the 309th AMARG for 15 years. On a number of occasions, we delivered various "demilitarized" aircraft, including B-52s, to a number of different military bases to serve as targets for training purposes. These aircraft appear to have been used in that manner. The START aircraft can still be seen lined up at AMARG having been surgically cut apart to proove that they have been removed from service.
I remember when it was AMARC. Been in and out multiple times flying old Herks(B models) out.
The early B-52 variants had bladder fuel cells. These two look like C/D/F variants. With the G/H models, Boeing switched to the integral, or "wet" wing fuel tanks.
Very, very interesting - thanks for sharing!
Desolation and beauty all together.
For me, the hustler is alot more interesting, thanks for catching that one and going over her in detail.
I keep ending up on this channel because of content. I might as well “subscribe”and “like”. Great job on your channel man. Seem to be on something. Thanks for the videos. Just got out of hospital with Covid and some of your videos kept me entertained. Thanks.
Took my kids to see those planes when I was stationed there. The first time both were still intact. Went back later was sad to see the one cut up. Had worked on the H model at Ellsworth AFB in the early 80’s.
Saw a recent video of a B52 that crashed over in Newfoundlan Canada. Even though its all torn up in pieces they are very well preserved
The landing gear, the reason for the twist is so that the gear could fit inside the aircraft when retracted. The two wheels on one side retracted back while the other side retracted forward. @8:56. Same for the rear landing gear. They could also turn left and right when deployed so the plane could crab walk, mainly to help with crosswind landings.
Also @10:57 is where a retractable wheel would come down to stop the wingtips touching the ground during takeoff and landing because the wings were so large. Looks like they’ve attached those wooden stabilisers after decommissioning.
I read so much about the B-52, but never got to touch an operational one. All that incredible technology and now it is just rusting in the desert.
Patrolling the Mojave almost make you wish for a nuclear delivering vehicle
Your adventures are always so interesting.
It’s sad to see these awesome planes all cut up but also how much of a waste of money and time for them to just be destroyed like that.
I was out there in 1985. So they have been there longer then the 90s.
Really enjoyed this, and your drone images are a real treat! This is probably not possible at Davis-Monthan Air Force Base in Tuscon, but hundreds of retired airplanes are visible just from the perimeter roads. Great post!
There are all sorts of aircraft you can get close to at the Pima Air and Space Museum on the south side of Valencia Rd across from DMAFB. There is a list of aircraft with photos on their web site. As far as the birds in the Bone Yard, you can’t get up close but you can see much of what’s out there driving around on public perimeter roads and on any number of mapping/aerial photo sites. As far as drones, the base is restricted airspace and with 3 other airports nearby, almost all of Tucson has altitude limitations of one sort or another.
Great video - thanks for sharing!
Awesome, as usual Forrest, thank you
The wooden frames at the wingtips may have been wheels and made from wood to break away during a hard landing, I built a model of the B-52 as a kid and remember the wheels, and they still have them because of the enormous wingspan, I’ve watched them take of from the flight line at Nellis AFB, I also watched the C-5 galaxy which was frightening because the enormity of it
Those planes have been along the south base perimeter since at least the late 70s as I saw them in '78 while assigned to EAFB. In case you didn't look carefully the skin on the Hustler (B-58) is a sandwich of aluminum and titanium with a honeycomb interior.
In the mid 1980's my Mom and Dad took me to London for the weekend to sell a microlight wing. On the way back we stopped at Duxford for the day, highlight was walking up to the B52 exhibit they had and I reached one of the main wheel bogies and as 13 year old and rather short I tried to reach the top of the tire it seemed so enormous. The size of these aircraft is so off the scale.
I actually saw them cutting up the B-52s in Davis-Monthan ... I likely have pictures somewhere ... I was still in the military and I was dropping off a P3 that was to be stored there forever. They had a huge crane with a giant guillotine on it and what they would do is they would raise it up and drop it right on top like a knife edge.
Great find! Thanks for sharing
Convair B58😱😱⁉️ that should be in a museum, what's left of it!! Fantastic video, thank you! Good to know some old relics from the by gone era still laying about in the universe of aviation history!
And Snoopy is one of one.
This is truly fascinating. I remember seeing the airplane cemetery going through the Mojave Desert on the bus. But I didn't know about these planes you found on your own. They are separated from the rest of the plane cemetery and are on their own. The desert is such a fascinating place just as YOU Forrest Haggerty are a fascinating man. I really enjoyed watching this one. I hope to meet and collaborate with you on a video someday.
Awesome find Forrest… thank you!!
Love the B-58 but the two B-52’s are interesting. Thanks for sharing
Remarkably unchanged from my visit to the same location in 1992, during my first tour at Edwards AFB. These aircraft were disabled in place as part of the drawdown of strategic bombers decades ago. These aircraft, which are still on the AFB property, were then used as radar targets for various platforms. The B-58 Hustler out there should be restored and placed in a museum, in my humble opinion.
Snoopy is unfortunately long past the point of restoration.
Thanks for this video. I would love to be able to go on these adventures. There is something about abandoned airplanes that amazes me. All that technology and precision craftsmanship wasting away. You knew someone’s dad and mom made their livelihood and did the very best they could do in defense of our nation making these planes.
That is super cool sure do enjoy your videos wow😮