B-52 MITO Departure.....Minot AFB ND

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B-52 MITO Departure.....Minot AFB ND

by VirginiaJim on 20 Jun, 2012 04:40
Minimum Interval Take Off alert practice at Minot AFB....Got me teary eyed....

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=wJ7niLYSVFo&feature=related

Reply #2

by VirginiaJim on 20 Jun, 2012 05:09
They're more a weapons platform now, than a conventional bomber as we think of in the past. There are only two bases left of these, Minot in ND and Barksdale in LA. I had the pleasure of being a child at Westover AFB in the mid-60s, which was the largest AFB in the country at the time. It was also during the Cold War so there were constant comings and goings and many of the aircraft were on constant alert with the engines idling. It was a marvelous time.

Reply #3

by tweeter55 on 20 Jun, 2012 05:12
When I was about 12 or 13 waiting at the end of the driveway for the school bus, one of these came over low and slow, testing radar, I was told. They are impressive & loud.

Reply #5

by Rhino on 20 Jun, 2012 09:30
Very cool! My brother was a nav on the H model in the 70's. First at Kinchloe then Ellsworth. He has described the alert process and a fast scramble but I have never seen it until this video. It may be that he's never seen it either, only experienced it from the dark closet with the navigator's seat.

Reply #6

by Rhino on 20 Jun, 2012 09:37
I lost count of the number of bombers the got off in 10 minutes. Very impressive. This capability denies another country with perhaps the exception of Canada a first strike capability on us. Before a missile could hit Minot all those birds with all of there nuclear capability could be off and safely away. That would give anybody pause.

Reply #7

by VirginiaJim on 20 Jun, 2012 10:41
I don't think we need to worry about our Canadian neighbours, with whom relations are quite good at the moment. This MITO alert was 'planned'. It would be interesting to see how they would fare under a surprise alert like they did back in the SAC days in the 50's and 60's under Generals like LeMay, Power, Ryan, and Nazzaro. Heads would roll if they weren't, especially under LeMay.

Reply #8

by ManWorkinghere on 20 Jun, 2012 11:19
I had a great time visiting the Air Force Museum for a second day today. The air power on display is impressive.

The B-52 that you can see is massive up close and personal.

Pix later if you to see. Riding home from Dayton, OH to Greenfield, WI this afternoon. stopped in Greenfield, IN outside Indy for lunch.

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