Happy birthday B-1

[chopper2004]

As well as 50th anniversary of SR.-71B ......this also exactly 40 years ago the B-1 prototype flew on this day 23rd Dec 1974..

Boeing: B-1 Lancer Bomber (http://www.boeing.com/boeing/history/bna/b1b.page)

Cheers

[Heathrow Harry]

one of those odd aeroplanes that put in years of decent service but never catch the imagination...........................

[Not_a_boffin]

Oh I don't know....

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=_KwPQfoIvFY

[Herod]

Just to make it three great products sharing the same birthday, I'm 68 today. :ok:

[camelspyyder]

one of those odd aeroplanes that put in years of decent service but never catch the imagination...........................
23rd Dec 2014 12:48

HH has clearly never observed B-ONE delivering kinetic effects on the bad guys then...:)

fired my imagination all right:ok:

[tdracer]

HH, I tend to disagree - I've always thought the B1 was one of the best looking, most graceful airplanes ever. The way that the area-ruling makes every flow just looks right to me.
I agree it's never gotten the attention that the BUFF did, but I suspect it'll stay in service a long, long time - perhaps even meeting the service life of the B52 :ok:

[Willard Whyte]

First memories of the B-1 from an episode of The Six Million Dollar Man.

(Carnival of Spies, Feb 13 1977)

Also recall a B-1 at, umm, Farnborough I think, 1983. Pre-production 'B with a pronounced dorsal fairing.

[INT ZKJ]

Witnessing B1 night departures from Thumrait certainly captured my imagination!!

[chopper2004]

Cheers guys


WW post reminded me of a CGI of a B-1A launching ALCM, which was featured in the failed re make of 007 Thunderball, being Never Say Never Again (though Barbera Carerra looked hot in nurses outfit :mad:)

And of course featured in Transformers 2 Revenge of the Fallen .....when conducting strikes against the Decepticons in Egypt ...

Silly question guys, as with the famous Dale Brown novels, in reality...did SAC ever consider arming the Bone with AMRAAM for self defence?

Think last time I saw a Bone at a show was one of the RIATs and defo last Mildenhall Air Fete 2001

Cheers

[Heathrow Harry]

I think it was a damn effective aircraft but you know what I mean - not exactly the B-52 or the SR71 in popular imagination................

[Old Photo.Fanatic]

I think this photo I took at Willlow Run airshow in 2011 says it all, an aircraft not to be messed with.

High speed departure flypast, full reheat plus shockwaves.

http://i611.photobucket.com/albums/tt200/phredd10/33WillowRunMI_01AirshowJuly2011USAFB-1BLancerregT_zps6a7db0fb.jpg

OPF

[RAFEngO74to09]

Always one of my favorite items at my local air show each year:

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=SLRl3PgFs4I

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=f1dg_mgXHNw

Integrated Battle Station (IBS) Upgrade:

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=rBAnsOUN6rA

Laptop Controlled Targeting Pod (LCTP) Phase II Upgrade:

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=jc4To-aMC6k

[canard68]

This is a reminder to the spotters not to stand too close.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=iVdUi-8F8P0

[GreenKnight121]

Also recall a B-1 at, umm, Farnborough I think, 1983. Pre-production 'B with a pronounced dorsal fairing.

Actually, the 4th B-1A (76-174), completed in 1979 after B-1A cancellation but before the B-1B was ordered. It flew in white with the normal fin, and then in cammo with the extended dorsal spine.

While it had the rounded tail cone, more angled nose wheel drag strut, and separate ejection seats as later found on B-1Bs, it was still a B-1A (as shown by the structure around the engines, which is very different between B-1As and B-1Bs).


The 2nd (74-159) and 4th B-1As were used to test systems for the B-1A, as described here: http://www.nationalmuseum.af.mil/factsheets/factsheet.asp?id=2755

However, 76-174 was not converted until 1984, and it was flying with the dorsal spine and cammo paint in 1982.


Here is a link to a hi-res pic of 76-174 in white with the small fin: http://www.nationalmuseum.af.mil/shared/media/photodb/photos/060707-F-1234S-002.jpg

And to one of her in cammo with the dorsal spine: http://www.nationalmuseum.af.mil/shared/media/photodb/photos/060707-F-1234S-007.jpg


You can see the structure around the engines in the first photo above - here is one that shows the structure of the B-1B: http://i.imgur.com/qq71ugQ.jpg

[RetiredF4]

My first encounter with the B-1A was in May 1977 during a training sortie in the F-4E from George AFB, in the MOA south of Edwards. My instructor in the backseat wanted to have a look and we sneaked up from behind nearly to close trail position, until some unknown ground controler told us to back off.