The combuster system was only fitted to the B2s. B1/B1As had electric start, using starter/generators. The 112v dc generators were set to start mode and once the engines were running the AEO switched them over to generate mode. If he forgot to isolate the busses first (as some did) the generator drive shaft would shear - crippling the aircraft - which had electrically powered PFCs. On QRA or demo scrambles we used "Simstart" trollies equipped with an array of batteries and a set of leads for each engine. These were plugged in at the main wheelbays, with the slack draped across the drag braces. You stood on the wheels to unplug the leads and disentangle the cables and if the aircraft started moving before you were done, you had to walk on them like a lumberjack - a process known as "wheeldancing". We had a mixture of B1As and B2s at Waddington and the B1As were always quicker off the mark. Glory Days, they were and for those who've forgotten (or never knew) back then everyone - especially the hippies - believed that a nuclear holocaust was inevitable. We took it seriously because it was serious and for those involved it wasn't a case of a "Cold War" at all...