B52 SKY-WRITERS

[ZK-NSJ]

i saw on the news tonight, usaf b-52's
drawing large '8' numbers in the sky as
a message to the taliban below,
do they do this often or are the crews
touching up on their airshow skills.

[Wycombe]

We've seen a lot of this on the TV in the UK.

PsyOps of the highest order - circle for hours at high level so contrails can be seen, awaiting call in to next target, whilst scaring the living s**t out of those looking at it from below.

An absolutely deliberate attempt to demoralise and destroy morale, I'm sure

[ 13 December 2001: Message edited by: Wycombe ]

[X-QUORK]

I was under the impression it was a reminder that the Taliban had agreed to surrender at 8am, a time that wasn't then met.

[moggie]

It certainly looked impressive - and a great reminder to the folks on the ground that thye were loitering awaiting a few T.O.O.s to have a go at.

Would put the wind up me if I was wearing a turban/tea towel.

[Flatus Veteranus]

I thought they were writing "Bollocks!" ;)

[West Coast]

I would be very suprised if it was only an accident. A stanard brief item is the altitudes to expect contrails at.

[ORAC]

8 Sqn have been doing it for years (albeit for much more mundane purposes!!)

(Anyone got a copy of the photo to post when they did it north of Lossie as a backdrop to the Shacklebombers before they folded?)

(The Lightnings drew much more graphic images over malta on APC - but perhaps we do not need to go into to much detail over that!

[Farfrompuken]

Lost, Maybe?? ;)

[Cattivo]

West Coast,
It is an accident and pretty irrelevant considering the threat. Also, the met predicted contrail levels don't tally with the actual ones anyway.

Merry Xmas.

[oldgit47]

Why don't we refurbish all our old Vulcan gate guards. After all they were the last bastion of imperialism. President Bliar may even be able to impress George at the dinner party.

[West Coast]

Cativo
I still believe it was intentional. The impact of seeing them orbiting your position should not be minimized. Finding the proper altitude with no threats, lots of loiter time and direct comm with the ground makes it clear to me that the goal was to conn,if not whomever they were working with would have immediately advised the crews they were doing so, SOP at least when I was in.

[Chinese Vic]

If you speak to the met guys, the contrail band is pretty wide over AFG, but although contrailing is largely unavoidable at B-52 operating heights, I am convinced it was intentional tactic to make a statement to the Al-Qaida in Tora Bora.

[I. M. Esperto]

I saw a story about a young B-52 pilot, whose grandfather flew B-52's.

I wonder if this is a first?

My younger brother flew them for several tours inViet nam. He said they were Hell at low altitudes, which they flew missions at many times.

They called themselves Monkey Bombers.

[Seak1ng]

Perhaps our F3 boys could do the same thing with their contrails.....

Or can they get that high? <img src="tongue.gif" border="0">