That'll Buff Right Out (B-2A Crash)

MKSheppard · Post by **MKSheppard** » 2008-07-21 08:14am

Courtesy of Popular Mechanics:

link

Molyneux · Post by **Molyneux** » 2008-07-21 08:25am

The link is broken.

cosmicalstorm · Post by **cosmicalstorm** » 2008-07-21 08:29am

Another AF plane crashed today.

Air Force B-52 bomber crashes in Pacific Ocean off Guam

By Bill Hutchinson

Monday, July 21st 2008, 4:00 AM

An Air Force B-52 bomber carrying a crew of six crashed Monday off the coast of Guam, military officials said.

The Coast Guard and Navy were dispatching rescuers to the crash site, 25 miles northwest of the Pacific island's Apra Harbor.

Officials said early Monday morning that at least two members of the crew were pulled from the water, but their conditions were not immediately known.

The plane took off from Andersen Air Force Base on Guam about 9 a.m. local time and crashed about 90 minutes later, officials said.

The Coast Guard Cutter Assateague was dispatched to the wreckage. Two 25-foot rescue boats, a Navy helicopter and two jets, were searching the area.

The Guam Police Department also sent its marine patrol unit to the scene.

The accident is the latest in a string of crashes and mishaps involving U.S. aircraft in the past year on or near Guam.

In February, a $1 billion B-2 Spirit stealth bomber crashed shortly after takeoff from from Andersen. The two-man crew ejected from the plane just before it went down.

Also in February, a Navy Ea-6B Prowler aircraft crashed 20 miles northeast of Guam. The crew of four safely ejected from the plane.

MKSheppard · Post by **MKSheppard** » 2008-07-21 08:32am

This should work

Post by **Beowulf** » 2008-07-21 08:49am

Is there something about Guam and bombers? That's two bombers that've fallen out of the sky from near Guam this year.

Fingolfin_Noldor · Post by **Fingolfin_Noldor** » 2008-07-21 08:53am

Does that mean that the B-52 has suffered the feared wing spar cracking?

Stuart · Post by **Stuart** » 2008-07-21 08:54am

Beowulf wrote:Is there something about Guam and bombers? That's two bombers that've fallen out of the sky from near Guam this year.

If you ever go there, take a look at the end of the runway at Anderson. It's a veritable graveyard of crashed B-52s.

Stuart · Post by **Stuart** » 2008-07-21 08:55am

Fingolfin_Noldor wrote:Does that mean that the B-52 has suffered the feared wing spar cracking?

Could be. More likely to be engine failure, pilot error or other technical problems. But, people will be looking at that wing spar very hard.

Post by **Vympel** » 2008-07-21 09:11am

Stuart wrote: If you ever go there, take a look at the end of the runway at Anderson. It's a veritable graveyard of crashed B-52s.

How so? Scarred ground from way too much fire / chemical shit?

PeZook · Post by **PeZook** » 2008-07-21 09:19am

Okay, how long untill this picture finds its way to UFO sites?

Seriously, crop it just the right way, and the B-2 looks like a goddamned flying saucer. Maybe we should invent a story to go with it, send it to a conspiracy website and laugh as they lick it up?

Pelranius · Post by **Pelranius** » 2008-07-21 09:39am

PeZook wrote:Okay, how long untill this picture finds its way to UFO sites?

Seriously, crop it just the right way, and the B-2 looks like a goddamned flying saucer. Maybe we should invent a story to go with it, send it to a conspiracy website and laugh as they lick it up?

We probably shouldn't, though it is a very great idea. The conspiracy nuts will buy it of course, but then they'll go and annoy the Defense Department people, who really have enough trouble already.

Shroom Man 777 · Post by **Shroom Man 777** » 2008-07-21 09:49am

Will the USAF be replacing this lost bomber? Is the B-2 even still in production?

Fingolfin_Noldor · Post by **Fingolfin_Noldor** » 2008-07-21 09:53am

Shroom Man 777 wrote:Will the USAF be replacing this lost bomber? Is the B-2 even still in production?

The B-52? Nope. The machine tools have long been destroyed.

The B-2 however, is a 2 billion dollar question, and likely no.

Shroom Man 777 · Post by **Shroom Man 777** » 2008-07-21 09:54am

I know the B-52 is impossible to rebuild. But the B-2 is relatively new and is in limited numbers, yes? Won't this be quite a blow to the USAF?

MKSheppard · Post by **MKSheppard** » 2008-07-21 10:06am

Stuart wrote:If you ever go there, take a look at the end of the runway at Anderson. It's a veritable graveyard of crashed B-52s.

This the area you're referring to?

It does show the remnants of some very large aircraft. Looks like it's been cleaned up....

Post by **Beowulf** » 2008-07-21 10:27am

Shroom Man 777 wrote:I know the B-52 is impossible to rebuild. But the B-2 is relatively new and is in limited numbers, yes? Won't this be quite a blow to the USAF?

It unlikely that another B-2 will be built. It'd simply cost far too much to restart the line at this point, unless we get a serious production run authorized.

Post by **Sea Skimmer** » 2008-07-21 07:31pm

MKSheppard wrote: This the area you're referring to?

[img]http://img384.imageshack.us/img384/989/ ... z6.jpg[img]

It does show the remnants of some very large aircraft. Looks like it's been cleaned up....

That’s an area for firefighter training; virtually all big airports have some place like this off in a corner with 1-2 old aircraft and a ring road for access. Any time you want a firefighting drill you spray some jet fuel on the plane, pour some more in a concrete pool underneath it and then let burn.