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2021-03-15 -Short Attention Span Theater-

[19fortyfive] There have been plenty of films that tell of a retired and aging veteran called back to military service, yet in reality, it probably doesn’t happen all that much. However, it isn’t that uncommon for older military hardware to return to service after being mothballed or sent out to the not-so proverbial pasture.

In the case of military aircraft, there is the "Boneyard," located at Davis-Monthan Air Force Base (AFB) where retired aircraft are in fact preserved for such occasions. This month Minot AFB, N.D. announced that a once-retired B-52 will soon be back in action and flying high again. The strategic bomber, nicknamed "Wise Guy," has been brought back from retirement and "resurrected" for service at the base.

Minot AFB’s public affairs unit released a video on social media of Wise Guy’s arrival of the base on March 9 and noted that it will replace another B-52 that had been destroyed in a fire in Guam.

Retired in 2008, and sent to the Boneyard, Wise Guy is only the second B-52H ever to be returned to duty after being sent to the Boneyard. The first, "Ghost Rider," was returned to service and sent to Barksdale AFB, Louisiana in 2015.
Not a quick process, however.
The Air Force reported that Wise Guy began its regeneration process in 2019 with the 309th Aerospace Maintenance and Regeneration Group (AMRG) at the Aircraft Maintenance And Regeneration Center (AMARC), Davis-Monthan AFB before being flown to Barksdale AFB for additional repairs. It then went to Tinker AFB, Oklahoma last spring for additional depot maintenance.

With its arrival at Minot, the aircraft will receive a few more final tweaks over the next few weeks and then it will be mission ready.

Posted by Bobby 2021-03-15 10:05|| || Front Page|| [11136 views ] Top

#1 Seems like such mixed messages from DC pols lately. Sucking up / knuckling under to China. Building B-21 Raider and Colombia Class SSBNs. Lets see how GBSD and LRSM go (or don't) to get a feel for the longer term.

Posted by M. Murcek 2021-03-15 10:42|| 2021-03-15 10:42|| Front Page Top

#2 Having worked USAFB'S.
The B52's were usually refered to as BUF's by many personnel. Depending on the model SOME could survive a HEMP and still deliver.

Old school could deliver ... and still can.

Posted by NN2N1 2021-03-15 11:58|| 2021-03-15 11:58|| Front Page Top

#3 ...Curtis LeMay (Peace is His Profession Unto Him)smiles.

Mike

Posted by Mike Kozlowski 2021-03-15 12:53|| 2021-03-15 12:53|| Front Page Top

#4 Damn straight, I worked with a retired BUFF pilot that flew his Buff back from Vietnam with no hydraulics! Also found out Dr Strangelove got the frying chickens in the barnyard right but he had three parcels he was supposed to deliver somewhere by ground burst. Sort of ruins a CNC bunker's day.

Posted by Vinegar Spolusing6485 2021-03-15 17:51|| 2021-03-15 17:51|| Front Page Top

#5

For those that don't under the affectionate nickname term "BUF"

BUF = Big Ugly F_____

Posted by NN2N1 2021-03-15 19:19|| 2021-03-15 19:19|| Front Page Top

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