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I don't know how the 52 got the name BUFF, it is an insult to the Airframe. The only true part of name is Big. Not ugly nor was it fat. As a former Crew Chief flying many hours I have the right to defend its honor. Looking back I had never heard that expression used during 3 tour at the Rock. I think the SAC Trained Killers will agree. My opinion the 52 looked like a Big Shark with the punch to go with it. Oh well at least I feel better. Happy 4th. | ||
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Not as sleek and sexy as a B-1B, but full of Cold War bad-assery. I love the B-52 | |||
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Obviously I can't tell you your feelings are wrong but as an outsider who has met folks who were on the 52, it is 100% a term of endearment from them. | |||
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| Too old to run, too mean to quit! |
I was born and raised in Lewiston, Idaho, about 100 miles south of the SAC base at Spokane. The base had a contingent of B36s stationed there. We were overflown by those planes at least 2 or 3 times a day. We were never surprised when it happened as those planes were pretty slow, and we could hear them coming before they came into sight. Elk There has never been an occasion where a people gave up their weapons in the interest of peace that didn't end in their massacre. (Louis L'Amour) "To compel a man to furnish contributions of money for the propagation of opinions which he disbelieves and abhors, is sinful and tyrannical. " -Thomas Jefferson "America is great because she is good. If America ceases to be good, America will cease to be great." Alexis de Tocqueville FBHO!!! The Idaho Elk Hunter | |||
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Born in Chicopee MA. Late 50’s early 60’s in high school class would turn into a study session when Westover SAC Air base would go on alert and launch a squadron of B52’s. End of runway to the HS was about three miles, couldn’t hear anything. It was also a base for F104’s but they were up and gone so quick it wasn’t an issue. HS is the white square just above the Z in Szots Park in the lower left side of the photo. Fun times.  | |||
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Veteran of many "elephant walks". The starter cartridge smoke, the roar of the engines and the smell of JP-4 always filled me with awe. Even more amazing was knowing the same thing was happening at every other SAC base. Watching B-52s being torn apart for the SALT treaty broke my heart. End of Earth: 2 Miles Upper Peninsula: 4 Miles | |||
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A sight to see to watch one take off. | |||
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I lived a few miles further away from the base, in Palmer about 1957-63 (grades 2-7). I remember seeing BUFFs in the sky, probably saw 135s as well but they were not as exciting. Never saw or heard an F-104 or B-36. Some Westover history: http://www.strategic-air-comma...ses/Westover_AFB.htm | |||
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| His diet consists of black coffee, and sarcasm.  |
I had always thought the term used in an affectionate, "tongue-in-cheek" manner. | |||
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I recall watching a documentary about the Stratofortress a long while ago. Probably was on the History Channel or one of the Discovery channels, but it's been so long that I don't remember for certain. Purportedly the 'BUFF' nickname was created during Operation Arc Light, the initial bombing campaign utilizing B-52s in Vietnam. During that campaign the Air Force had modified B-52Ds to hold additional ordnance with the addition of belly appendages to get it up to a more desirable capacity. Predictably that add-on modification gave the otherwise sleek airframe a pudgy look. It might very well have been that this is the instance that the 'BUFF' nickname came into being. But who actually gave the plane the moniker is unknown but it caught on pretty fast, and yes it was meant to be a rather foul-mouthed term of endearment, much like other unofficial...ahem..."creative" military nicknames (for bases, facilities, equipment, etc.) that soldiers and other military personnel create for themselves. It's not the only plane that's earned such a colorful nickname. For instance, the Navy's A-7 Corsair II got 'SLUF' from its crews and carrier personnel, sort of the opposite end from the B-52's. The RAAF called their F-111s 'the Pig' in reference to its long nose but again meaning it to be term of affection, not derision. The F-4 Phantom II got 'Rhino' for its rather fat nose in some configurations. The F-14 Tomcat was often called 'the Turkey' because of its variable wings. The A-10 got 'the Warthog' nickname because of how ungainly it looked and how some felt the official Thunderbolt II name just didn't fit its looks. OTOH, the F-16 got rechristened 'Viper' by its pilots and personnel because it seemed no one liked '(Fighting) Falcon' due to the existence of Ford's rather humdrum granny/housewife car of the same name about the time that the F-16 was first being developed. Just military guys being military guys, I guess. As for the B-52; over the years I've been by Fairchild AFB when BUFFs have been taking off and landing and it's a really cool thing to watch. -MG | |||
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| Staring back from the abyss  |
A sight to see to watch all of them take off.  You love them, until they do this over your house and shake it to the equivalent of about a 3.5 earthquake...then you love them just a little bit more. ________________________________________________________ "Great danger lies in the notion that we can reason with evil." Doug Patton. | |||
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I hadn’t heard that the B-52D “Big Belly” mod added any belly appendages or changed its external appearance under the fuselage. They increased the number of 500lb bombs that could be carried in the bomb bay by special racks that could hold a larger number of bombs packed tightly together. | |||
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If I was to call any of our post-WWII bombers a "BUFF", it would be the B-36. _________________________________________________________________________ “A man’s treatment of a dog is no indication of the man’s nature, but his treatment of a cat is. It is the crucial test. None but the humane treat a cat well.” -- Mark Twain, 1902 | |||
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| Staring back from the abyss |
. ________________________________________________________ "Great danger lies in the notion that we can reason with evil." Doug Patton. | |||
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I thought this was about the band. Rock lobster? | |||
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Good Morning, appreciate the posts, several things big belly did not change shape of Aircraft it increased the size of Bombay interaly, which allowed three racks. Originally only two engines had starter cartridge cans, 2&8. Later all 8 were fitted with them. Fun part was loading drag chute if you were alone, as I recall use a B-4 stand take failed off and max it out, then lift it into place. Coupling it up was fun, I used to place handle in jettison then couple it and return handle to safe position, if you had a helper you would open jaws Manuely insert hook and let snap shut. Any way my Heavy was not Fat and Ulgy. In Memory of 56-619 which was cut into beer cans in 1978, RIP!!!!!! | |||
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It's not an insult ..geeezz . | |||
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schrack, I feel your pain. On static display at KI Sawyer is a D model, 55-0062. Pigeons roost on it. I never thought I would ever see that. When I was at KI, we had H models. Sister ship of 0062, 0061 was shot down over VN in 72. End of Earth: 2 Miles Upper Peninsula: 4 Miles | |||
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That's amazing. In the mid 80's I delivered to contractors at Wright Patt. I didn't think they had B-52's there but I could park my truck to eat lunch overlooking a runway. Watched a couple take off, the roar of the jets and the amount of black smoke was incredible. | |||
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I always have mixed emotions when visiting one of the outdoor air museums. I'm glad they are there for us to see, but the state of neglect is just sad. It reminds me of walking through a cemetery with weeds growing over the stones. Those planes and the men that flew/worked on them deserve our respect. | |||
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