It u
sed to be said that the B-52 bombers flown and maintained by airmen today were much older than the airmen. SSgt. Kory McLeod, a B-52 crew chief with the 5th Bomb Wing at Minot AFB, N.D., says his BUFF is older than his mother. Yikes. Air Force journalist Michael Tolzmann talked with some of the Minot airmen who see the “charisma” of the old warplanes and claim they are still capable. “Some people think she handles a bit mushy and has some troubles,” says one pilot, Capt. Patrick Hook, and adds, “She’s definitely not as sexy as some of the smaller, pointy aircraft, but she definitely can put some hurt on the bad guys.”
As Hurricane Melissa hammers the Caribbean, the U.S. Air Force’s “Hurricane Hunters” are busy flying into the massive Category 4 storm to collect atmospheric data—with one experiencing greater than expected turbulence Oct. 28.
