A Gathering of BONES

All of the B-1B bomber fleet’s different tail flashes recently were visible on the flight line at Dyess AFB, Tex., marking the first time that they were at the same base at the same time since the consolidation of the fleet last decade, according to Dyess officials. The B-1s represented Dyess’ 7th Bomb Wing (tail flash DY); the 28th BW (EL) at Ellsworth, S.D.; 412th Test Wing (ED) at Edwards AFB, Calif.; 53rd Test and Evaluation Group (OT) at Nellis AFB, Nev.; and Nellis’ 57th Wing (WA)—more specifically, the Air Force Weapons School. “It was exciting to see all the different units’ B-1 tails on the runway together,” said Richard Warner, 7th BW historian. SrA. Robert Hicks, a 7th BW spokesman, told the Daily Report that some Ellsworth B-1s are temporarily at Dyess while Ellsworth’s runway is repaired; the Edwards aircraft was at Dyess for an inspection. The B-1s with the Nellis tail flashes actually are assigned to tenant units at Dyess, so they are normally at the Texas base, he explained. (Includes Dyess report by SrA. Robert Hicks)