EX ARCTIC CHALLENGE/BALTOPS/SABRE STRIKE/AMPLE STRIKE 17

[bobthehandyman]

All B-2 equipment arrived into Mildenhall before being taken to Fairford by road. Aircrew arrived on civvy flights into Heathrow.

hi, im gonna ask a question, and I have no reason to doubt your info, my question is why? the USAF do some strange things, maybe deploying to a site where they need to move everything and everybody by road is part of the exercise, but if its not, why fly equipment and personal to other airfields when Fiarrford would be much easier? As a say, I have no reason to doubt your info, and I don't, just curious.

[jamesg23]

Possibly because they know we can track the flights in and out so to keep it low profile the do it this way.

[bobthehandyman]

Possibly because they know we can track the flights in and out so to keep it low profile the do it this way.

That possibility did cross my mind, it just seems to simple as the amount of civvie staff involved would make keeping a low profile almost impossible...but it could be that simple.

[martmpf]

Could also be that the kit came in as a small part of a load destined for the 'hall and possibly on multiple flights. Just a guess!

[Gary]

Tracking thread for the arrival has been set up. Please post tracking info in that thread only

viewtopic.php?f=8&p=903093#p903093

[page_verify]

All B-2 equipment arrived into Mildenhall before being taken to Fairford by road. Aircrew arrived on civvy flights into Heathrow.

hi, im gonna ask a question, and I have no reason to doubt your info, my question is why? the USAF do some strange things, maybe deploying to a site where they need to move everything and everybody by road is part of the exercise, but if its not, why fly equipment and personal to other airfields when Fiarrford would be much easier? As a say, I have no reason to doubt your info, and I don't, just curious.

The reason will almost certainly be because it's cheaper, in fact I can't think of another reason. It'll purely be down to cost. How often do you see passenger or cargo flights for other "flying visitors" to the base?

[POL]

And if the complement of crew is small - 10/15/etc. then shoving them in economy on a United flight makes infinitely more sense.

[bizfreeq]

Kc135 on a touch and go

[page_verify]

Quid 42,T&G, more details in the UK section.

[SamP]

MYTEE96 Arr 12:20L B-52H 61-0020/LA Bl 20th BS Markings

[big john]

Any visual confirmation of serial for Mytee 51?

[TomG]

Any visual confirmation of serial for Mytee 51?

60-0002/LA (gr) 2 BW spcl mks & "Let's Roll" mks on Stbd nose. Didn't catch what the nose art on the port side was.

Tom

[bobthehandyman]

All B-2 equipment arrived into Mildenhall before being taken to Fairford by road. Aircrew arrived on civvy flights into Heathrow.

hi, im gonna ask a question, and I have no reason to doubt your info, my question is why? the USAF do some strange things, maybe deploying to a site where they need to move everything and everybody by road is part of the exercise, but if its not, why fly equipment and personal to other airfields when Fiarrford would be much easier? As a say, I have no reason to doubt your info, and I don't, just curious.

The reason will almost certainly be because it's cheaper, in fact I can't think of another reason. It'll purely be down to cost. How often do you see passenger or cargo flights for other "flying visitors" to the base?

hi
You could be right, on the cost front, but there was a C-5 and I understand a commercial charter into Fairford last week, there must be numerous C-5, C-17, KC-10 and KC-135 flights crossing the pond every day, I would have thought these would have offered lower costs, as you say cost would seem to be a logical reason, thanks for the response..

[page_verify]

Hi Bob,

There's a lot of complex reasons why units charter airliners, and send cargo and people commercial. Essentially, the USAF doesn't have any passenger aircraft and the priority is usually to always use cargo aircraft to ship cargo rather than people due to the safety requirements carrying passengers these days. Its logistics world was never designed or resourced to transport small amounts of people or cargo, so getting all of the cargo to the same place for an onward journey can cost as much and take as long as the onward flight. Also the way inidividual units pay for transport of people or cargo doesn't normally make it worth them sharing another unit's flights. There's other reasons too but PM me if you're interested rather than have me clog up this forum any more

[big john]

60-0002/LA (gr) 2 BW spcl mks & "Let's Roll" mks on Stbd nose. Didn't catch what the nose art on the port side was.
Tom

Thanks Tom saved me a trip. Hopefully they'll break one and send a decent one over.

[Cornish-guy]

60-0002/LA (gr) 2 BW spcl mks & "Let's Roll" mks on Stbd nose. Didn't catch what the nose art on the port side was.
Tom

Thanks Tom saved me a trip. Hopefully they'll break one and send a decent one over.

How about another four and four B-1's


C.

[DEREK SMITH]

Hi So when did 60-0002 visit the UK

[slogen51]

60-0002/LA (gr) 2 BW spcl mks & "Let's Roll" mks on Stbd nose. Didn't catch what the nose art on the port side was.
Tom

Thanks Tom saved me a trip. Hopefully they'll break one and send a decent one over.

60-0002 is a decent one for me

[bizfreeq]

Hi So when did 60-0002 visit the UK

Who says it has? Just because someone doesn't need it doesn't mean they saw it here. People i know who need very few of these need this one so it's a safe bet it hasn't been here. It's a good one for me!

[graham luxton]

60-0002 certainly hasn't visited the UK since 1965 and I'd not seen it before. The "spotting" situation prior to 1965 was such that it may have visited and slipped through the net as weekday reports covering the English SAC bases were, in some cases, virtually non - existant! Weekends were another matter though and there was better coverage particularly when B-52's started making regular weekend visits from late '63 at Brize Norton, Fairford, Upper Heyford and Greenham Common.