All weather nuclear deterrence: B-52 bombers mass launch out of the fog

Jun 09 2013 - 2 Comments
By David Cenciotti

We have already seen several MITO (Minimum Interval Take Off) procedures of the B-52 Stratofortress bombers from Minot Air Force Base, North Dakota, or Barksdale AFB, Louisiana.

Here’s another one, showing a mass launch of B-52 departing in the thick fog for a training mission.

B-52 takeoff fog

Bombers, air defense fighters and other key assets must be prepared to operate in marginal weather conditions, hence daily flying activities can’t stop in case of bad weather, that makes training even more realistic.

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  • M hutchinson

    This is where that steerable TV (STV) and FLIR camera under the nose of the mighty Buff comes in handy. I don’t know what the timing/spacing was between each jet, but rain or shine, snow or fog, it didn’t matter. However, it’s always nice to see the excess pwr of the -H models rotate nose high on T.O., versus the nose level, or even nose low of the previous models of B-52s. Nothing like hugging ‘ground effect’ to gain as much airspeed as possible, B4 picking up your assigned fan heading on departure.

  • Wisesooth

    A big danger for minimum separation takeoff is sucking in another aircraft’s jet exhaust and flaming out during takeoff.