I was at a Nascar Busch Series race at Daytona International Raceway back in 2005 when the fly over was by a B-1B Lancer. It came over from behind the main spectator grand stand so you didnt see it coming! It flew over at a VERY high rate of speed with the wings swept back. EVERYTHING shook as it flew over! It felt like an earthquake and a thunder clap at the same time! I remember thinking this plane created a terrifying presence! Holy crap! Love it! It circled back around and flew over again a few minutes later at a much slower speed with wings extended and wiggled it wngs up and down like the pilot was waiving to the Nascar fans. It is a bad ass aircraft! I never got that experience from a B-52 fly over at an airshow! B-1B is in a different league!
Hi Simon, my name is Thomas Gimenez. In 1986 I joined the US Air force .in 1987 I was an aviation mechanic on the Rockwell B -1 b .I was stationed at dyess Afb abilene TX. What a sweet plane ,but a maintenance nightmare. Your shows rock .
"Costs were already spiraling upwards, and would soon become a major point of contention." I feel like that line just autopopulates in every Megaprojects script.
That's government spending for you. Did you ever notice that a government program's success seems to always be measured in dollars spent rather than actual results?
@@sterlingtardie The expense is not necessarily because of the inherit nature of the government. The main reason for the outrageous hardware cost of the US aerospace programs is largely because of the subcontracting of the development/manufacturing employed by the private defense contractor. Countries that integrated defense industries with the state can often produce lower-priced military hardware.
@@mickeyg7219 G'day, Well, there is a bit of that in there..., the infamous $7,000 "Anti-Static Toilet-Seats" in Lockheed Orion Maritime Reconnaisance Aircraft were indeed a neccessary item ; but they were identical with the Black Plastic Crapper-Seats available in Hardware Shops..., Lampblack is used as pigment in Plastic and Lampblack is Carbon which is Electrically Conductive - and therefore the resulting black plastic is indeed also electrically conductive, thus "Anti-Static". I forget why the Pentagonal Haemorrhoids were paying $647 at per each for Claw-Hammers though. But, apart from the Scams..., it's actually stupidly expensive to cobble up a Death Machine with which to practice to defend oneself from WHATEVER one is being PAID to imagine - of which to feel deathly afraid, and frightened , next.... Defending oneself against Perpetually Paranoid FEARFULNESS (fearfoolness, fearfoolishnesses...?) is the guaranteed pathway to eternal Bankruptcy... If it was not for their International Debt, mostly held by Beijing Savings Banks, the entire Excited Status of Norte ArmedmeriKano could not collectively afford the price of a Pot in which to piss. It costs a BOMB, to build a way to reliably shoot the Foreskin off a Communist Sandfly at Intercontinental Ranges - QUICKERY !!! ; before the evil wicked Threat might perhaps possibly transgress yonder National Borders and bite the Generals & Admirals on their Bums, while they're busily pantsing their Painted Secretaries... Sieg..., HEIL...! ("Victory..., HURRRAAAH !!!"). "OuuuRaaahhh !" Suckling at the Teat of the Taxpayers..., it's a CAREER to those who fear themselves to be useless within the Productive EcoGnomie. Such is life, Have a good one..... Stay safe. ;-p Ciao !
I think you should have spent a little time explaining that the aircraft we are looking at is the B-1B. The original B-1A, the one that got cancelled, displayed some stealth characteristics. As the story goes, a B-1A was taking part in Red Flag in the 1970s, and some F-15s assigned to kill it kept on losing it on their radar. As it turns out, from the front and sides the B-1A did have some stealth capabilities. When it became the B-1B this was enhanced by getting rid of the "backbone" along the top, redoing the air intakes to be smoother, getting rid of the variable geometry of the air intakes (thereby reducing its top speed from the Mach 2 range down to the current Mach 1.3) and a few other changes. All of the above raised the cost considerably. The B-1B is a very different aircraft than the one Johnson and Carter cancelled.
I was a gate guard at a base that had a B-1 there temporarily. My post was kinda close to the runway. When it took off, it was so earth shaking, I thought I died. I never heard anything like it before. It even blasted some debris in my buddy's eye and he had to go to the hospital. Of course we were watching it take off because we never scene anything like it.
My dad retired at Dyess AFB, home to the B1s. I was in the marine reserves a few years later on the same base. Almost 18 years I lived in Abilene, heard these things all the time, my unit was maybe a couple hundred yards from the runway. They are loud, but F111s and B52s are worse
I'm a retired officer, but not a pilot. However, I trained a bunch of them, one of whom became a B-1 pilot. His experience flying that aircraft was so valuable to his skill-building that he eventually transferred to the F-15 and remained there, becoming a colonel and a wing commander. Nice guy, too. I'm proud to have been one of the many people who had an influence on his professional development.
Fun fact: The B-1 has been useful at clearing out lingering civilians before urban warfare and even enemy combatants with less resolve. The horrendous sound they're capable of making serves as an effective warning and can make the enemy lose the will to fight... or at least make them pee themselves... It's loud... It's really, really loud. It's better at this than helicopters too because it's less vulnerable to ground fire.
I was stationed at Dyess Air Force Base for 6 years. On numerous occasions I was treated to a front row seat to B-1s spooling up for takeoff. The rumble of a B-1 at full throttle less than 100 yards away is truly impressive. Even more impressive was witnessing this at night, in addition to the sound was the afterburners blazing like 4 giant butane torches. Pure awesomeness
@@anthonyward8853 my favorite times to watch them take of were at dawn and dusk, when you can see the burners and its dark silhouette. It was amazing to hear and feel them take off while i was at Tinker, Vegas, or Guam.
It’s unfortunate that he did not cover the ability of the B-1, with its variable wings, to quickly get to an area where it is needed to support troops and then loiter in that area for a long time.
Hearing 2 come overhead following a tanker is a sound that is hard to miss! I have gotten some great shots of B-1b bombers hooked up to KC-135s over Wyoming.
This is my favorite bomber. You have to see one in person to understand how massive this thing is. I’ll never forget the low altitude show of force in ghazni Afghanistan where a B1B flew just 100m above us. Awesome (in the true meaning of the word) is the only word to describe it.
I once heard a guy describe it as "take Marilyn Monroe and Elvira, Mistress of the Dark and put them together" Truly the sleekest and most sinister looking aircraft (considering it's purpose) ever built. My favorite as well.
Russians had one in the same period that was superior in some areas, TU-160. Nice looking aircraft as well, Futuristic looking for the time period like the B-1 Lancer.
@@ShaneMcGrath. The Tu 160 was (and for the most part still is) pretty much superior to the B-1 in most areas actually. And they still have it. As a matter of fact, they're currently modernizing their entire Tu 160 fleet and are having new ones built. It is a completely insane aircraft that only the madness of the cold war could have produced.
Was traveling on the back gravel roads of northeastern Montana through the oilfields with wife and daughter one August morning in 1987. Cool and cloudy, about 50F, with a low deck of overcast. We were cutting cross country over long rolling grassy hills toward the Canadian border going 45 mph or so. Just driving. All of a sudden I heard this screaming ripping roar at my immediate left that grabbed my full, frightened attention. With both hands on the wheel, I turned to see the profile of the nose of this amazing bomber coming out of the cloud deck right at us no more than two hundred feet up and only one or two hundred yards away! A SCREAMING WHAM and it went right over us with full AB's lit up shooting 50' blue flames out the back and the wings very quickly swinging back into a vee as it ascended back into the clouds and disappeared .... SHEEEIT! ... We three were completely stunned speechless. We had been targeted and blasted into smithereeens like an Iraqi tank. Only, thank God Almighty and those Badass BONE Pilots, it was only a practice run. I pity those Tank commanders. They would have had only a few seconds to say bye-bye to this world on their way to seeing their 77 toothless virgins.
Seeing hearing and feeling those afterburners rocket one of these things into the air in the middle of the night is literally awesome. Seeing the live drone feed of the ordnance drop from a pair of them into the side of a mountain in Afghanistan is every bit as awesome but utterly terrifying at the same time. So glad they’re on our side.
I saw one of these fly overhead maybe a couple hundred feet off the ground at 10:30 at night in Dubois, WY. I will never forget the sound and sight of the 4 blue flames out of the back. Truly an awesome aircraft!
I use to live at the end of the runway near their base in south Dakota. they were as common as birds. Lots of "planes" use to take off after dark, that were not very plane like. I think that whole air base could be taken out now by a bunch of cheap consimer type chinese drones that are sold on amazon.
@@callumwright7459 just looking at pics they seem so similar to me but im not an airplane guy by any means! Il keep that in mind while im trying to be smart to my friends lol Happy Holidays!
This aircraft was the highlight of my short four year Air Force enlistment. Sent TDY to New Mexico in 1993 for three weeks during an annual joint force exercise, I had the joy of seeing virtually every aircraft in the military inventory fly. One evening we were allowed as close to the runway as safety would allow with twelve B-1's lined up nose to tail. what was witnessed next is unforgettable...... As all dozen B-1's thundered down the runway the noise overwhelmed, it was as if the air was vibrating with the ground shaking under us like an earthquake. I have never felt so alive as in that moment, and when the last bomber took to the sky we could still see the first aircraft circling in the distance. Also toured the flight line, and got to climb inside both the B-52 and B-1.
The B1 is amazing. I guided one on a mission in Afghanistan, painted a target for it. If the pilot in a B1 goes unconscious the computer in the seats can sense it and flush itself below radar to the nearest friendly airstrip and lands. Pretty awesome
@@BlyGuy I don’t think that it would so useful as if a fighter pilot would go unconscious when fighting maybe due to too many Gs I don’t think the computer would be able to make evasive maneuvers
For 10 years, I lived in Sweetwater, Texas, a small town about 45 minutes from Dyess Air Force Base in Abilene. Even at 5,000 feet, those engines still shook the windows, and one time they flew over our football practice. Everyone stopped because we couldn’t hear anything from further than about 6 inches away, and they were awe-inspiring to boot. I got to see them land at Dyess when I was in Abilene for a school trip, and it was the coolest experience ever. Long love the B-1.
I actually worked on that aircraft, in the hanger that it is now a display. Being an "A" model, I did learn how to load and unload the rotary launcher with inert ALCM's on that aircraft. Also, the F-16A that I worked on there was SN78001 and the last time I had seen it, it was perched on a pedestal at Langley AFB.
She's an absolute stunner and my favourite bomber of all time. I saw them at an airshow when a was a lad in England years ago and I was hooked right away.
@@procatprocat9647 possibly, but I think the point is that the BUFF drivers know their mount has been threatened before, and yet it's still out there kicking ass and taking names nearly 60 years after the last one came off the assembly line
@@andrewreynolds9371 possibly, but I think the point is that the BUS drivers know their mount has been threatened, and yet they're still out there kicking ass and taking names nearly 190 years after the first one came off the assembly line. Just look at Thomas and Bertie (Bulgy also has an opinion I'm sure).
I was in Wichita Kansas the day the Mighty B1B's set the record for most takeoffs and landings in a day. It was a day with scattered showers where every few minuets a B1 would roar out of the clouds, drop its gear and head for the tarmac. Some people have a distain for war machines but I find beauty in all competent aircraft.
I have always loved the BOne. I'm a USAF vet and still love that thing. Super fast, super sleek, more munitions than any other bomber and a larger variety. Very happy to see what they are doing with it now. Incredible platform.
My work takes me to Abilene Texas every couple of months next to the Dyess AFB runway and it is awesome watching them take off especially at night. Now I just can't wait for the B-21 Raiders to get based there!
I've seen the B-1 twice. Once, when I was at a training range on MCAGCC Twentynine Palms, we had a B-1 fly over at high altitude. It was pretty cool. The second time was a couple weeks ago, when I was driving home from my brewing job in the DC area. I saw a B-52, and called my friend, a fellow veteran, to let him know, because B-52s are cool. And as we were discussing how cool that was, I saw a B-52 and a B-1 flying low in formation together. And that was fuckin awesome. All that American firepower on display? Yeah. And they were low enough that I could see that targeting pod on the Lancer. Outstanding.
I had a rather close encounter with one of these a number of years ago. I was working in the oil fields in eastern Wyoming at the time. We were working away minding our own business, when this roar started building up. I don't know how long this took, exactly, but we had time to stop work, and look around trying to figure out what was going on. The roar got so mindbogglingly loud, we were crouched down trying to decide which way we needed to run. And then one of these suckers flashed by *directly* overhead. I couldn't tell you the exact altitude, but it was very very close. Those B1s are unbelievably loud. Like they make a rock concert look like a nun in a library, levels of loud. That was the highlight of that interesting week. Ellsworth AFB in South Dakota was running a lot of flight drills. We would see B1s flying between hills on our way to and from work almost every day. One day, we also saw a trio of B2s flying in formation at high altitude. Those we wouldn't've actually seen, if their matching contrails hadn't given them away. I found out years later that bomber pilots like to use oil rigs as simulated targets. So there you go, my story about when I got 'bombed' by my own Air Force!
Those dang things are LOUD when flying low, with the afterburners on. Super cool at night. I grew up on a city with an Air Force Base that had a slew of the hecccin cool planes.
Idea for another Megaprojects video: Now that you've covered the Lancer, you could cover the Soviet side of supersonic bombers, like the Tupolev Tu-22M or the Tupolev Tu-160.
I just recently found your channels, I am a major history buff, but this is my favorite video yet, my grandfather was a design engineer for Rockwell and was part of this project. I remember as a kid getting to see it at a by invite only airshow because there was the B-1b and F-117 both were in hangers heavy guarded by rings of ropes and armed guards. We were not allowed in the hangers but we got to walk by and the doors were open enough you could see them.
"It may have flaws, but it remains unmatched in many aspects. This unloved, delayed, and often sidelined monster deserves some recognition. The dazzling, sexy aircraft may get the attention, but it is the brutish workhorses... that really get the job done." That could also describe another horrendously undervalued aircraft, the A-10 Warthog. It's probably my favourite modern aircraft, and has been a literal lifesaver for their friendly troops below. If it's not yet been covered, consider that my vote. :P
When passing through Abilene, Texas on numerous occasions, I was privileged to witness flights (usually 3) of B-1s lining up for touch-and-goes at Dyess AFB. Absolutely BEAUTIFUL aircraft! 'Murica!
Touch-and-go drills are some of the most fun things to watch from the B-1. They’re so big but they just float back up every time! It’s fantastic to watch!!
B-1 OSO for 4 years. Most memorable time was being chased by Hawaii ANG F-15s at 700 knots, and the pilots hand flew it down to 75 feet. An amazing ride.
You wish, he just comes in every day and read what's been written.. at this point i highly dubt he has any shits to give given he makes 1K per narration .. they write.. , he reads... hence why it's getting stale and repetetive.
Been meaning to comment and suggest this for a while now, long time subscriber. I live in the San Francisco Bay Area and go over the Golden Gate Bridge almost every day for work. I am a welder and my coworkers and I always marvel at the feat of engineering it truly is. Today I was thinking out loud on the drive home, “I wonder how many riveters they employed, painters? What other kinds of workers and how the shifts ran? 24/7? Growing up around here we were of course taught the basic interesting facts, but not the kind of awesome detail you go into in your videos.
Thanks for doing an episode on my favorite bomber!! I used to live in Wyoming and the B-1s out of Ellsworth AFB would do low level training flights over the mountains near my home. Many times you would hear just a quiet whistle and if the flight crew saw you in a clearing, they would hit the throttle when going by to give a nice boom. A future suggestion for a Megaproject episode, ICBM silos and facilities across the US Midwest and Rockies. Extensive engineering and construction projects with many still in service today and some that have been abandoned. One facility, the Quebec 1 Missile Alert Facility, has been revamped for public display.
I was there for the first B-1B to be delivered to Ellsworth AFB, SD in 1987. I am a strong supporter of the Lancer. I performed maintenance on the Offensive Avionics in those early days.
I used to drive the pilots to their B-1s when they were deployed to the Middle East. I had a good collection of various squadron patches, it was gratifying to know I was helping the US Air Force help end some terrorists' lives. I always referred to the sound of the B-1 taking off as "The Sound of Freedom."
I live right off of Ellsworth AFB, home of the 28th bomb wing which is all B-1s. As many others have said, these planes are loud. When they do full burner takeoffs they rattle windows for miles. I've grown up around this plane, it came here in '87 (before that we had the B52s here) so I am pretty used to them but when I get the chance to get up close they still amaze me. One of the best looking planes we've ever put in service.
Fun fact, parts for the B1-B were made in 434 or the 435 congressional districts. Rockwell was not about to let it be cancelled a third time, and made sure that just about every congresscritter got a piece of the pie for his or her district.
It ain’t that small either. 45m long isn’t that much smaller than a BUFF, and a 57,000 Kg bomb load is a considerable payload, especially at supersonic speeds.
Fun fact: my grand father was on the development team for this airframe, in our office I have prototype models and a mug from the air force, my grand father passed in 2009 so I was never able to hear his stories on it, the b52 and the f111 but from my father I know he was in charge of picking what bombs it would carry and was part of designing the navigation systems since he was a navigator in nam
Loved the episode. I was born and raised in Abilene, Texas where a lot of the B-1s are stationed. I'm 38 years old and I still get chills when I go home to visit and they do a low pass over my parent's house. It is truly an awe-inspiring aircraft.
Best part of the airshow in Van Nuys was the morning after with the B-1 takeoff, pattern circuit and flyover. End of the runway was our spot to see it go over.
My grandpa was in the Royal Canadian Air Force and co-piloted bombers in Europe during WWII. After, he went to work for Avro where he was an engineer working on the CF-105 Arrow, until it's cancellation. Everyone at Avro lost their jobs on that day, and when that happened he had nowhere else in Canada to go, so he went to California and got a job working for Rockwell. He worked on this aircraft, also as an engineer. It is very nice to see deeper into the development of BOTH of these aircraft from none other than Simon Whistler himself. Thank you!
The b-52 is really still in service due to its ability to adapt, not to mention it is relatively cheap to operate. The b-1b supposedly also has some sort of stealth coating, so it’s like a semi-stealth bomber. It’s true “stealth” comes from its low altitude, high speed dashes. The control surfaces behind the nose cone are pitch dampeners, basically suspension for the low altitude, high speed dashes.
I was an inaugural avoinic instructor. I wrote and taught the Altas programming module. Didn't see a jet until the weapons school got one. It started my career. I have working on the F-22 for almost 30 yrs. I have been blessed to work two great jets. My buddy assures me B-1Bs can do mach 1+. He flew for 20 years.
I've been to thr Farnborough airshow twice. First time there was a B52 fly by and a B-1B fly by the second time (with wings fore and swept). The Buff is the most terrifying
My dad was in the Air Force during the 80's and was stationed at Grand Forks AFB were they had the B-1B station at. Could hear their loud engines from anywhere on the base, and at night, when they would sometimes take off, the noise of their engines would litterly shake the house. And I loved it! To me it was just a great sound.
It’s an amazing airframe and I was lucky enough to get to sit up front in one at an air show. I’m from near Dyess AFB, where they’re stationed. They earned the nickname “BONE” from a misprinted newspaper article written about their arrival. Instead of printing it as “B-1” it ran as B-ONE but they failed to put the hyphen in so it printed as “B ONE” and the name stuck. The local schools also had a contest for tail art that would be put on the first one to arrive. That plane had mechanical issues on its way so they slapped the art on another airframe and when it landed, it had begun to peel off and was waving in the wind.
When i was in Basic Training, the squadron commander was a previous B1 pilot, he said flying it was a dream, it was like a huge fighter jet. and seeing them flying around is awesome. Edit: I was in Basic March '99, 320th Training Sq.
My grandpa helped design this plane! He helped design the hydraulic system(how the wings move) and ejection system. During the 70’s and 80’s, he would tell his family he had to take frequent trips to Palmade California, but he wasn’t able to tell them what he was working on. He had the highest levels of security clearance the government can give: Black clearance. It’s only for people working on black projects. He never told his family about his work on the B-1 until it became publicly known years later. He also helped design the guidance system for tomahawk missiles. He couldn’t tell his family anything. Not even his wife.
I saw a B1 taking off at my local airport one time while I was driving to a nearby town. Literally the loudest thing I’ve ever heard. It was climbing fast and had a pretty good amount of blue flames shooting out the back, now it’s one of my fav aircraft.
I live by a small airport and one flew over my house the other day I don’t even know how low, he didn’t land and ended up flying to I guess another airport but I thought a plane crashed in my backyard the sound was incredible and the fact my entire house was shaking..
@@benn454 he also sent mentally disabled people to fight in vietnam. you can see how he was thinking though. disabled people = financial cost to the economy. send em to vietnam. voila. shot & cremated on their 1st day. who says eugenics was not still popular then in the usa?
Absolutely love this Aircraft. An incredible feat of engineering. And those 4 engines on take off seem to create a minor earthquake shaking whole homes, knocking photos off walls. I speak from experience.
Dude, my brother is currently working at Rockwell on the modernization program for the electronics/avionics of the B-1B version of the B-1!!! He was just telling me a little about this a couple days ago.
In 1985, I watched a B-1B, at Abilene, TX, do a touch and go on the runway at city airport. Came in with wings extended and launched itself from tarmac as wings folded back. Gone in less than 60 seconds.
I was fortunate to be in very close proximity to these beasts taking off with afterburners within feet of me. I had the same experience with many other aircraft, bit the massive engines on these literally sucked the oxygen out of the area and shook every bone in my body. A truly impressive aircraft and one of my favorites.
@@lucastekkan it's not a rip-off, the nazi scientists that designed it also designed the X-29. They can't rip off their own design. Think before you talk shit.
B1 is a beautiful aircraft. I was out in South Dakota with mom some years ago at a local air museum. We came out to this deafening roar like the end of the world happening and mom screaming “what is that sound?” I go “ Mom, quick, look up!” Four B1’s taking off in formation with full afterburners. Unlike the B2 and most fighters you hear the B1 coming, there, and going. It makes no attempt to hide and no apologies for what it is. It’s badass in every way. Even the B2 is underwhelming as it isn’t the silent death from above that people think it is.
When it comes to air shows the b1 steals the show every time....you just can't understand what I mean until you have heard how loud it is and felt the power of its engine rumbling thru your entire body....it AWESOME !!!!
We got to crawl up in the cockpit of one a couple years ago at the air show at Offutt AFB in Omaha. The pilot was there in his chair, he said he was 28 years old. I asked him 'When you go home on leave and have a beer with your buddies and talk about you jobs, what can you possibly have in common?". He said "...not much" and gave that 'I have a bad ass gig' smile. It was epic!
It would be head-scratching if that ever happened, considering a B-1 costs less to maintain per flight hour than a B-52 and is much less vulnerable to anti-air defences.
This is simply the most incredible aircraft in the air force fleet. It can carry nearly the same amount of internal ordinance as a b52 at above Mach 1. My favorite plane of all time, and I wish it’s was more greatly appreciated by the public.
That was the main aspect of the A-to-B transition I expected to be covered with all the mention of the stealth programs. The reason it is slower is because of the reconfigured air intakes without movable ramps, but decreased radar cross-section.
One of the best airframes ever built, absolute beast of a machine, been lucky enough to see these in the UK taking off loudest thing I’ve ever heard. Bad to the BONE!
Such a beautiful plane. Always loved the lines of this plane. Got to see one up close and personal selfridge air force base in Michigan. Talked to the pilot for awhile. Awesome experience.
ALWAYS loved the B1, very happy to see a video giving this super-bomber some love... the cold-war warrior that not enough people know about. Sexiest bomber by far.
Unnecessary planes and projects cringe. That was kind of the point of the video. While the B-1 is impressive as hell, it’s purpose wasn’t really needed anymore, when Carter nixed it. The money spent continuing the B-1 project in the 80’s, could have been spent elsewhere, on more future oriented projects.
If you read Ben Rich's autobiography (the guy in charge of Lockheed's Skunkworks while the F-117 was being developed) the reason President Carter cancelled the B-1 was to have the funding available for the stealth fighter program.
For anyone who likes Simon’s channels but hasn’t checked out Business Blaze - it’s my favorite one! It’s not at stuffy as the “business” part might indicate. Dude cuts loose. Thank you Simon!
I was at a Nascar Busch Series race at Daytona International Raceway back in 2005 when the fly over was by a B-1B Lancer. It came over from behind the main spectator grand stand so you didnt see it coming! It flew over at a VERY high rate of speed with the wings swept back. EVERYTHING shook as it flew over! It felt like an earthquake and a thunder clap at the same time! I remember thinking this plane created a terrifying presence! Holy crap! Love it! It circled back around and flew over again a few minutes later at a much slower speed with wings extended and wiggled it wngs up and down like the pilot was waiving to the Nascar fans. It is a bad ass aircraft! I never got that experience from a B-52 fly over at an airshow! B-1B is in a different league!
Hi Simon, my name is Thomas Gimenez. In 1986 I joined the US Air force .in 1987 I was an aviation mechanic on the Rockwell B -1 b .I was stationed at dyess Afb abilene TX. What a sweet plane ,but a maintenance nightmare. Your shows rock .
arent they all?
"Costs were already spiraling upwards, and would soon become a major point of contention." I feel like that line just autopopulates in every Megaprojects script.
That's government spending for you. Did you ever notice that a government program's success seems to always be measured in dollars spent rather than actual results?
@@sterlingtardie
The expense is not necessarily because of the inherit nature of the government. The main reason for the outrageous hardware cost of the US aerospace programs is largely because of the subcontracting of the development/manufacturing employed by the private defense contractor. Countries that integrated defense industries with the state can often produce lower-priced military hardware.
@@mickeyg7219
G'day,
Well, there is a bit of that in there..., the infamous $7,000 "Anti-Static Toilet-Seats" in Lockheed Orion Maritime Reconnaisance Aircraft were indeed a neccessary item ; but they were identical with the Black Plastic Crapper-Seats available in Hardware Shops..., Lampblack is used as pigment in Plastic and Lampblack is Carbon which is Electrically Conductive - and therefore the resulting black plastic is indeed also electrically conductive, thus "Anti-Static".
I forget why the Pentagonal Haemorrhoids were paying $647 at per each for Claw-Hammers though.
But, apart from the Scams..., it's actually stupidly expensive to cobble up a Death Machine with which to practice to defend oneself from WHATEVER one is being PAID to imagine - of which to feel deathly afraid, and frightened , next....
Defending oneself against Perpetually Paranoid FEARFULNESS (fearfoolness, fearfoolishnesses...?) is the guaranteed pathway to eternal Bankruptcy...
If it was not for their International Debt, mostly held by Beijing Savings Banks, the entire Excited Status of Norte ArmedmeriKano could not collectively afford the price of a Pot in which to piss.
It costs a BOMB, to build a way to reliably shoot the Foreskin off a Communist Sandfly at Intercontinental Ranges - QUICKERY !!! ; before the evil wicked Threat might perhaps possibly transgress yonder National Borders and bite the Generals & Admirals on their Bums, while they're busily pantsing their Painted Secretaries...
Sieg..., HEIL...!
("Victory..., HURRRAAAH !!!").
"OuuuRaaahhh !"
Suckling at the Teat of the Taxpayers..., it's a CAREER to those who fear themselves to be useless within the Productive EcoGnomie.
Such is life,
Have a good one.....
Stay safe.
;-p
Ciao !
@@WarblesOnALot Well, you're living up to your name at least!! ;)
Almost the sole exception was the Shinkansen, which came in ahead of schedule, under budget, and with a to-this-day flawless safety record
I think you should have spent a little time explaining that the aircraft we are looking at is the B-1B. The original B-1A, the one that got cancelled, displayed some stealth characteristics. As the story goes, a B-1A was taking part in Red Flag in the 1970s, and some F-15s assigned to kill it kept on losing it on their radar. As it turns out, from the front and sides the B-1A did have some stealth capabilities. When it became the B-1B this was enhanced by getting rid of the "backbone" along the top, redoing the air intakes to be smoother, getting rid of the variable geometry of the air intakes (thereby reducing its top speed from the Mach 2 range down to the current Mach 1.3) and a few other changes. All of the above raised the cost considerably.
The B-1B is a very different aircraft than the one Johnson and Carter cancelled.
I was a gate guard at a base that had a B-1 there temporarily. My post was kinda close to the runway. When it took off, it was so earth shaking, I thought I died. I never heard anything like it before. It even blasted some debris in my buddy's eye and he had to go to the hospital. Of course we were watching it take off because we never scene anything like it.
My brother was USAF Security Forces, he was assigned to guard duty of the B-1's in England during operation "Dessert Fox" in late 90's.
One of the B-1's best features is it does not need a long runway
It can operate from small private airports if necessary
@@jamesricker3997 thanks to the plane's "swing-wing" design. 👍
My dad retired at Dyess AFB, home to the B1s. I was in the marine reserves a few years later on the same base. Almost 18 years I lived in Abilene, heard these things all the time, my unit was maybe a couple hundred yards from the runway. They are loud, but F111s and B52s are worse
@@jamesricker3997 saw the Vandenberg B-1s at Van Nuys... what a show!
I'm a retired officer, but not a pilot. However, I trained a bunch of them, one of whom became a B-1 pilot. His experience flying that aircraft was so valuable to his skill-building that he eventually transferred to the F-15 and remained there, becoming a colonel and a wing commander. Nice guy, too. I'm proud to have been one of the many people who had an influence on his professional development.
Fun fact: The B-1 has been useful at clearing out lingering civilians before urban warfare and even enemy combatants with less resolve. The horrendous sound they're capable of making serves as an effective warning and can make the enemy lose the will to fight... or at least make them pee themselves... It's loud... It's really, really loud. It's better at this than helicopters too because it's less vulnerable to ground fire.
I was stationed at Dyess Air Force Base for 6 years. On numerous occasions I was treated to a front row seat to B-1s spooling up for takeoff. The rumble of a B-1 at full throttle less than 100 yards away is truly impressive. Even more impressive was witnessing this at night, in addition to the sound was the afterburners blazing like 4 giant butane torches. Pure awesomeness
And I can say from experience having one doing a racetrack overhead all night is a very very comforting feeling.
@@anthonyward8853 my favorite times to watch them take of were at dawn and dusk, when you can see the burners and its dark silhouette. It was amazing to hear and feel them take off while i was at Tinker, Vegas, or Guam.
It’s unfortunate that he did not cover the ability of the B-1, with its variable wings, to quickly get to an area where it is needed to support troops and then loiter in that area for a long time.
Hearing 2 come overhead following a tanker is a sound that is hard to miss! I have gotten some great shots of B-1b bombers hooked up to KC-135s over Wyoming.
when I was in Afghanistan, the Americans called one in to scare the Taliban, in flew between the mountains about 200m off the deck, beyond cool.
"...in flew between the mountains...?" How does an adverb become a pronoun, Jake?
@@thomash8501
Pretty sure he meant "it flew"
@@thomash8501 Apparently, Jake served. You, Tommy?
@@thomash8501 He might have meant that in flew the B1 between the mountains but most likely it was a typo.
Lots of people type in comments on android phones and are victims of autocorrect
This is my favorite bomber. You have to see one in person to understand how massive this thing is. I’ll never forget the low altitude show of force in ghazni Afghanistan where a B1B flew just 100m above us. Awesome (in the true meaning of the word) is the only word to describe it.
I once heard a guy describe it as "take Marilyn Monroe and Elvira, Mistress of the Dark and put them together" Truly the sleekest and most sinister looking aircraft (considering it's purpose) ever built. My favorite as well.
Russians had one in the same period that was superior in some areas, TU-160.
Nice looking aircraft as well, Futuristic looking for the time period like the B-1 Lancer.
If it is getting at it and going, the sonic Boom! BOOM!!! is very VERY Impressive!
@@ShaneMcGrath. The Tu 160 was (and for the most part still is) pretty much superior to the B-1 in most areas actually. And they still have it.
As a matter of fact, they're currently modernizing their entire Tu 160 fleet and are having new ones built.
It is a completely insane aircraft that only the madness of the cold war could have produced.
Seen it in action. Scared the shit out me 🤣
Was traveling on the back gravel roads of northeastern Montana through the oilfields with wife and daughter one August morning in 1987. Cool and cloudy, about 50F, with a low deck of overcast. We were cutting cross country over long rolling grassy hills toward the Canadian border going 45 mph or so. Just driving.
All of a sudden I heard this screaming ripping roar at my immediate left that grabbed my full, frightened attention. With both hands on the wheel, I turned to see the profile of the nose of this amazing bomber coming out of the cloud deck right at us no more than two hundred feet up and only one or two hundred yards away!
A SCREAMING WHAM and it went right over us with full AB's lit up shooting 50' blue flames out the back and the wings very quickly swinging back into a vee as it ascended back into the clouds and disappeared .... SHEEEIT! ... We three were completely stunned speechless.
We had been targeted and blasted into smithereeens like an Iraqi tank. Only, thank God Almighty and those Badass BONE Pilots, it was only a practice run.
I pity those Tank commanders. They would have had only a few seconds to say bye-bye to this world on their way to seeing their 77 toothless virgins.
This is probably my favorite bomber out there. It's just gorgeous
Mine too.
Totally agree awesome plane
Saw it two years ago at Ellsworth Air Force Base. I agree absolutely beautiful.
The look has grown on me over the years
Check out tu-160. It'll be your new lover:)
Seeing hearing and feeling those afterburners rocket one of these things into the air in the middle of the night is literally awesome. Seeing the live drone feed of the ordnance drop from a pair of them into the side of a mountain in Afghanistan is every bit as awesome but utterly terrifying at the same time. So glad they’re on our side.
I saw one of these fly overhead maybe a couple hundred feet off the ground at 10:30 at night in Dubois, WY. I will never forget the sound and sight of the 4 blue flames out of the back. Truly an awesome aircraft!
Same for me, except in the four corners area of southwest Colorado. A high speed terrain following flight and went right over us.
@@tomas2810 holy smokes
I use to live at the end of the runway near their base in south Dakota. they were as common as birds. Lots of "planes" use to take off after dark, that were not very plane like.
I think that whole air base could be taken out now by a bunch of cheap consimer type chinese drones that are sold on amazon.
Yes me too. It was like Star Wars. So loud I could scream and barely hear myself.
I had a Lancaster fly over my house at 200ft. Beat that! Lol
I still can't believe how much ordinance the B1 can carry. Thing is a beast.
definitely an improvement on the V1 and V2, assuming that mass murder is the goal
Holy crap. Never thought I'd see the plane I worked on for 6 years on this channel. Thanks Simon.
I cant be sure but i think this is the new plane on GTA...
@@callumwright7459 just looking at pics they seem so similar to me but im not an airplane guy by any means! Il keep that in mind while im trying to be smart to my friends lol Happy Holidays!
SPR101st, when/where did work on them? I only ask because my brother guarded them in the late 90's while stationed in England.
@@skyden24195 Ellsworth from 2011-2017
@@Spartan101st cool. What was your position, if you don't mind sharing that info?
This aircraft was the highlight of my short four year Air Force enlistment. Sent TDY to New Mexico in 1993 for three weeks during an annual joint force exercise, I had the joy of seeing virtually every aircraft in the military inventory fly. One evening we were allowed as close to the runway as safety would allow with twelve B-1's lined up nose to tail. what was witnessed next is unforgettable......
As all dozen B-1's thundered down the runway the noise overwhelmed, it was as if the air was vibrating with the ground shaking under us like an earthquake. I have never felt so alive as in that moment, and when the last bomber took to the sky we could still see the first aircraft circling in the distance. Also toured the flight line, and got to climb inside both the B-52 and B-1.
The B1 is much bigger than it looks in photos. The first time I saw one, I was shocked at the actual size.
Most planes are from what I experienced
Just means that the photo's, you've been looking at, are too small. ;-)
Just means that the photo's, you've been looking at, are too small. ;-)
It's probably bc it looks exactly like a fighter jet, which is usually much much smaller
The B1 is amazing. I guided one on a mission in Afghanistan, painted a target for it. If the pilot in a B1 goes unconscious the computer in the seats can sense it and flush itself below radar to the nearest friendly airstrip and lands. Pretty awesome
That is outrageously awesome! Literally sitting on your backup.
Why does the B1 have that tech/avionics, but not newer fighter jets?
@@BlyGuy I don’t think that it would so useful as if a fighter pilot would go unconscious when fighting maybe due to too many Gs I don’t think the computer would be able to make evasive maneuvers
@@BlyGuycoz it costs a billion per units😂😂😂😂
@@MadLadMartyMcFly85 you have a link?
My father was one of the first pilots to fly the B-1 when it entered service. It was his baby
Thanks to him for his service.
For 10 years, I lived in Sweetwater, Texas, a small town about 45 minutes from Dyess Air Force Base in Abilene. Even at 5,000 feet, those engines still shook the windows, and one time they flew over our football practice. Everyone stopped because we couldn’t hear anything from further than about 6 inches away, and they were awe-inspiring to boot. I got to see them land at Dyess when I was in Abilene for a school trip, and it was the coolest experience ever. Long love the B-1.
They are loud from Hawley too.
One of the four B1-A bombers is in my home state of Colorado, at Wings Over The Rockies Museum. Thing is massive
Is there a classy restaurant in the wings over the Rockies
@@sfctapia4529 Not classy per se. But a neat little place to get lunch. The museum is awesome.
I actually worked on that aircraft, in the hanger that it is now a display. Being an "A" model, I did learn how to load and unload the rotary launcher with inert ALCM's on that aircraft. Also, the F-16A that I worked on there was SN78001 and the last time I had seen it, it was perched on a pedestal at Langley AFB.
Hey! I live near there! I actually went there once and saw it, I don’t remember much but I remember going there.
She's an absolute stunner and my favourite bomber of all time. I saw them at an airshow when a was a lad in England years ago and I was hooked right away.
B-58 Hustler? Sounds like a great idea for a future episode.
My granfathers brother flew the b 58. Failed on take off and he died. Thing was dangerous.
He still made the episode.
BUFF drivers: "When the last B-1 goes to the boneyard, its crew will hitch a ride home on a B-52."
Which costs more per flight hour ... than the b1.
Better than taking the bus I suppose....
@@mgabrysSF hey, don't like the sentiment, talk to the BUFF drivers, it's their joke after all.
@@procatprocat9647 possibly, but I think the point is that the BUFF drivers know their mount has been threatened before, and yet it's still out there kicking ass and taking names nearly 60 years after the last one came off the assembly line
@@andrewreynolds9371 possibly, but I think the point is that the BUS drivers know their mount has been threatened, and yet they're still out there kicking ass and taking names nearly 190 years after the first one came off the assembly line.
Just look at Thomas and Bertie (Bulgy also has an opinion I'm sure).
I was in Wichita Kansas the day the Mighty B1B's set the record for most takeoffs and landings in a day. It was a day with scattered showers where every few minuets a B1 would roar out of the clouds, drop its gear and head for the tarmac. Some people have a distain for war machines but I find beauty in all competent aircraft.
Idea for a Megaprojects video; the human genome project, a fascinating science project
+
Doit
Nice haircut Eugene
that's a good one - might end up as a sideprojects though
@@amicloud_yt that would be fine with me , im happy to read you like the idea ;-)
I have always loved the BOne. I'm a USAF vet and still love that thing. Super fast, super sleek, more munitions than any other bomber and a larger variety. Very happy to see what they are doing with it now. Incredible platform.
In your opinion, do you think the USAF should've gone and built the BOneR?
@@tytoalbasoren9457Funny
"can carry bombs equal to 2 school busses"
quick question: with or without kids ?
With; we call them cluster bombs.
@@jasoncarr9375 Nice
"This is where the fun begins..."
‘Full-size’ school buses or ‘mini-buses’?
Don't try spinning, it may not be a good trick in this aircraft lol
My work takes me to Abilene Texas every couple of months next to the Dyess AFB runway and it is awesome watching them take off especially at night. Now I just can't wait for the B-21 Raiders to get based there!
I've seen the B-1 twice. Once, when I was at a training range on MCAGCC Twentynine Palms, we had a B-1 fly over at high altitude. It was pretty cool. The second time was a couple weeks ago, when I was driving home from my brewing job in the DC area. I saw a B-52, and called my friend, a fellow veteran, to let him know, because B-52s are cool. And as we were discussing how cool that was, I saw a B-52 and a B-1 flying low in formation together. And that was fuckin awesome. All that American firepower on display? Yeah. And they were low enough that I could see that targeting pod on the Lancer. Outstanding.
I had a rather close encounter with one of these a number of years ago. I was working in the oil fields in eastern Wyoming at the time. We were working away minding our own business, when this roar started building up. I don't know how long this took, exactly, but we had time to stop work, and look around trying to figure out what was going on. The roar got so mindbogglingly loud, we were crouched down trying to decide which way we needed to run. And then one of these suckers flashed by *directly* overhead. I couldn't tell you the exact altitude, but it was very very close. Those B1s are unbelievably loud. Like they make a rock concert look like a nun in a library, levels of loud.
That was the highlight of that interesting week. Ellsworth AFB in South Dakota was running a lot of flight drills. We would see B1s flying between hills on our way to and from work almost every day. One day, we also saw a trio of B2s flying in formation at high altitude. Those we wouldn't've actually seen, if their matching contrails hadn't given them away.
I found out years later that bomber pilots like to use oil rigs as simulated targets. So there you go, my story about when I got 'bombed' by my own Air Force!
Those dang things are LOUD when flying low, with the afterburners on. Super cool at night. I grew up on a city with an Air Force Base that had a slew of the hecccin cool planes.
Idea for another Megaprojects video:
Now that you've covered the Lancer, you could cover the Soviet side of supersonic bombers, like the Tupolev Tu-22M or the Tupolev Tu-160.
I just recently found your channels, I am a major history buff, but this is my favorite video yet, my grandfather was a design engineer for Rockwell and was part of this project. I remember as a kid getting to see it at a by invite only airshow because there was the B-1b and F-117 both were in hangers heavy guarded by rings of ropes and armed guards. We were not allowed in the hangers but we got to walk by and the doors were open enough you could see them.
How the- why does it say 3 days ago when this was just posted
@@pablohermoso4530 there’s another comment that says 2 WEEKS ago.
3 days ago?
Nope. We don't have that clearance
"It may have flaws, but it remains unmatched in many aspects. This unloved, delayed, and often sidelined monster deserves some recognition. The dazzling, sexy aircraft may get the attention, but it is the brutish workhorses... that really get the job done."
That could also describe another horrendously undervalued aircraft, the A-10 Warthog. It's probably my favourite modern aircraft, and has been a literal lifesaver for their friendly troops below.
If it's not yet been covered, consider that my vote. :P
Everyone loves the A10. It's all over the internet and Congress stepped in to force the airforce to keep it when they wanted to ditch it
There's talk about replacing or augmenting the AC-130 with the B-1,essentially turning it into a enlarged version of the Warthog.
A10 the aircraft with the highest number of friendly fire kills. It’s trash
When passing through Abilene, Texas on numerous occasions, I was privileged to witness flights (usually 3) of B-1s lining up for touch-and-goes at Dyess AFB. Absolutely BEAUTIFUL aircraft! 'Murica!
Touch-and-go drills are some of the most fun things to watch from the B-1. They’re so big but they just float back up every time! It’s fantastic to watch!!
@@darkowl5795 It seems hard to make them descend and land. They just WANT to fly!
B-1 OSO for 4 years. Most memorable time was being chased by Hawaii ANG F-15s at 700 knots, and the pilots hand flew it down to 75 feet.
An amazing ride.
“Speed, and powerrrr”
Did you just make a clarkson joke?
sure seems to look that way. lol
You wish, he just comes in every day and read what's been written.. at this point i highly dubt he has any shits to give given he makes 1K per narration .. they write.. , he reads... hence why it's getting stale and repetetive.
Thats why the watch the Business Blaze son! Though side projects and a couple other channels are slightly showcasing our coke infused wonder boy
Or a jojo reference "speed and powa da"
If Top Gear/GT crew designed a bomber? B-1
Been meaning to comment and suggest this for a while now, long time subscriber. I live in the San Francisco Bay Area and go over the Golden Gate Bridge almost every day for work. I am a welder and my coworkers and I always marvel at the feat of engineering it truly is. Today I was thinking out loud on the drive home, “I wonder how many riveters they employed, painters? What other kinds of workers and how the shifts ran? 24/7? Growing up around here we were of course taught the basic interesting facts, but not the kind of awesome detail you go into in your videos.
Thanks for doing an episode on my favorite bomber!! I used to live in Wyoming and the B-1s out of Ellsworth AFB would do low level training flights over the mountains near my home. Many times you would hear just a quiet whistle and if the flight crew saw you in a clearing, they would hit the throttle when going by to give a nice boom.
A future suggestion for a Megaproject episode, ICBM silos and facilities across the US Midwest and Rockies. Extensive engineering and construction projects with many still in service today and some that have been abandoned. One facility, the Quebec 1 Missile Alert Facility, has been revamped for public display.
I was there for the first B-1B to be delivered to Ellsworth AFB, SD in 1987. I am a strong supporter of the Lancer. I performed maintenance on the Offensive Avionics in those early days.
Your various shows have gotten me through this year. Thank you for everything you do
I used to drive the pilots to their B-1s when they were deployed to the Middle East. I had a good collection of various squadron patches, it was gratifying to know I was helping the US Air Force help end some terrorists' lives. I always referred to the sound of the B-1 taking off as "The Sound of Freedom."
Could you cover the Ohio Class Nuclear Submarine?
Or Seawolf fast attack sub, that would be neato skeeto too.
I think the nautilus would be better as it was the first of its kind.
@@veteranironoutdoors8320 or the Convair NB-36H.
@@walkingcontradiction223 I was thinking this too.
I live right off of Ellsworth AFB, home of the 28th bomb wing which is all B-1s. As many others have said, these planes are loud. When they do full burner takeoffs they rattle windows for miles. I've grown up around this plane, it came here in '87 (before that we had the B52s here) so I am pretty used to them but when I get the chance to get up close they still amaze me. One of the best looking planes we've ever put in service.
Fun fact, parts for the B1-B were made in 434 or the 435 congressional districts. Rockwell was not about to let it be cancelled a third time, and made sure that just about every congresscritter got a piece of the pie for his or her district.
Ah! So the pork works two ways....
With 5,000 vendors making parts you bet they all got paid.
My roommate in college was in love with this craft so our room was covered in B-one posters. It’s always been neat plane looking for a purpose.
You have no idea how big this bomber is until you see it up close on the ground
It’s really not that big compared to most of the heavies in the usaf
It ain’t that small either. 45m long isn’t that much smaller than a BUFF, and a 57,000 Kg bomb load is a considerable payload, especially at supersonic speeds.
I saw one at the Pima Air Museum in Arizona. It definitely strikes an impressive profile
@@YTG145 yet it carries a greater payload than the b52
@@Oldsoldiersays yes I know this I work on it lol you should see the external pylons were adding to it
Fun fact: my grand father was on the development team for this airframe, in our office I have prototype models and a mug from the air force, my grand father passed in 2009 so I was never able to hear his stories on it, the b52 and the f111 but from my father I know he was in charge of picking what bombs it would carry and was part of designing the navigation systems since he was a navigator in nam
I would guess are Grandfathers worked together. My grandad was SMSgt Crabtree and spent most of his career at Edwards AFB.
@@stacyelliott6758 my grandfather did a stint there so your right they probably ran into each other once
This thing sounds intimidating just on takeoff.
God I'm so glad that you guys figured out that doing vids on aircraft was a good idea
Loved the episode. I was born and raised in Abilene, Texas where a lot of the B-1s are stationed. I'm 38 years old and I still get chills when I go home to visit and they do a low pass over my parent's house. It is truly an awe-inspiring aircraft.
Best part of the airshow in Van Nuys was the morning after with the B-1 takeoff, pattern circuit and flyover. End of the runway was our spot to see it go over.
My grandpa was in the Royal Canadian Air Force and co-piloted bombers in Europe during WWII. After, he went to work for Avro where he was an engineer working on the CF-105 Arrow, until it's cancellation. Everyone at Avro lost their jobs on that day, and when that happened he had nowhere else in Canada to go, so he went to California and got a job working for Rockwell. He worked on this aircraft, also as an engineer. It is very nice to see deeper into the development of BOTH of these aircraft from none other than Simon Whistler himself. Thank you!
The Canadian aircraft engineering population moved to the 'States en masse. Their gain, our loss. I still want to hoof Diefenbaker in the crubbles....
The Lancer and the Vulcan. Beautiful.
The ultimate development of the love child of Vulcan and victor
The b-52 is really still in service due to its ability to adapt, not to mention it is relatively cheap to operate. The b-1b supposedly also has some sort of stealth coating, so it’s like a semi-stealth bomber. It’s true “stealth” comes from its low altitude, high speed dashes. The control surfaces behind the nose cone are pitch dampeners, basically suspension for the low altitude, high speed dashes.
The variable swept wing and the payload are probably my favorite parts about this aircraft
what about the nose canards?
I was an inaugural avoinic instructor. I wrote and taught the Altas programming module. Didn't see a jet until the weapons school got one. It started my career. I have working on the F-22 for almost 30 yrs. I have been blessed to work two great jets. My buddy assures me B-1Bs can do mach 1+. He flew for 20 years.
Such a sleek, beautiful aircraft. It's been my favorite for a long time.
I've been to thr Farnborough airshow twice. First time there was a B52 fly by and a B-1B fly by the second time (with wings fore and swept). The Buff is the most terrifying
I'll never forget hearing these things screaming into the sky at EDC las vegas
Going to EDC Las Vegas is on my bucket list... hard to get there from Virginia though
@@brkbtjunkie When you do, make sure to camp. It's worth it. 2020 would've been my 7th year at the fest, 3rd year in camp :(
My dad was in the Air Force during the 80's and was stationed at Grand Forks AFB were they had the B-1B station at. Could hear their loud engines from anywhere on the base, and at night, when they would sometimes take off, the noise of their engines would litterly shake the house. And I loved it! To me it was just a great sound.
I liked the Jeremy Clarkson-esque "Power!"
It’s an amazing airframe and I was lucky enough to get to sit up front in one at an air show.
I’m from near Dyess AFB, where they’re stationed. They earned the nickname “BONE” from a misprinted newspaper article written about their arrival. Instead of printing it as “B-1” it ran as B-ONE but they failed to put the hyphen in so it printed as “B ONE” and the name stuck.
The local schools also had a contest for tail art that would be put on the first one to arrive. That plane had mechanical issues on its way so they slapped the art on another airframe and when it landed, it had begun to peel off and was waving in the wind.
The Star of Abilene
When i was in Basic Training, the squadron commander was a previous B1 pilot, he said flying it was a dream, it was like a huge fighter jet. and seeing them flying around is awesome.
Edit: I was in Basic March '99, 320th Training Sq.
from the many videos I've seen of them in flight, to me, a B-1 moves like a large F-14.
@@skyden24195 Probably more like a big F-111.....
@@raptor1672 I can see that.
My grandpa helped design this plane! He helped design the hydraulic system(how the wings move) and ejection system. During the 70’s and 80’s, he would tell his family he had to take frequent trips to Palmade California, but he wasn’t able to tell them what he was working on. He had the highest levels of security clearance the government can give: Black clearance. It’s only for people working on black projects. He never told his family about his work on the B-1 until it became publicly known years later. He also helped design the guidance system for tomahawk missiles. He couldn’t tell his family anything. Not even his wife.
I've watched the B-1 in actual combat and I have to say it's the coolest and most terrifying aircraft I've ever seen. Thanks for sharing, Simon.
I saw a B1 taking off at my local airport one time while I was driving to a nearby town. Literally the loudest thing I’ve ever heard. It was climbing fast and had a pretty good amount of blue flames shooting out the back, now it’s one of my fav aircraft.
I live by a small airport and one flew over my house the other day I don’t even know how low, he didn’t land and ended up flying to I guess another airport but I thought a plane crashed in my backyard the sound was incredible and the fact my entire house was shaking..
The noise of this aircraft is not just loud but PULSE POUNDING, I can feel it in my bones 🤣
Always been my favourite plane. I remember first seeing one when I was around 10 years old and was just in awe. Stunning piece of machinery.
Robert McNamara - a Megaproject on his own...
Biographic*
But I'd love to see ALL his follies in one big video. Would be a long one too
Did Simon do the x-20 already ? Speaking of a (McNamara ) cancellation
One of the dumbest smart men who ever lived, with an ego to match.
He nearly destroyed every institution he led. Ford Motor Company, the Defense Department and the World Bank. None of them completely recovered.
@@benn454 he also sent mentally disabled people to fight in vietnam. you can see how he was thinking though. disabled people = financial cost to the economy. send em to vietnam. voila. shot & cremated on their 1st day. who says eugenics was not still popular then in the usa?
Grew up next to a B1 base. Loved watching them. The golf course nearby is awesome because the planes fly directly overhead.
Absolutely love this Aircraft. An incredible feat of engineering. And those 4 engines on take off seem to create a minor earthquake shaking whole homes, knocking photos off walls. I speak from experience.
Dude, my brother is currently working at Rockwell on the modernization program for the electronics/avionics of the B-1B version of the B-1!!! He was just telling me a little about this a couple days ago.
In 1985, I watched a B-1B, at Abilene, TX, do a touch and go on the runway at city airport. Came in with wings extended and launched itself from tarmac as wings folded back. Gone in less than 60 seconds.
A family friend was a B1 pilot. I got to sit in his aircraft when I was little. Incredible experience.
Won't last a hundred years like the B-52, which still sends a great physiologic message
All thanks to Major Kong.
Did you mean psychological?
yeup, their song, "Loveshack" will never be forgotten.
@@HBC423 yes, sorry
@@HBC423 Those scenes made 'When Johnny. Comes Marching Home Again' a pseudo-anthem.
This plane is heartbreakingly beautiful, as a Britain, it grieves me to admit that this is the plane I love the most.
much respect for Spitfire
Would love to see the Vulcan Bomber, and specifically the bombing run they carried out on the Falklands all the way from ascension islands
I can't imagine having flown that run. The Vulcan's pilot and copilot seats are _very_ cramped.
Not sure if you've seen but he's done it 👌
@@user-yy2tq8bf6d yes a short while after I suggested it. Thank you 😊
I was fortunate to be in very close proximity to these beasts taking off with afterburners within feet of me. I had the same experience with many other aircraft, bit the massive engines on these literally sucked the oxygen out of the area and shook every bone in my body. A truly impressive aircraft and one of my favorites.
Speed and Power is always the answer! (according to Jeremy Clarkson) btw please do a video on the SU 47 Berkut
You mean the Russian rip-off of the 40 year old american x-29, as it's more accurately known?
@@ananthropomorphictalkinggo6641 lets not talk about rip-offs shall we ? Or else, the X-29 is a rip-off of a german plane
@@lucastekkan it's not a rip-off, the nazi scientists that designed it also designed the X-29. They can't rip off their own design. Think before you talk shit.
B1 is a beautiful aircraft. I was out in South Dakota with mom some years ago at a local air museum. We came out to this deafening roar like the end of the world happening and mom screaming “what is that sound?”
I go “ Mom, quick, look up!”
Four B1’s taking off in formation with full afterburners.
Unlike the B2 and most fighters you hear the B1 coming, there, and going. It makes no attempt to hide and no apologies for what it is. It’s badass in every way.
Even the B2 is underwhelming as it isn’t the silent death from above that people think it is.
I remember seeing this on the cover of Air and Space magazine back in the 80's, and the title was "The Warhorse of the Apocalypse"
When it comes to air shows the b1 steals the show every time....you just can't understand what I mean until you have heard how loud it is and felt the power of its engine rumbling thru your entire body....it AWESOME !!!!
Here's a mega project for ya. The tennessee valley authority's locks and dams known as the tennessee-tombigbee waterway.
I think he already did that one
All the 3 Big-B's are absolutely beautiful aircraft.
Do a video on the big muskie dragline. That was definitely a mega project and it gets no love.
We got to crawl up in the cockpit of one a couple years ago at the air show at Offutt AFB in Omaha.
The pilot was there in his chair, he said he was 28 years old. I asked him 'When you go home on leave and have a beer with your buddies and talk about you jobs, what can you possibly have in common?". He said "...not much" and gave that 'I have a bad ass gig' smile. It was epic!
Well, looks like the B-52 will probably outlife both the B-2 and the B-1, with the last currently expected to be in service into the 2050s :D
Yes, amazing jet. The new engines for the B52 will give it a range of over 12,000 miles which means it will be able to reach any point on Earth.
Unlikely the B1 costs less per flight hour and has less hours on its airframe it also isn't ugly as sin
It would be head-scratching if that ever happened, considering a B-1 costs less to maintain per flight hour than a B-52 and is much less vulnerable to anti-air defences.
This is simply the most incredible aircraft in the air force fleet. It can carry nearly the same amount of internal ordinance as a b52 at above Mach 1. My favorite plane of all time, and I wish it’s was more greatly appreciated by the public.
It can carry more than the buff actually...
@@3dpyromaniac560 I know the internal bomb bays are bigger, but what about the wings? Does the buff carry more with fully loaded wings?
The most surprising fact for B1 is how stealthy it is.
Yep, the difference between rolling on the runway and flying is just that it retracts its landing-gear. Very hard to see amid the ground-clutter.
That was the main aspect of the A-to-B transition I expected to be covered with all the mention of the stealth programs. The reason it is slower is because of the reconfigured air intakes without movable ramps, but decreased radar cross-section.
Yes, vastly more stealthy than a B-52. Not as stealthy as a B-2 but much faster and cheaper to operate and carries more missiles. A real workhorse.
Lol. Stealthy? Only because at mach 1.2 it outruns all the noise it makes... 🤣
@@tehbonehead I have heard its RCS is lower than F16C and MiG 21, and B1 is so much bigger than those planes
One of the best airframes ever built, absolute beast of a machine, been lucky enough to see these in the UK taking off loudest thing I’ve ever heard. Bad to the BONE!
"A billion here, a billion there... pretty soon you're talking real money!" Sen. Everett Dirksen
Such a beautiful plane. Always loved the lines of this plane. Got to see one up close and personal selfridge air force base in Michigan. Talked to the pilot for awhile. Awesome experience.
Please cover the Snowy Mountain River scheme. So much more than just engineering.
Great idea! It was indeed mega engineering and also changed Australia into a more multi nation population mix
ALWAYS loved the B1, very happy to see a video giving this super-bomber some love... the cold-war warrior that not enough people know about. Sexiest bomber by far.
The costs of those new stealth fighters would give heart stroke to Carter.
It wasn't that bad, the F-35A now costs only about 60% of the newest F-15.
Close but like the creeping cost of these programs it gave him brain cancer.
Unnecessary planes and projects cringe. That was kind of the point of the video.
While the B-1 is impressive as hell, it’s purpose wasn’t really needed anymore, when Carter nixed it. The money spent continuing the B-1 project in the 80’s, could have been spent elsewhere, on more future oriented projects.
@@texasforever7887 Yes,the R&D was monsterus
If you read Ben Rich's autobiography (the guy in charge of Lockheed's Skunkworks while the F-117 was being developed) the reason President Carter cancelled the B-1 was to have the funding available for the stealth fighter program.
For anyone who likes Simon’s channels but hasn’t checked out Business Blaze - it’s my favorite one! It’s not at stuffy as the “business” part might indicate. Dude cuts loose. Thank you Simon!
How about a video on the A380 since its being discontinued.
IMO, the most beautiful airplane ever made. Very cool to see in person and just stare at the shape.
The sound of that plane with full afterburners is simply astonishing...😣
I was an avionics technician on B-1s in the mid 90s. It was and is an amazing aircraft.