The Majestic BUFF

"From carpet bombing, to precision guided bombs, to cruise missiles, to nukes - the BUFF can do it all."

Yesterday, we visited the Air and Space Museum which is located right outside the gate of Ellsworth Air Base in Rapid City. They had many very interesting displays and mock ups inside the building. Outside of the building, were some old (and one current) war birds. It was fun to see them, as some brought back memories of my time on active duty. In particular, the good old BUFF.

The BUFF (many who served know what that term stands for) is really a B-52. The current version is the "H" version, and it is still very deadly. How long have they been around? Slightly over 60 years! That is a long, long time for any aircraft. The most amazing thing is the Air Force might have use for them going into the 2040's. That means some of these BUFFs could live to be 100!

As far as fuel is concerned, they will never meet any CAFE standards. No they are loaded to the gills with aviation fuel prior to take off. Once they reach altitude, they have used much of their fuel and need an immediate refueling from a tanker. However, once refueled, they have the ability to loiter on station, over target, for a long time. That, plus the extraordinary ability to carry lots and lots of ordnance, make this plane a "must have", even today. 

The bad news for the bad guys is simply this - if you are causing trouble anywhere in the world, we can send a B-1, B-2, B-52 or any combination thereof to take care of business. Being on the receiving end of any of these bombers could definitely ruin your day. Even thought all three platforms are quite deadly, the old BUFF is special to many war fighters. From carpet bombing, to precision guided bombs, to cruise missiles, to nukes - the BUFF can do it all.

If you are in or around Rapid City, the museum is absolutely worth a stop. You can learn about the early day history of aviation in South Dakota, or learn about how the B-1 (which are stationed at Ellsworth) impacted our wars in Iraq and Afghanistan. A bonus - it is easy to find. Right off of I-90 and clearly marked by road signs.