The United States Air force has reactivated a B52H from the “boneyard” at Davis-Monthan Air Force Base. The plane will replace one that was destroyed in a crash three years.
A B-52H Nicknamed “Wise Guy” Becomes The Second To Ever Come Back From The Bone Yard
For only the second time in U.S. Air Force history, the service has brought a B-52H Stratofortress bomber out of storage Boneyard at Davis-Monthan Air Force Base in Arizona and delivered it to an operational unit. The aircraft, with the serial number 60-0034 and nicknamed Wise Guy, touched down at Barksdale Air Force Base in Louisiana earlier today, where it will join the 307th Bomb Wing, the only bomb wing in the Air Force Reserve.
The entire story is well worth reading. The last B52H left the factory in October of 1962, ironically in the midst of the Cuban Missile Crisis.
The first B52H to be reactivated was “Ghost Rider” in 2016. It too was brought back to replace a plane that had been damaged.
B-52H resurrected from the ‘boneyard’ to re-enter service
A B-52H bomber named “Ghost Rider” is back from the dead.
The bomber was sitting in the “boneyard” at Davis-Monthan Air Force Base, Arizona, when it was selected to replace another B-52 that was damaged in a fire, said Maj. Phillip Ventura, spokesman for the 2nd Bomb Wing.
On Jan. 28, 2014, two airmen suffered minor injuries when an oxygen leak caused a fire on a B-52H, which was undergoing routine maintenance, Ventura said in an email Thursday to Air Force Times. Although the plane was not destroyed, repairing the damage was deemed to be too costly.
I have to wonder if the plane just happened to be the next one up for reactivation or if someone thought that the name was cool.
It’s good to see that surplus planes are being kept ready to return to service if that should ever become necessary.
Of course, this is also an excuse to stick a music video in a post. Note the only thing these two items have in common is the name.
I can’t remember if you’ve been to the boneyard, but if you make a trip to AZ, my son and I will happily accompany you.
I didn’t get there last time. If I manage to get out that way again, I’ll make sure to let you know.