[Milsurplus] Wing Flexure

[Mike Morrow]

Mac wrote:

>A Boeing test crew deliberately flew on of
>the tall-tail (F model and before) into an
>area of known clear air turbulence (CAT).

I think this was the B-52H that lost its vertical stabilizer over Colorado on January 10, 1964.  There's an interesting article about it on the Boeing website at:

http://www.boeing.com/defense-space/military/b52-strat/b52_50th/story3.htm

There's some poor video of that aircraft while still in flight to be found in the last 60 seconds of the video at:

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=gGkKSk6fAvI

I remember it well, even though I was only 12 at the time.  The aircraft landed at Blytheville (Arkansas) AFB, where my Dad worked.  For many days afterwards one could see the rudderless tail of the aircraft sticking out of one of the big hangers that the 97th Wing used to service their aircraft.

Mike / KK5F