Bah. They just ripped off the B-1B Lancer and made it a little bigger. I’ll take the original to a knockoff.
You might wanna call 'em REMFs, wog don’t mean what you appear to think it means. =P
Blasphemy. The Tu-160 blows the doors right off the B-1 in almost every category – double the combat radius, more internal capacity, top speed 0.75 Mach higher at altitude. Plus it just LOOKS better.
Frankly, it just keeps up the tradition of the top-end Soviet aviation being vastly superior to the similar US/NATO gear, except that the Soviets could only afford a few of their top-end platforms.
Remember the B1-B is a downgraded version of the B1-A. Partly to reduce costs and partly to fill a different role (although not sure if this was just a way to make the downgrade look better).
The B1-A was meant to be supersonic, the B1-B not so. Presumably the B1-B had some modifications which reduced the RCS so it would go low and slow(er) to penetrate rather than high and fast.
Anyway, while the Tu-160 probably still had “bigger” specs than the B1-A it is not quite fair to compare it to the B1-B.
Well, it’s a fair comparison because they’re both actual production aircraft in roughly the same role. The B-1B is kind of a mess, unfortunately. The end result of mid program mission changes, budget cuts, compromises, etc.
B-2 Spirit, baby. That’s where it’s at.
The B-52 does the trick for me. She’s getting old, but she can still carry the load.
After having flown in a B-17 and B-25 I’d have to say those are my favorite two.
The whole experience of meeting the surviving Doolittle Raiders and attending the Goblet Ceremony was incredibly moving. The B-25 immediately captured my heart after that. And I learned a new respect for the crews who flew in those tin cans with flak popping all around them.
The B-17 is like a Harley in the skies. Classic, majestic, all-American.
Yeah, but Boeing isn’t still trying to sell B-17s.
“Fair”? This is a “coolest” thread. That’s like sayin’ Fonzie should lose his leather jacket to be fair because they didn’t have 'em in The Great Gatsby’s time or something. 