128 - Bomber Flight Test

[@Mark_Ocain]

Another home run guys! I love the 'BONE' - It works as good as it looks. A masterpiece of Cold War design and engineering. The B1 was a monster of speed and height before it was axed but the B1-B has amazing low-level chops coupled with transonic/low supersonic dash capacity to get the munitions where they need to be In a hurry. It's a column A/ column B bomber...plenty of capacity in the spirit of a B-52 heavy bomber with some of the low-level 'scoot' of an F-111. A brilliantly conceived piece of kit!

[@keithbarnes6057]

Nice job.

[@arielalvarez2766]

Great podcast as usual!!! I enjoyed a lot besides the B1 is one of my favorites aircrafts. Thanks a lot.

[@amig-2143]

Awesome!!!

[@thunderace4588]

Thank you for uploading this podcast for us.

[@FighterPilotPodcast]

👍

[@apparition13]

Y'all need to have him back to talk about the B-57G and the AMST program. I'm especially interested in how the two AMST aircraft handled, and which of the YC-14 and YC-15 he thought would have been a better service aircraft and why. More generally, test pilots talking about aircraft like the YA-9, YF-17, YF23, X-32, X-29, X-31, F-16xl, AFTI and VISTA, the F-15 SMTD, the F-18 HARV, etc. would be of interest to a lot of people. With regards to the B-57G, I believe it was the first laser designator equipped aircraft, and I wonder how effective it was in combat and the role it had in the development of LGBs and related tactics. And was it as pleasant to fly as I've been led to believe? I'm also of the opinion that had something like the B-57 been around they could have done the loitering CAS mission B-52s, B-1s and B-2s used up airframe life in the Middle East recently. Does he think (suitably modern) B-57s would have worked in that role?

[@hoghogwild]

The Bone, 6 times smaller RCS than an F-4 Phantom(6 m2) , 10 x smaller than a B-1A(10 m2), 100x smaller than a B-52(100m2)... and 84 Mk82 released over 1.7 seconds.. that's awesome. I'd love to know the model of F-111 that flew chase for the B-1B. It will top out the B-1 but the B-1 will out accelerate the F-111. The F-111F had the TF-30-P100's making 25,100 pounds thrust or 35% more than the A and E variants EDIT: Awesome show BTW!

[@kennethkatz8278]

F-111A, D, and E were used as chase planes at Edwards. The F-111F was the best model and used exclusively in USAFE.

[@chillbaby2x]

Usually you guys kick ass with editing, and getting good audio. Odd this time the guest has a better mic than the host.

[@FighterPilotPodcast]

Yep, steep learning curve. Ken recorded this one before the FB-111 episode

[@kennethkatz8278]

I noticed also 😮

[@kennethkatz8278]

@@FighterPilotPodcast Doing this podcasting stuff gives me much respect for those who do it well. Not simple.

[@ji3194]

@@kennethkatz8278 Right!? I attempted a history podcast last year and man audio is NO JOKE

[@chillbaby2x]

@@FighterPilotPodcast Oh no, learning curve issue? no worries, man. We all start somewhere. New ventures are often scary. sorry If I sounded like I was complaining.

[@JawadIsHere78]

@The Fighter Pilot Podcast Have any friends that are fighter pilots of the us marine core? If so do they have a KZbin channel?

[@FighterPilotPodcast]

Yes but none I’m aware of.

[@JawadIsHere78]

@@FighterPilotPodcast thanks for the reply!

[@jdkgcp]

Cool...but as a former news director in radio I noticed the editing. The post pretend recorded questions are obvious.... because that's not how people have a conversation naturally.

[@kennethkatz8278]

Nope Lt Col Thompson and I had several hours of conversation at a highly technical level when I was writing my book about the B-1 (to be published next year). He and I are very comfortable conversing at that level. But I was concerned that if we talked at that level, we would lose a lot of the FPP audience. So as he spoke, I made a note of the technical terms and concepts that he was using, and asked him to explain them. Not a normal conversation but I think appropriate for this podcast. Definitely did not do what you think happened.

[@genral.orlin.r7922]

I am watching this while doing finals.😅

[@FighterPilotPodcast]

Make sure you don't compromise your performance on account of our show!

[@kennethkatz8278]

Hopefully a final exam in aero engineering!