B-52D @ March AFB

Doing some radar pattern work on a nice afternoon back in November 1980.

[@michaelquillen2679]

The D model...what I grew up with at Glasgow AFB.

[@Skyes9]

Wow, hard to believe these legendary Tall Tail'd BUFFs were once smoking up the GCA pattern! Amazing history catch here Dan...the quality for 1980 is amazing as well, truly!

[@Contrajoe]

I've seen video shot in the 2010s that isn't nearly this good of quality! wow!

[@RMB42]

I thought the same thing. At first I was wondering where there was still a "Dog" model BUFF flying because this footage looks so recent. Most video cameras in those days were crappy and all of them godawful expensive.

[@neighbor18]

Bring back the D-F models, classic

[@rayheatley9910]

I worked on those from 66 to 69. Most of us old engine mechanics will never forget the old BUFF. We watched nine of them take off almost every night from U-Tapao in 68.

[@BigSarge623]

March AFB was my first base out of tech school in 1980. I was stationed there from Feb 1980 to July 1982. Thanks for posting, brings back lots of memories. Used to watch the B-52's doing their touch and goes daily on the flightline as I performed my duties as an Air Transportation Specialist. We would be loading cargo on the KC-135s stationed there as these big buffs were screaming by a few hundred feet off the runway to our left.

[@RMB42]

You and I were there at the same time. I did time on both 135s and BUFFs in my SAC days, including D's in the old 22nd BW. I moved back to that area after retirement and still live in SoCal. MoVal sure has changed in the last 40 years.

[@BigSarge623]

@@RMB42 I was in the 22nd Transportation Sq. I lived in what use to be Sunnymead on Postal Ave. And yeah, I went back to Mo Val to visit a friend recently and the area is completely unrecognizable.

[@kqr573v2]

@@BigSarge623 Except for the hills and mountains. Those never change, and you can actually now see them from MAFB even in the summer (usually). It's much less smoggy than it was 40 years ago. The air in the IE tended to be yellow in the '80s especially in the summer. I was gone from the area from '88 to '06 and never even visited during that eighteen year span, but then I retired in '06 and had much more time to travel. Between '06 and '17 I came from back East to visit SoCal maybe ten times before moving back to stay in '17. Living here in the '80s ruined me for ever again being able to tolerate Midwestern cold. It's been interesting seeing the changes over the years. During my visit in the summer of '06 Arnold Heights was being torn down to make way for the big industrial park, and in '11 (I think) the old base hospital was being town down. Two of my sons were born there. Some things have changed so much since the '80s they're unrecognizable, while other are not much different at all. The house my family rented down in Riverside while on the base housing waiting list is not only still there, it's still the same color it was 40 years ago. Of course, what used to be "Scummymead" and Edgemont has changed a ton. So much more traffic now.

[@BigSarge623]

@@RMB42 You got that right. So much change. I've been back several times and hardly recognize the area. I did live on Postal Ave in the old Sunnymead. My ex was from Edgemont and went to MoVal High School. I remember when all the immediate area around the base was open farm land.

[@MrErictyrones]

Brings back memories my Daddy was an E6 POL March AFB 1973-77 I stared Kindergarten on the base. Wow I remember the BUFFs and the KC-135s too to this day. Damn I miss my Pops 25 years USAF.

[@airshowkg]

Nice footage! Splendid job as keeping these footage as if it was shot yesterday.

[@flyworldwide8961]

My hometown Sunnymead Ca. Wow! I love it. The KC-10s came around 81 to replace this great aircraft, what a good time it was back then. Good job.

[@flyworldwide8961]

Awesome! Class of 86, Go Vikings.

[@johngiannamore3968]

I worked on d and g models what a plane the last ones came off the assembly line in 1962 the b-52h

[@trainsplanes6517]

approach at 2:39 is flaps up...

[@PlanesAndGames732]

What camera was used? Truly 16K... For 1980!

[@geraldmorain3166]

20 million rivets flying in close formation

[@geraldmorain3166]

Let's hope not vanity

[@MOAONAABE]

those are no flaps fly bys. when they go slow it looks like they will stall

[@RMB42]

Looks like only the approach with the high AOA starting at :45 was a no flap, and the rest were flaps down.

[@Maddog3806]

The Buff crews were required to do a no flap landing for proficiency. A no flap approach required a full stop landing.

[@geraldmorain3166]

The airframe is gone but she scars now and forward with h models this is what you elect ,purpose built ,who ,do you ,want ,in control,of your future,,?

[@geraldmorain3166]

WHY