Yea, using a BUFF to transport cargo is not usually done, but it was OK and safe, of course.
When we flew a D model BUFF from Guam to Wichita, KS, 2 Jan '73 (returning from 6 months temporary duty flying bombing missions to Vietnam), we had a "cargo" rack in part of the expansive bomb bay to haul all of our baggage plus "contraband" such as coupla motorcycles, microwave ovens, stereos, etc., we had purchased in Japan, Thailand, Guam Base Exchange, etc. We brought a very light load compared to some crews. I had "threatened" to put a Datsun 240Z in there. Customs official met us at Wichita, and everything was properly declared, of course. ;<))) Wilton ----- Original Message ----- From: "Bill R" <[EMAIL PROTECTED]> To: "'Mercedes Discussion List'" <mercedes@okiebenz.com> Sent: Saturday, December 06, 2008 7:24 PM Subject: Re: [MBZ] OT - BUFF stuff for Ed > Wilton, you do realize that for some of us - ok, me - the idea of you > transporting cargo in the buff was sort of interesting. Your story was good > also. > BillR > > -----Original Message----- > From: [EMAIL PROTECTED] [mailto:[EMAIL PROTECTED] > On Behalf Of Wilton Strickland > Sent: Saturday, December 06, 2008 3:56 PM > To: Mercedes Discussion List > Subject: Re: [MBZ] OT - BUFF stuff for Ed > > 'Planning to use the remaining H models on into the 2040's. > > BTW, that large open area in the BUFF aft fuselage wasn't really meant to > haul cargo (no proper floor), but it could hold a bunch. Access hatch in > the belly sorta small - maybe 3 feet by 3 feet or less. > > Wilton > > ----- Original Message ----- > From: "E M" <[EMAIL PROTECTED]> > To: "Mercedes Discussion List" <mercedes@okiebenz.com> > Sent: Saturday, December 06, 2008 3:47 PM > Subject: Re: [MBZ] OT - BUFF stuff for Ed > > > > Great story Wilton! The BUFF really is the evergreen bomber, and a pretty > > good cargo plane too from the sounds of it. > > > > I have a site bookmarked that features pictures submitted by members of > > various planes. Lots of pics of BUFFs on there too. Always sad to see > one > > being parted out, or scrapped. As far as operational costs go, the BUFF > is > > probably pretty cheap. Do you see a similar design coming one day to > > replace it, or will the current fleet continue on for several more > decades? > > > > Thanks for the stories Wilton. > > > > Ed > > 300E > > > > 2008/12/6 Wilton Strickland <[EMAIL PROTECTED]> > > > > > MOVING IN THE BUFF by Wilton Strickland > > > > > > Several weeks after I arrived here at Seymour Johnson AFB, NC, I learned > > > that one of our crews was going to deliver a B-52G from our unit to > Edwards > > > AFB, CA, for a test crew there to fly a couple of times with ALCM's (Air > > > Launched Cruise Missiles) during a weekend as part of the missile > > > development program. My wife and two sons were still living in a little > > > mountain village of Wrightwood about 45 minutes from Edwards. We had > moved > > > there while I was a Civil Engineer at George AFB and just before I went > to > > > Greenland for a year. I wangled my way onto the flight to visit my > family > > > for a couple of days. > > > > > > SWMBO, Alice, picked me up at Edwards upon my arrival there on Friday > > > afternoon and dropped me off there for the flight back to Seymour on > Sunday > > > afternoon. Because I was beginning to build a house here in North > > > Carolina, > > > I needed some of my tools and equipment from our home in California. I > > > brought several of those things back to NC with me in the BUFF: a long > > > aluminum extension ladder, a six-foot wooden step ladder, a radial arm > saw, > > > a gas-driven rotary lawn mower (fuel tank was drained and vented), > several > > > boxes of assorted tools and lots of "stuff." > > > > > > To take my stuff out to the airplane at Edwards, we loaded it and the > rest > > > of the crew's baggage aboard an Air Force Suburban driven by the Edwards > > > crew. The long extension ladder was laid across the tops of the seats > and > > > the dashboard for the short trip onto the flightline. One end of the > > > ladder > > > was touching the windshield; the other end was protruding slightly from > the > > > rear of the vehicle. We warned all the guys on both crews, Edwards and > > > ours, "Don't close the rear doors. You may break the windshield by > shoving > > > the ladder into it." Sure enough, the last one of our crewmen to put > his > > > baggage on the vehicle tried to close the rear doors, cracking the > > > windshield, of course. 'Don't know how the Edwards crew explained the > > > cracked windshield when they turned in the vehicle. > > > > > > All of this stuff went very easily into the large open and unpressurized > > > area in the aft fuselage behind the aft main gear. All of it was > strapped > > > down very well and presented no problem at all for the BUFF. I could > have > > > brought back a lot more, but I was a bit shy to appear to be moving my > > > entire household in the BUFF. > > > > > > We sold the California house a couple of months later, Alice and the > boys > > > drove to North Carolina to join me, and the rest of my stuff was moved > in > > > the conventional manner by van. > > > > > > Wilton > > > > > > > > > _______________________________________ > > > http://www.okiebenz.com > > > For new and used parts go to www.okiebenz.com > > > To search list archives http://www.okiebenz.com/archive/ > > > > > > To Unsubscribe or change delivery options go to: > > > http://okiebenz.com/mailman/listinfo/mercedes_okiebenz.com > > > > > _______________________________________ > > http://www.okiebenz.com > > For new and used parts go to www.okiebenz.com > > To search list archives http://www.okiebenz.com/archive/ > > > > To Unsubscribe or change delivery options go to: > > http://okiebenz.com/mailman/listinfo/mercedes_okiebenz.com > > > _______________________________________ > http://www.okiebenz.com > For new and used parts go to www.okiebenz.com > To search list archives http://www.okiebenz.com/archive/ > > To Unsubscribe or change delivery options go to: > http://okiebenz.com/mailman/listinfo/mercedes_okiebenz.com > > > _______________________________________ > http://www.okiebenz.com > For new and used parts go to www.okiebenz.com > To search list archives http://www.okiebenz.com/archive/ > > To Unsubscribe or change delivery options go to: > http://okiebenz.com/mailman/listinfo/mercedes_okiebenz.com _______________________________________ http://www.okiebenz.com For new and used parts go to www.okiebenz.com To search list archives http://www.okiebenz.com/archive/ To Unsubscribe or change delivery options go to: http://okiebenz.com/mailman/listinfo/mercedes_okiebenz.com
