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See the original image at af.mil —

A Very, Very Big Bird

af.mil — *****

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  • sungoddess808, on 04/10/2008, -27/+14Great photo of that huge bird! =)
    • PaulOwen, on 04/10/2008, -12/+6I expected to see a picture of Roseanne Barr or Rosie O'Donnell
    • djphatjive, on 04/10/2008, -8/+2yo
    • Gravey9, on 04/10/2008, -1/+18I'm more interested in that incredible small "bird" in the bottom left corner. Look at the comparison of the "bird" and the man next to it!
      • quadvods, on 04/10/2008, -0/+5looks like a tiny space shuttle under that white tent too...
  • edwartica, on 04/10/2008, -178/+18Its sad that a weapon of mass destruction is being viewed for pleasure.
    • drhex31, on 04/10/2008, -20/+16ashame you are so clueless. not knowing what the definition of a weapon of mass destruction is.
      • RayG68, on 04/10/2008, -19/+8which is a weapon, the gun or the bullet? napalm and other more "conventional" bombs dropped by b-52s have caused destruction on a mass scale
        • Lithpiperpilot, on 04/10/2008, -12/+8Are you really gonna argue that rhetoric? The vehicle that a weapon is delivered from is just that, the vehicle, not the weapon itself.
          • RayG68, on 04/14/2008, -0/+1ok, there you go, guns aren't weapons
        • D14BL0, on 04/10/2008, -12/+9Are YOU really gonna argue THAT rhetoric?
          • Sibre, on 04/10/2008, -3/+13Try the correct reply link next time...
        • Lithpiperpilot, on 04/10/2008, -13/+6I obviously just did, and I stand by it.
        • gta3uzi, on 04/10/2008, -3/+21Well, really, my Maxima is just a car, until I decide to go run over some babies or something, at which case it's now a 1,300kg ball of rolling metal destruction.
          • edwartica, on 04/10/2008, -9/+4Ahh, but your car was not made to kill people. These planes were manufactured with the express purpose of bombing.
          • BigLLamasHouse, on 04/10/2008, -2/+5Edwartica i hear what you're saying, but my granddad was a bomber pilot in WW 2, he actually spent 2 years in a POW camp in occupied France after being shot down, and planes like this are just really ***** cool to me. I don't agree with the Iraq war, but I do think air shows are pretty awesome. I think your protest is misplaced but your intentions are honorable. The real vehicle that drives the hammer to the shell is politics.. and more fundamentally, money. Until we (the whole world, not just the US) acknowledge that money is not the highest power on earth, there will continue to be wars. I'd prefer that we win them.
          • sovietninja, on 04/10/2008, -3/+2Ralph Nader would argue that your car was indeed made to kill people, hence his advocacy of automobile safety.
        • NoCt1, on 04/10/2008, -10/+1@ gta3uzi - Your car is a rolling metal destruction as you said not a WMD. And since that plane is still there it was not used as a weapon. It was used to drop one maybe but not as a weapon.
      • northernmunky, on 04/10/2008, -6/+18Its a shame that according to America, a WMD is only a WMD when its not an American WMD
        • edwartica, on 04/10/2008, -6/+12Very true sir. Especially since we're the only country to ever use nukes against another country.
          • amirman, on 04/10/2008, -1/+8anyone that diggs you down does so because of their guilt
          • Issius, on 04/10/2008, -5/+2Really? I did so because of you.
          • hmunkey, on 04/10/2008, -1/+1That's not a fair argument though, seeing as we developed it first and were involved in WWII at the time.
            Also, if America had launched a full-scale invasion of Japan, many more millions of Japanese would have died along with at least 1-1.5 million Americans and 1 million British troops (according to Churchill, who was always dead-on).
          • mlbman11, on 04/11/2008, -1/+1we had no choice to use the atomic bombs.
            like hmunkey said, we would have lost countless more lives if we invaded.
            I'm part Japanese, and the culture and traditions of japan are that your country comes first, to surrender is to dishonor your country. therefore, every single citizen in that country would have become an enemy.
            the Americans did the Japanese a FAVOR by using the atomic bomb instead of invading. many many more Japanese lives would have been lost, the soldiers would have no choice but to kill someone who was attacking them.
        • hippieben, on 04/10/2008, -0/+1truer words, truer words
    • tlenker, on 04/10/2008, -17/+42You idiot! It's tools like these that keep peace. It's designed to scare the hell out of nations wanting to attack us.
      • northernmunky, on 04/10/2008, -6/+16but you still use them to attack nations that haven't attacked you!
        (note: 'Al Qaeda' is not a nation)
      • edwartica, on 04/10/2008, -4/+11Last time I checked, we were not in a time of peace, but rather a time of war. So these things are obviously not doing their jobs.
        • makeitloud, on 04/10/2008, -4/+5You're focusing on the wrong thing. This bomber is sitting on the ground at an air show. Engineering a machine like that is an incredible feat, and deserves appreciation. Marvel at the accomplishment, and make sure you put the right people in charge so you never have to use it. (Stop "electing" smirking chimps who can't read, and you might see an end to that "time of war" you mentioned.)
          • edwartica, on 04/10/2008, -6/+1Firstly, I didn't vote for that idiot. In fact, not many people did - he was selected by the courts.
            Secondly, I have the feeling the world would be a better place if we took the ingenuity it took to build that thing and focussed it on trying to end world hunger, curing diseases, and the like.
          • Lithpiperpilot, on 04/11/2008, -0/+11/2 the people who voted in the 2000 election voted for bush. that's many (even though 1/2 the voters were brainwashed by the media to vote that way)
      • Nerolus, on 04/10/2008, -1/+8That is peace?
      • bluezinc, on 04/10/2008, -3/+5WAR IS PEACE!
      • OneLess, on 04/10/2008, -2/+2It sure scared Saddam Hussein into giving up without a fight before both Gulf Wars.
        • edwartica, on 04/10/2008, -0/+2But we had no business going into either war. So that essentially makes us the world's bully!
      • hippieben, on 04/10/2008, -0/+4Bleat on sheepy, Bleat on!
      • sweetholymosiah, on 04/11/2008, -0/+1There are no nations, there are only dollars.
    • northernmunky, on 04/10/2008, -32/+7I dugg you up.
      Its a shame what the Americans have become.
      • exgop, on 04/10/2008, -6/+1Better than cowardly Brits. Ya'll are a bunch of pussy's
        • lougoose, on 04/10/2008, -0/+2Would you rather have a bunch of nutjobs going to war whenever the ***** they feel like it (please ignore the relation to Iraq here...keep reading), or have a power who is sane and will try to have a peaceful solution first?
          This may get Dugg down, but you all know that it is better to have the US or Britain or Belgium in power than to have every country with equal weapons systems.
      • mlbman11, on 04/11/2008, -0/+2said the digger w/ a great britain icon...
    • ChristmasPoo, on 04/10/2008, -9/+22"America ***** YEAH!"
      • Blazers, on 04/10/2008, -1/+4bed bath and beyond, ***** yeah.
        • mlbman11, on 04/11/2008, -0/+1i hope you stayed away from that beyond section though...
          AHHHHHHHHH!!!!
          ohh heeeerrrree are the coffee mugs...
    • BigLLamasHouse, on 04/10/2008, -8/+15If we didn't have things like this, you think there would be the peace that you think you so rightly deserve? We've been attacked once by a sovereign power in over 100 years... and it's because of planes like this and the brave men who fly them. I'm sorry if you don't think thats cool. I do.
      • divrekku, on 04/10/2008, -6/+6yeah its because of our airplanes. w00t.

        NOT the two FRIGGAN OCEANS that lay between us and anyone with any real military.

        And how many sovereign powers have we attacked in the history of our country? Ask teh phillipines and Mexico what they think of our military.
        • BigLLamasHouse, on 04/10/2008, -4/+3i'm not justifying iraq in this comment. i think that war was a mistake and i did from the beginning.
          but yes, it is because of our airplanes, and warships. simply put, they are the best and no one with half a brain will argue that. how do you think an army gets across those two "FRIGGAN OCEANS"?
        • Issius, on 04/10/2008, -0/+3I'll bet they think it's scary.
        • Troy64, on 04/10/2008, -1/+2The may hate it, but they respect the hell out of it.

          By the way I think we liberated the Philippines from Japan.
          • RayG68, on 04/14/2008, -0/+1And from Spain in 1898. And by "liberate" I mean slaughter and torture much of the population.
      • edwartica, on 04/10/2008, -3/+1Again, last time I checked, we were not at peace.
        • BigLLamasHouse, on 04/10/2008, -2/+1aside from the Obama Clinton war, we pretty much are on this side of the atlantic, and have been since around 1945
          • BigLLamasHouse, on 04/10/2008, -3/+1I didn't mean to minimize the conflicts we have been in since then, Vietnam and Korea were wars, bigtime. I guess what I'm saying is I haven't heard any air raid sirens or boots stomping outside my door...
    • edwartica, on 04/10/2008, -34/+4It's also sad that I'm being dug down. I am ashamed of my country.
      • flip2trip, on 04/10/2008, -7/+11Then move out.
        • edwartica, on 04/10/2008, -9/+4How about we go back to the way our founding fathers intended things. You know, not launching unprovoked wars and stuff like that instead?
          • BigLLamasHouse, on 04/10/2008, -1/+9it would help if we didn't elect corporate scumbags and unequivocally spoiled trust fund babies to lead us... just sayin
          • edwartica, on 04/10/2008, -3/+2@BigLlamashouse

            I quite agree.
          • divrekku, on 04/10/2008, -3/+2@BigLlamashouse

            Those are the same people that got funding approved for your big spiffy aeroplanes, so I wouldn't knock them.
          • BigLLamasHouse, on 04/10/2008, -1/+2@divrekku

            we had B-52's before Bush knew what they were. and we have more than enough military power as it is... you know, as long as we don't try to occupy two countries on the other side of the world. and one for no good reason. "But we have to deal with the situation as it is now" they say. Well who made it that way?
      • Phate8263, on 04/10/2008, -4/+10And your country is ashamed of you, its all one big circle.
        • edwartica, on 04/10/2008, -5/+2Hmm, in my part of the country, most people agree with me. Maybe we should just succeed from the union altogether.
          • alk509, on 04/10/2008, -1/+3In MY part of the country, most people can spell "secede".

            Listen, I get your point, but you need to understand that while you can't separate the beauty of a technological accomplishment from the ugliness of what it's used for, most people aren't that stupid.
          • inboxnews, on 04/10/2008, -1/+1He must be from Illinois.
          • mactackle52, on 04/10/2008, -0/+1In my part of the country, we did secede. I can tell you this, if a bunch of Southerners couldn't do it, you and the Oregonians don't stand a chance.
        • SilentSource, on 04/10/2008, -0/+1Ya, that worked out real well last time too.
        • QueEsAmor, on 04/10/2008, -1/+1You mean "secede" from the union. Those schools in the south really do a bang up job.
        • BIim, on 04/10/2008, -0/+1You think he's from the south? His views are nowhere near those of most southerners. And if you look at his profile, he's from Portland, OR.
        • mactackle52, on 04/10/2008, -0/+1Hey QueEsAmor, he's not from the South, douche. He's a west coast hippie. I, on the other hand, was raised in Tennessee and did just fine, I'm at the 8th ranked university in the nation right now.
          • edwartica, on 04/10/2008, -0/+1Thanks, I've never been called a hippie before. Lol. Though don't mistake us Oregonians for those damned californiacators. :P
          • mactackle52, on 04/10/2008, -0/+1Don't worry, I've spent a little time in Oregon. You're still hippies, but a lot different than california hippies. It's pretty cool out there though, really enjoyed skiing on Mt. Hood.
    • T3hJ3hu, on 04/10/2008, -2/+5We're going to go to war whether we have giant weapons or not - it's just the nature of man. That being said, weapons like this are going to (and do right now) save the lives of our soldiers and people. There's nothin' wrong with that by my standards.
      • edwartica, on 04/10/2008, -6/+2Its also weapons like these that dropped the atomic bombs on Japan.
        • Pronoiac, on 04/10/2008, -1/+6They started it.
          • edwartica, on 04/10/2008, -8/+2Doesn't matter. We killed INNOCENT people. WE committed atrocities in WWII!
          • Pronoiac, on 04/10/2008, -1/+4lmao yes the US were the bad guys in WWII

            Well done Mr. Troll
          • edwartica, on 04/10/2008, -6/+2There are no good guys in war. War is evil. And there is NEVER an excuse for atomic weapons.
          • Issius, on 04/10/2008, -0/+5Japan was an excuse for atomic weapons. If we didn't drop it on them, we still would have made them. And we would have quite possibly destroyed much more because we wouldn't have known the outcome so we wouldn't be afraid to use them.

            Second, we killed wayyy less than an invasion would have and that was the only way to end it. So, atomic weapons were the best solution at the moment. Sure, eventually something else may have came around but we didn't have time for that while our boys were getting killed. It's called patriotism. You act in your best interests at certain points and while I agree that that can't work if you think that way ALL the time, you do have to make sure you survive before you do anything else.

            Get over yourself.
          • edwartica, on 04/10/2008, -2/+1But we killed way more civilians than an invasion would of. This is the exact definition of a WAR CRIME!
          • mlwarrior, on 04/10/2008, -1/+2By saying that we would have killed way more civilians by using atomic force, rather than a land invasion, you have officially revoked your ability to participate in this argument. ALL estimates of civilian deaths, even by the Japanese, show that there would have been no comparison in the magnitude of deaths generated by a land invasion. Just as many on the American side. The firebombing of Tokyo alone was responsible for more deaths than either atomic bomb, which would have gone on longer and longer. Also, Russia was right about to invade Japan, too. EDUCATED (key word) Japanese that I have talked to said that Japan being invaded by Russia would be way worse that any atomic bomb. They would have destroyed and occupied all parts of Japan to repay them for their brutality.

            I'll bet your one of those clueless ***** that think that Japan was the victim in the war. The Japanese were far more brutal than 10 Nazi regimes. In terms of killing numbers and brutality. The nazi death experiments are nice in comparison to live vivisections that were performed on a constant basis by Japanese doctors. Soldiers made fathers rape their daughters, then hundreds of soldiers would rape that little girl until her legs ripped apart, then they would rape holes they stabbed in her. You should look up the rape of nanking. Your a clueless, sheltered little prick, and nothing more. The Japanese got off easy from what they did, and politicians that were responsible for these atrocities were never punished like we did with the nazis. Japan got it so easy.
        • 776721, on 04/10/2008, -0/+3So which do you prefer: the hundred thousand or so Japanese casualties OR you never being born because your grandfather along with another two hundred thousand of his buddies were murdered in an invasion of the Japanese mainland?

          Of course it was a terrible decision to make but that does not mean it was one we could avoid. Due to their culture the Japanese would never have surrendered to conventional warfare. It was only because Hirohito was afraid we had a limitless supply of atomic weapons that the decision to surrender was made.
    • bigfinger, on 04/10/2008, -6/+2QQ
    • SteelCurtain08, on 04/10/2008, -8/+15What's truly a shame is that instead of someone marveling over the feat of ingenuity that is the B-52 Stratofortress, they are forced to feel guilty over internet extremists claiming that support of the US Military is the equivalent of supporting a weapon of mass destruction. While the military is certainly being used incorrectly now, machines like this are not unneccesary. These planes were extremely useful in deterring a nuclear war in the 70's and 80's.

      It is entirely uneccesary and exaggerative to claim that Americans are on a downward sprial because they think a massive airplane is cool. There are plenty of more sreious problems to focus on.
      • makeitloud, on 04/10/2008, -2/+3Amen!
      • edwartica, on 04/10/2008, -7/+2We spend our money on bombers, and not on education. I think that's something to be ashamed of!
        • 776721, on 04/10/2008, -1/+0Although I dont agree with some of your earlier statements I cannot understand why this one is being dugg down
      • BN2L, on 04/10/2008, -4/+3Machines like this bought us to the brink of nuclear war in the 70s and 80s.
        • edwartica, on 04/10/2008, -4/+2Exactly!
        • alk509, on 04/10/2008, -1/+2That is just false. Politicians and stupid governments did that, not "machines like this".
          • BuzzedMonkey, on 04/10/2008, -0/+1These machines also kept us OUT of war because they were so intimidating
        • SteelCurtain08, on 04/11/2008, -1/+3You are right, the Cold War was started by B-52s. Had the US not built them, there would have been no nuclear arms races. Damn how could I have been so foolish.
          • BN2L, on 04/11/2008, -2/+1Well I'm glad you're starting to understand. After all whether B-52, nuclear missile or tank they were all part of the Cold War arms race.
    • BN2L, on 04/10/2008, -8/+5Whether long range weapon or suicide bomber
      Wicked mind is a weapon of mass destruction
      Whether you're soar away sun or BBC 1
      Misinformation is a weapon of mass destruction
      You could a Caucasian or a poor Asian
      Racism is a weapon of mass destruction
      Whether inflation or globalization
      Fear is a weapon of mass destruction

      Whether Halliburton or Enron or anyone
      Greed is a weapon of mass destruction

      -Mass Destruction by Faithless
    • QueEsAmor, on 04/10/2008, -1/+7Looks like a plane to me.
    • HypocriteDigg, on 04/10/2008, -7/+2That's fascist America for ya.
    • KrystollMeth, on 04/10/2008, -1/+4Big plane. Cool picture. Shut the ***** up and enjoy, stop crying & turning everything into political/war oriented things.
      • BN2L, on 04/11/2008, -2/+1When you clicked on this particular reply what did you expect? Why not put your 'Wow mummy look at the big plane' in with the other naive comments and wake up to what these machines really stand for. i.e war and politics
  • ghee, on 04/10/2008, -3/+15Where and what is this event?
    • Soulbow2, on 04/10/2008, -2/+10That looks like the Sun N' Fun airshow in Lakeland, FL. I'm going on Sunday, it opened Tuesday. This airshow is the second largest in America, if not the world. The largest is in Oshkosh, Wisconsin.
    • Gravey9, on 04/10/2008, -13/+7It's called an airshow
      • Snappysnap, on 04/10/2008, -2/+18Then why is everything on the ground?
        • Dylson, on 04/10/2008, -1/+5Ground show?
        • diggrnumber1, on 04/10/2008, -2/+1they like to display large planes on the ground at airshows. i've been to one before, so i would know.
    • socalslaker, on 04/10/2008, -4/+16This is an Air Show at Barksdale AFB in Shreveport Louisiana. I would know i was the one that towed that plane to that spot while i was stationed there
      • dorkino, on 04/10/2008, -0/+6So you were stationed at Barksdale AFB when you were 16? Impressive.
        • socalslaker, on 04/10/2008, -2/+1It looked like an air show from 06, my bad!
      • lindasue, on 05/01/2008, -0/+1If you were stationed at BAFB, then you would know it's in Bossier City, not Shreveport.
    • IanPR, on 04/10/2008, -2/+4It looks like Rosie O'Donnell's custom made private jet.
      • Aidenf77, on 04/10/2008, -1/+2It still wouldn't be big enough for her ass.
  • vroom101, on 04/10/2008, -5/+841. More info about the photo from the EXIF metadata...
    Barksdale Air Force Base, Louisiana, USA -- A view looking down on the southern field of the 2003 "Defenders of Freedom" air show held on base [Barksdale Air Force Base] May 10-11 [2003]. Crowds saw two days of flying which included the U.S. Air Force Thunderbirds, U.S. Army Golden Knights and the Canadian Forces Snowbirds. U.S. Air Force photo by Master Sgt. Michael A. Kaplan.

    2. USAF Tech. Sgt. Timothy Scheaffer prepares to do engine work on "BUFF", i.e., a B-52 Stratofortress bomber, at Andersen Air Force Base, Guam, USA. Marine Cpl. Ashleigh Bryant, photographer: http://www.af.mil/shared/media/photodb/photos/0609 ... ( www.af.mil/shared/media/photodb/photos/060918-M-0040B-013.jpg )

    3. BUFF flies over Edwards AFB, California, USA...
    5590 x 4392 pixels: http://chamorrobible.org/images/photos/gpw-2005112 ...
    2280 x 2200 pixels: http://chamorrobible.org/images/photos/gpw-2005112 ...
    via photo 6 --> http://chamorrobible.org/gpw/gpw-20051129.htm

    4. Munitions on display [at Barksdale Air Force Base, Louisiana, USA] show the full capabilities of the B-52 Stratofortress. Photographer: USAF Tech. Sgt. Robert J. Horstman: http://www.af.mil/shared/media/photodb/photos/0602 ... ( www.af.mil/shared/media/photodb/photos/060202-F-6809H-100.jpg )
    • BohicaTwentyTwo, on 04/10/2008, -1/+4Big Ugly Fat, um, Fellow
    • jncojoke, on 04/10/2008, -4/+2big ugly flying F***ER, LOL at the inert weapons display
    • sodade, on 04/10/2008, -11/+2I feel as if I have stumbled on some weird fetish group that wacks off to military porn. Yeah yeah - military tech is kinda cool in a tech geek sorta way, but the reality is that this crap is the reason our taxes are so high. When is the last time we have used this military tech to do something that actually benefited the American people? Over 60 years. What a ***** waste.
      • hairywart, on 04/10/2008, -3/+0If you think it's such an F**ing waste why don't you move to a country that you think would better spend your tax money?
        You'll be glad we have it when some wack-off from another country comes to destroy your home, property, wife, children, etc...
        • sodade, on 04/10/2008, -1/+1You ***** war mongers are really just pussies at heart. Who the ***** is truly afraid that we would be invaded if we had 1/10 of the military spending that we do? ***** pussies.
          • BuzzedMonkey, on 04/10/2008, -0/+1Yah, no one is going to invade any countries because wars are not fought that way anymore.
    • fuzzlog, on 04/10/2008, -0/+3Thanks for the pictures and descriptions :)
    • vroom101, on 04/10/2008, -0/+2Question about #4 (munitions display): Can the B-52 fly with ALL those weapons at one time?
      • Zuggy, on 04/10/2008, -0/+2If I remember correctly, that would be affirmative.
        • vroom101, on 04/10/2008, -0/+1Now THAT'S scary.
        • fuzzlog, on 04/11/2008, -0/+0Just imagine if they had some problems on take-off and had no choice but crash-landing fully loaded. OUCH!!!
        • lindasue, on 05/01/2008, -0/+1If they crashed on take-off they'd land right on top of me. Those things fly right over my house 24/7. :)

          I don't even notice the noise anymore. As a matter of fact, when I went to NYC, I had trouble sleeping because it was too quiet!
    • glasnostic, on 04/10/2008, -0/+1i live in San Antonio, we see http://www.codacomsystems.com/AMARC/PictureDatabas ... C-5 Galaxy's fly over every day.
    • maliath, on 04/10/2008, -0/+1That was quite possibly the most informative comment i've ever run across on digg. Thank you.
  • luke16, on 04/10/2008, -6/+101Wheres Waldo?
  • daxsymbiont, on 04/10/2008, -40/+13that drops bombs and slaughters people.
  • LiquidIse, on 04/10/2008, -15/+9Caw !
  • mgoodson, on 04/10/2008, -6/+203am i supposed to be looking at the plane?it isn't that big..i'm still looking for some sort of giant seagull or something.
    • NoCt1, on 04/10/2008, -0/+29I know. I was expecting to see Big Bird flying around or something. Not a plane sitting there.
      • Dylson, on 04/10/2008, -0/+6I was expecting to find something amazing, and then ***** bricks.
    • hairywart, on 04/10/2008, -2/+1Ya'll didn't see the bird?
    • WNW3, on 04/10/2008, -1/+4The bird is a lie!
    • Seiken, on 04/10/2008, -0/+3I think you're supposed to stare at it until you ***** brix.
  • D14BL0, on 04/10/2008, -7/+213It's not that big. I mean, yeah, it's an airplane, but it's not big for plane standards, really.
  • Lithpiperpilot, on 04/10/2008, -10/+25It doesn't seem so big, until you look at the P-51 in the bottom left of the picture!
    • Lithpiperpilot, on 04/10/2008, -1/+9I think I need more sleep, as that obviously isn't a plane... digg me down.
      • Spuy767, on 04/10/2008, -0/+3Don't feel bad, had to do a double take.
    • Arisian, on 04/10/2008, -0/+28
      • Troy64, on 04/10/2008, -0/+1There is a real P-51 in the upper right hand corner.
    • mikasaur, on 04/10/2008, -1/+9I can't tell if you're joking or if you really didn't see that the P-51 is obviously a scale model.
    • awakenall, on 04/10/2008, -1/+11...and, just above the P51 is the space shuttle. The bird is getting bigger and bigger.
      • kaplanfx, on 04/11/2008, -0/+1Wow, I just LOL'd, alone in my room, full out noisy laugh, thanks...
    • yayster, on 04/10/2008, -0/+1What about the space shuttle that is the lower left?
  • Troyjinman, on 04/10/2008, -15/+108ok...um...its a plane...so? how is this making front page?
    • NoCt1, on 04/10/2008, -2/+1The less words now days get you further on digg.
    • cyberdork, on 04/10/2008, -2/+11Because nowadays most 15 year old boys get hardons when they see anything military or weapons related...
      • edwartica, on 04/10/2008, -7/+2We're training our children that its ok to kill!
    • tim620, on 04/10/2008, -7/+3So do boys who are almost 40 years old :-)
    • purzzzell, on 04/10/2008, -1/+4it's a "top submitter" - note he has mrbabyman in his "mutual friends" and has submitted 800 articles...
      • WNW3, on 04/10/2008, -1/+2Well if that is why, that is total crap.
    • SetecAstronomy, on 04/10/2008, -1/+0At least it's a slight change of pace from the daily APOD spam.
  • lirem, on 04/10/2008, -2/+23Why is this in Political News?
    • D14BL0, on 04/10/2008, -3/+19Because this is a pitiful submission and got frontpaged for no real reason.
    • dtele, on 04/10/2008, -0/+2I guess it's a political theme - I mean, who's going to argue with someone who is waving one of them around ?
      • edwartica, on 04/10/2008, -0/+3Maybe that guy who stood up to the tanks in China.
    • dorkino, on 04/10/2008, -1/+2Because if you aren't from here, that plane will eventually bomb the ***** out of your country.
  • ShoGinn, on 04/10/2008, -2/+17And to think its only 48 years old.
    • SuperVepr308, on 04/10/2008, -1/+6And still kicking ass.
      • Spuy767, on 04/10/2008, -2/+2Humbling to think that a single GE90 turbine engine produces more thrust than all eight of the B-52's engines combined.
    • spidrw, on 04/10/2008, -1/+3And will be for another 32 years - effing amazing
    • Dylson, on 04/10/2008, -1/+1This plane.
    • bigfinger, on 04/10/2008, -0/+2I'd bang a 48 year old
  • DemonTPx, on 04/10/2008, -5/+0When I saw the picture, I was expecting to be rick-rolled
  • mikasaur, on 04/10/2008, -6/+244Buried for being inaccurate. This is a big bird
    http://jaywa.kaywa.com/files/images/2005/6/mob152_ ...
  • Arisian, on 04/10/2008, -4/+12
    • mahdaeng, on 04/10/2008, -0/+1It's a bird! No, it's a plane!. No, it's.....
    • danteserotica, on 04/10/2008, -0/+1Its a plane, its a bird, No! It's...
    • Samsong, on 04/10/2008, -0/+2No it's plane is, bird it's, it's No!
  • stinger666, on 04/10/2008, -10/+5Lame
  • Sysprod, on 04/10/2008, -0/+9Forget the bomber! It's not everyday you get to see one of the last, functioning, Super Constellation's (upper right, TWA plane)

    There's one here at the hangar I am at, getting restored for a museum. Amazingly strange aircraft...
    • vroom101, on 04/10/2008, -0/+3Yes I noticed the TWA plane too -- pretty cool. Is that a U-2 reconnaissance and surveillance aircraft nearby?
      • splatterboy, on 04/10/2008, -0/+3next to a 117 stealth, a real P-51, T-6, Zero and P-39... Another neat one is the B-25 right in front of the Constellation
    • NormalVisual, on 04/10/2008, -0/+1yeah, I was like "oooh - nice Super Connie!". There's a local flight museum here owned by Kermit Weeks that actually has one in flying condition, along with a bunch of other great toys.
  • notahack, on 04/10/2008, -2/+6I grew up 40 miles south of Barksdale in the country. As a boy I loved looking at those BUFs that were constantly in the sky. Vietnam was in full swing and I guess they trained a lot then. Usually they were silver and on a crisp day looked like pretty toys suspended in a crystal blue medium.

    Someone commented on the mustang being so tiny. I think that is more an artifact of the fisheye lense used in the photo. The mustang is not big but a lot bigger than that. Looks like Jame Bond's Bee.
    • Vorin, on 04/10/2008, -0/+2it's not a full-sized p-51, it's a toy replica. look at the other one right above it under the tent.
  • T8erT0T, on 04/10/2008, -3/+29Lord Xenu's starship.
  • Zoltair, on 04/10/2008, -2/+7I've seen bigger.......
  • nimbletimble, on 04/10/2008, -1/+3There is no stopping in the blue zone!
  • alokrsx, on 04/10/2008, -3/+2server down :(
  • CasaMan, on 04/10/2008, -1/+2Look at that tiny bird in the lower left corner.. So cute..
  • Harbinger1080, on 04/10/2008, -2/+15You know, I understand the science behind airfoils and how planes stay in the air... but it still blows my mind that something so damned big can stay in the sky.
    • arjung, on 04/10/2008, -3/+1does it also amaze you that the moon stays in the sky?
      • Harbinger1080, on 04/13/2008, -0/+0yes.

        the world is 6,000 years old, tops.

        /sarcasm.
    • danteserotica, on 04/10/2008, -2/+1the moon is IN the sky? I thought it was painted on!!!!
  • DeadMeatUK, on 04/10/2008, -1/+4I fly on bigger birds to go on holiday
  • Axeman2063, on 04/10/2008, -1/+7Antonov 225 was bigger:D:D
  • Doopdoop, on 04/10/2008, -5/+0Holy ***** - thats quite huge. (thats what she said - in opposite world) :(
  • psin2005, on 04/10/2008, -2/+2i dont see it
  • thailand1972, on 04/10/2008, -3/+1Server ***** its bricks when it saw Digg
  • maybach, on 04/10/2008, -4/+3Perfectly designed for killing people from great heights
  • danielinvermont, on 04/10/2008, -1/+12This is a B-52, isn't a C-5 actually bigger?
    • tim620, on 04/10/2008, -0/+6Yeah, the C5 is bigger. Although the caption says "A very, very big bird", it doesn't say "the biggest bird". :-)
      Both are very cool aircraft that have been in the air for many years and still going strong.
      • NDfan0788, on 04/10/2008, -0/+2C5's are loud as *****, They are constantly flying over my school. It's amazing because since they are so big, it seems like they are barely moving in the air, then you hear the engines.
        • thestaton, on 04/11/2008, -0/+2They are currently undergoing an engine modification, so they'll be whisper quiet like the 747's.
    • edwartica, on 04/10/2008, -0/+7I thought THIS was a b-52 (actually, a few of them)
      http://newsimg.bbc.co.uk/media/images/44015000/jpg ...
      • fotbr, on 04/10/2008, -1/+1To borrow a description of Michael Bolton, they're just no talent ass clowns.
  • Jwoey, on 04/10/2008, -1/+11Definitely the least interesting front-pager i've ever seen
  • Xansas, on 04/10/2008, -1/+5This is the biggest 'bird' in the world; http://py.praveenyadav.googlepages.com/AirbusA380. ...
  • v2plus15, on 04/10/2008, -1/+2Do you youngsters know what BUFF stands for? Hint, it's a acronym for the B-52.
    • Xanrez, on 04/10/2008, -0/+2Big Ugly Fat ***** _or_ BIg Ugly Flying ***** ...ex BUFF crew chief. Mine was Balls-20.
    • Nesto, on 04/10/2008, -0/+1Whenever someone mentions the BUFF on camera it becomes Big Ugly Flying Fellow... always chuckle at that
  • classicsky, on 04/10/2008, -2/+1http://images.businessweek.com/ss/06/08/worlds_big ... That is a big "bird"
  • Xansas, on 04/10/2008, -1/+6*EDIT: http://py.praveenyadav.googlepages.com/AN225_beaut ...
  • megaton, on 04/10/2008, -1/+1When you see it, you'll ***** bricks.
    • schmuckle, on 04/10/2008, -0/+3The bottom right of the picture is where you should ***** bricks, if any brick ***** occurs.
  • zomgz, on 04/10/2008, -3/+3another big bird: http://www.waynebesen.com/Big%20Bird.jpg
  • nycmac247, on 04/10/2008, -1/+2Cans I run on french fry oil?
  • EvoPsy, on 04/10/2008, -1/+3Alright, wtf is that lady doing kickin it under the wing. "Hey guys, lets go have a picnic! Here's some shade."
  • Farceur318, on 04/10/2008, -2/+5Oh my god, a plane?! I've never seen one of those before! Thanks digg!
  • baconz, on 04/10/2008, -1/+2Anyone else see the couple of Oompa Loompas?!?
  • sadGuru, on 04/10/2008, -1/+7I was expecting a Chernobyl parrot.
  • Slagtits, on 04/10/2008, -1/+1It wasn't that big.........didn't even fill my screen!
  • dpraedan, on 04/10/2008, -1/+2C-17 < C-5 < An 225
    • thestaton, on 04/10/2008, -0/+1couldn't have said it any better.
  • MorfiusX, on 04/10/2008, -0/+4The C5 is bigger. We happen to have about 10 of them stationed at the base about 5 miles away. It's amazing to see a flying brick.
    http://www.air-and-space.com/galaxy.htm
    • fwertz, on 04/10/2008, -0/+2You probably didn't see, but this plane was on the show "Ghost Hunters" when they investigated an Air Force base in Ohio. The third day they were on the base they gave them a tour of the plane, it's pretty incredible. I forget the maxpayload, but I think they mentioned around 100,000 tons, +73 passengers. And that the cockpit is 4 stories off the ground. Crazy.
      • thestaton, on 04/10/2008, -0/+2Max take off is over a million pounds, but requires immediate aerial refueling. Max passengers during normal ops is 73.
        Best job in the Air Force :)
        • jserio, on 04/10/2008, -0/+1Does it take off fully fueled though?
        • thestaton, on 04/11/2008, -0/+1Under wartime ops, the average take off weight is 700K with max fuel. However, during a scenario where the max take off is over a million pounds, then you are taking off with a minimum amount of fuel.
      • MorfiusX, on 04/10/2008, -0/+2I live about 5 miles from Wright Paterson AFB, the one featured in the show. Funny enough, my wife was flipping through the channels last night and saw the show. I play softball about 300 or so yards from them. It's crazy to watch them do touch and goes. You think "There no way something that big can be flying that slowly". It's not that they fly slow, it's that they are so big they look like they are going slow. If you are every in the area, check out the Air Force Museum. They have a B2, a F-117, etc. They also have one of the planes in the pic.
        • fotbr, on 04/10/2008, -0/+1And it (the B-52) is indoors too!

          Have they finished their expansions and gotten everything in out of the weather yet? And any plans to move the experimental and presidential displays from "on base" to the museum proper so people don't have to deal with the bus ride?
    • elint6, on 04/10/2008, -2/+1I think this is a C-5
    • videographer, on 04/10/2008, -0/+1It's even more amazing to fly in a flying brick. I got to sit jumpseat in a C5-B once - it feels like it's doing about 17 MPH when it lifts off.
    • finista, on 04/10/2008, -0/+1http://www.flickr.com/photos/vladkuz/1099527571/si ...
      C5 Galaxy, Abbotsford Airshow, 2007
    • baronvonrolo, on 04/10/2008, -0/+2I love the fact they still camouflage them.

      "Where is that noise coming from??"
      "Well it certainly can't be that floating patch of trees"
  • michael43, on 04/10/2008, -1/+3Look under the tip of the port wing, is that a naked person?
    • sovietninja, on 04/10/2008, -0/+2Now we know what Dick Cheney was looking at.
  • greensuit, on 04/10/2008, -2/+7It is only 185 feet wingtip to wingtip. I spent over 10,000 hours (flying) couped up inside these B52-H models. I hated every minute of it and could not wait to get out of SAC. It is the worst flying aircraft in the world. Take a close look at this bird and you will see it is maintained much better by the AF Reserves in Barksdale than it was ever maintained by the active duty AF. The people that fly and maintain them are real heroes and I salute them all.
    • vanguardanon, on 04/10/2008, -3/+5I'll probably get buried for this but holy smokes, is everybody a hero now? First the firefighters were heroes. The the guys that deliver the mail were heroes. Then every single soldier and contractor oversees was a hero. Now people in the national guard maintaining airplanes are heroes. Here's my definition.

      If you knowing put your own life in grave danger to save another you are a hero. If you do it in war you are a war hero. That's it. You're not a hero for fixing helicopters in the green zone. You're not a hero for rushing into a building when the curtains are on fire. You're not a hero for delivering the mail.

      I used to be a lifeguard on the ocean (baywatch without the women). Over 4 years I saved about 130 people. Am I a hero? Not even close. I have several swimming records from high school and college. I've surfed hurricanes from the time I was 12 years old. My worst case scenario was losing the victim, I wasn't in much danger personally. To be personally in danger it would have to be a fast moving flash flood type of rescue therefore I am not a hero.

      Anyway, let's raise the bar for all this hero talk, it's getting ridiculous.
      • NDfan0788, on 04/10/2008, -1/+2A hero kills people, people that wish him harm. A hero is part human and part supernatural. A hero is born out of a childhood trauma, or out of a disaster, that must be avenged.
      • diggit83, on 04/10/2008, -0/+1Pretty crazy that I have said almost this exact same thing.....same background.. Grew up in Florida, amazing swimmer, lifeguarded (2 years not 4)

        Never considered myself a hero for doing the job I signed up for.

        To me, a hero is one who goes beyond just the call of duty adding more risk than he originally signed up for to save someone(Or die trying)
    • socalslaker, on 04/10/2008, -0/+4Not to hate on you greensuit but aircraft 60-011 (the one in the pic) was maintained by active duty, it is one of the planes i was a crew chief on when i was at barksdale. However thank you for the salute, sir.
      • haxymanz, on 04/10/2008, -1/+1yeah b52's at barksdale are maintained by active duty newb
    • stix213, on 04/14/2008, -0/+1I suppose when a plane is that old (~50 years) and still in service it probably isn't going to be anyone's favorite.
  • fwertz, on 04/10/2008, -1/+8Ze plane! Ze plane!
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