My longest B-52G flight was about 16 hours on an ORI. Operational Readiness Inspection, multiple air refuelings with 100,000 lb onload each. Two low level routes.
Another long Buff flight during a Global Power mission. 21 ship mito from KBAD, refuel over the Gulf of Mexico, Snowtime exercise (3 ship) on McDill, back into the Gulf and another Snowtime run on Eglin FL. Still a 3 ship formation to another air refuel in OK, working west to enter low level in NM headed for the Nevada Red Flag range. Live. Weapons drop and then Celestial Navigation back to KBAB.
Longest B-1B flight, about 10-12 hours. Departed KRDR north to Canada, refuel north of Winnipeg, across Hudson Bay to the old Dew Line and turn east. In the channel between Canada and Greenland SW bound for the Canadian Air Forces to run "Bear" intercept training, around To the Gulf of Maine and entered IR27 in Maine to hit the Ashland RBS, early low level exit into central Maine and cruise back to KRDR.
My timing in both aircraft, I did not see any combat time. The Bone was NUC only during DS1, by the time DS2 started I was senior aircrew and in the Test community putting new weapons on the Bone and working system improvements training the younger crews to take into combat and come back home. Now retired I still work in the same area supporting all USAF, Navy, Marine and Coalition Air Forces, to bring them back safe.
