Rocky, I was at Castle AFB California where rookie BUF pilots learned to fly them. Taking a guy fresh out of a T-38 and putting him into a BUF made for some interesting takeoffs, and even more dramatic landings. Ever seen anybody land a BUF one gear at a time- - - - -including the wingtip protectors? I could always tell when the IP was at the controls- - - -they greased it in with no drama at all!
Twas the summer of '73 I was on a B-5 stand inspecting the boom nozzle of a tanker during a postflight inspection. A BUFF has taxied to the far end of the runway preparing for takeoff. Making the turn onto the active runway too fast the right wingtip smacked the runway so hard that it broke the tip gear which caused it to bend outward rupturing the tip tank. The tank contacted the runway which lit the fuel running out of the tank and started the wing tip on fire. The pilot taxied the aircraft to the departure end (closer to the fire department), shut down the engines. Next thing I know the hatch drops open and the flight crew jump out and they're halling a$$ upwind. Firefighters put the fire out, eventually Boeing brought in a wing tip to replace the damaged one. So went my baptism on a broken arrow...
