Another B-1 down..crap

[scottkin]

http://www.foxnews.com/story/0,2933,346610,00.html

[FlyingPhotog]

I didn't know B1s were still in service. I hope the crew made it out OK.

[B757300]

(CNN) -- A U.S. Air Force B-1 bomber caught fire Friday after a landing at al-Udeid Air Base in Qatar, U.S. military officials said.

The crew evacuated safely, the officials said.

They said the fire began while the plane was taxiing after landing about 9:10 p.m. at al-Udeid, the headquarters of U.S. military air operations for the Middle East.

Officials said the fire on the bomber was contained. A military board of inquiry has been appointed to investigate the incident, they said.

The officials said initial reports said the plane crashed at the headquarters of the U.S. military's air operations for the Middle East.

The B-1B Lancer is widely used by the U.S. military to bomb targets over Iraq and Afghanistan.

http://www.cnn.com/2008/WORLD/meast/04/04/bomber.crash/index.html

[Jet-fighters.Net]

This is the 3rd landing related incident involving the Bone in the past month.

http://www.flightglobal.com/articles/2008/04/04/222779/b-1b-bomber-catches-fire-on-runway-in-qatar.html

[uy707]

It would be too bad should the Lancer be sentanced to get on pasture.
Against -
starting with the hinges monitoring the wing sweeping, probably a lot of components requiring constant attention due to over-sophistication
For -
-two/threefold bigger "playload"
and all courtesy of high heel tri gear undercarriage
-possibly quicker turnaround between two missions
-easer to service, handle, load and unload
-probably less touchy on taxy, t/o and landing rolls

than a good old Buff