Planelopnik: Minimun Interval Take Off

"Viggen" (viggen37) 07/20/2014 at 15:53 • Filed to: planelopnik, b-52 stratofortress, kc-135 stratotanker, cold war

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Details and videos after the smoky, water injected jump.

Otherwise known as MITO. During the Cold War, the US Air Force's Strategic Air Command developed the MITO Departure for scrambling as many strategic bombers and tankers into the air as fast as possible should the Cold War have gone hot. Why would you have to do this? The Soviets had at least one nuclear warhead aimed at each Air Force Base that was operated by SAC.

The sort of thing is inherently dangerous, but the elite flight crews of SAC practiced this procedure routinely, not just when the dreaded KC-135 filled with inspectors came to do the readiness inspections. After conducting a cart start, which jump starts the engines, the iconic elephant walk taxi procedure to the runway begins. Taking off immediately after another aircraft, turbulent air and thick black smoke from the Pratt & Whitney J57's water injection would hamper your departure. To get around this, a target time of 15 seconds between launches was the standard held. As soon as the aircraft in front of you began to roll, count down to 15 and start your takeoff.

Today, MITO is still practiced, by the US Air Force's Global Strike Command. A safer, longer time window is practiced and the water injection J57s are long gone. The B-52H uses Pratt & Whitney TF33s and the KC-135R uses CFM56s. The mission and the goal remain the same though.

As promised, here are some videos of MITO Departures. Two from the 1980s, and one from the present.

JACU - I've got bonifides. > Viggen 07/20/2014 at 16:40

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Where was the footage of present one taken?

JACU - I've got bonifides. > Viggen 07/20/2014 at 16:41

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Never mind. Minot. I live very near Barksdale.

McMike > Viggen 07/20/2014 at 16:57

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I witnessed several scrambles at Minot (back in the early 80s)

If they were scheduled when I wasn't at school, Dad would take me down to the end of the flight line, and we would watch them all take off.

I thought it was OMGFUCKINGAWESOME

McMike > Viggen 07/20/2014 at 16:58

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Meanwhile, 50 miles north, the sounds of a Minuteman alert is .....

user314 > Viggen 07/20/2014 at 17:26

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BUFFs rollin' coal before it was popular.

Viggen > McMike 07/20/2014 at 18:47

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I suppose I could start nukelopnik write ups...

f86sabre > Viggen 07/20/2014 at 21:04

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When you absolutely, positively, have to nuke something right now.

VolksytheBug > Viggen 07/20/2014 at 22:27

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Man, can you imagine being one of the guys that was left on the base when the planes took off, just knowing that a Russian nuke was on its way and that you were going to die within minutes?