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Yesterday afternoon I was at Niagara Falls giving a foriegn visitor the usual tour. At around 1:30PM I noticed a large plane flying low and slow towards the Falls from the South. It was a B-52 at a couple of thousand feet! It circled the Falls three times, crossing over into Canadian airspace each time.

The plane was devoid of markings - no numberings, ensignia or whatever - and just the usual B-52 dark gray. It did the turns in a slow graceful bank, as if the pilot was deliberately giving a passanger "The Tour". After the three turns around the Falls the plane flew off.

I remember seeing B-52s in upstate NY in the early 60s when they (and U-2s) used to fly out of the Plattsburg AFB, but I didn't think that any were stationed in the area any more.

Has any Air Tour group bought a surplus B-52 for use as a "Tour Plane" or was this likely just a pilot who decided to give a VIP (or a girl friend) the Air View of the Falls?

Good Lord...[8|]

Niagara Falls (NF) was where i grew up - there is an airbase there, but only a refueling squadron is there (or was last time i looked).

i'd never seen a B-52 there growing up... i haven't heard my parents mention anything about it, but i know there were some air shows in the region recently (including NF) , so maybe it was one that was at one of those.

ORIGINAL: rtrapasso

Niagara Falls (NF) was where i grew up - there is an airbase there, but only a refueling squadron is there (or was last time i looked).

i'd never seen a B-52 there growing up... i haven't heard my parents mention anything about it, but i know there were some air shows in the region recently (including NF) , so maybe it was one that was at one of those.

Ah, good point! Maybe it will be flying over the Canadian National Exhibition in Toronto this coming weekend! The USAF usually has some planes in the CNE Air Show.

Thanks!

The lineup for the CNE Air Show:

http://www.cias.org/

doesn't list a B-52, but there will be plenty of other interesting planes there. (Including some WW II Corsairs!)

BTW - the plane that I saw over Niagara wasn't the C-17 that is scheduled to attend the CNE Air Show. The plane I saw had four twin jet engine pods.

So the B-52 was likely either at another nearby air show, or else the pilot was just goofing off for a passenger.

Maybe it's something to do with Cold War II  [;)]

Hi all,

ORIGINAL: Dixie

Maybe it's something to do with Cold War II  [;)]

You mean Russian's handfull of Tu-95 "Bears" and Tu-160 "Blackjacks"? [;)]


Leo "Apollo11"

ORIGINAL: Apollo11

Hi all,

ORIGINAL: Dixie

Maybe it's something to do with Cold War II [;)]

You mean Russian's handfull of Tu-95 "Bears" and Tu-160 "Blackjacks"? [;)]


Leo "Apollo11"

They've had the growbags busy recently. I told you not to trust the Commies [:-] I wonder where they're getting the money from to finance their planned expansion and current increased operations.

Just reminding Canada we can nuke them if they get out of line[:D]

ORIGINAL: RUPD3658

Just reminding Canada we can nuke them if they get out of line[:D]

blame Canada.. [:D] [:D] [:D]

ORIGINAL: Dive Bomber1

The lineup for the CNE Air Show:

http://www.cias.org/

doesn't list a B-52, but there will be plenty of other interesting planes there. (Including some WW II Corsairs!)

BTW - the plane that I saw over Niagara wasn't the C-17 that is scheduled to attend the CNE Air Show. The plane I saw had four twin jet engine pods.

So the B-52 was likely either at another nearby air show, or else the pilot was just goofing off for a passenger.

Here's the website for the NF airshow - but it was a couple of weeks ago:

http://www.thunderoverniagara.com/

and there were no B-52s listed... [:(]

i just found out there was a air show at St. Catherines Ontario (across the river and about 10-15 miles downstream of NF) scheduled for 25-26 August 2007 - but it was supposed to have been cancelled.

Also YESTERDAY (29 Aug) was the date of the Candiac Air Show in Candiac, Quebec - haven't found anything on that yet, though. However, Quebec is pretty close if you are in a B-52... [:D]

ORIGINAL: Dive Bomber1

or else the pilot was just goofing off for a passenger.

Wouldn't that be rather... costly?

*tries to imagine the gas bill of a B52...

ORIGINAL: VSWG

ORIGINAL: Dive Bomber1

or else the pilot was just goofing off for a passenger.

Wouldn't that be rather... costly?

*tries to imagine the gas bill of a B52...

Do you actually imagine the pilot or the passenger was paying for it?? [:D]

Well, someone had to pay for it - probably the taxpayer. [;)]

ORIGINAL: VSWG

Well, someone had to pay for it - probably the taxpayer. [;)]

Probably?? [:D]

I don't know why you're laughing - the joke's on you, really! Just imagine, a tiny fraction of your tax dollars went into this stunt. Now if that doesn't send you into a fit of uncontrollable rage... [:'(] [;)]

...They've had the growbags busy recently. I told you not to trust the Commies [:-] I wonder where they're getting the money from to finance their planned expansion and current increased operations. ......
 
SUpposedly it's from the increased revenue from the oil and gas...

ORIGINAL: Dixie

ORIGINAL: Apollo11

Hi all,

ORIGINAL: Dixie

Maybe it's something to do with Cold War II [;)]

You mean Russian's handfull of Tu-95 "Bears" and Tu-160 "Blackjacks"? [;)]


Leo "Apollo11"

They've had the growbags busy recently. I told you not to trust the Commies [:-] I wonder where they're getting the money from to finance their planned expansion and current increased operations.

China

Revenue from oil sales.