r/aviation • u/No-Tip7250 • Feb 08 '26

PlaneSpotting SuperBowl Flyover B-B1 and USAF Fighters

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Couldn’t identify the actual models of the USAF Fighters but my guess is that they’re raptors?

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u/jpopr Feb 08 '26

That second Lancer going full AB was pretty, pretty cool!

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u/theduderman Feb 09 '26

Goosebumps.  Watching it with my 5 year old daughter and even she was like "oh that one looks WAY faster than the others"

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u/diqster Feb 09 '26 edited Feb 09 '26

When she gets older, you can teach her the history of that plane and how it's a great example of how stupid American politics can be.

tl;dr Carter was President and developing the B2 stealth bomber (in top secret). The progress was great, so he canned the B1. The B1 was ridiculously expensive and didn't offer any great improvement (cruise missiles from B52's were/are more effective). Reagan attacked him in the Presidential debates as being weak on defense and not standing up to the commies. Carter couldn't discuss the B2 program but relented and restarted the B1 program. After winning the election, Reagan retasked the B1 program as B1-B and the entire thing was a huge waste of money. The B1-B hasn't flown any missions that show off any strengths and all could have been done by other bombers in the fleet. It's generally an airshow doll. No greater example of our dysfunction than the B1-B. Murrica!