Article Type: Review
Article Date: August 01, 2002
CNN Presents War Birds
It’s common knowledge that CNN is one of the major all-news networks people rely on for televised information. CNN’s banner is almost synonymous with 24-hour news coverage, but if you’ve never spent time with the channel outside of major events, you may want to start. CNN’s special programs include a feature called CNN Presents, and this week the show highlights matters of interest to COMBATSIM.COM readers.
On Saturday July 27, through Monday July 29, CNN ran a report titled “War Birds” that looked at the F/A-18E Super Hornet and the venerable Boeing B-52 Stratofortress. I did not find out about “War Birds” until late in its airing or I would have tried to get the word out to COMBATSIM.COM readers sooner. However, check your local schedules because CNN may possibly run this feature again. CNN also has companion material available on their web page.
Most aviation fans usually think of the Discovery Channel when it comes to special aviation shows, thanks to the Discovery Channel’s long association with the “Wings” series. “Wings” episodes tended to be elegant compositions of classic aviation footage, photos, computer graphics, and interludes with real pilots. “War Birds” was different, and followed the experience of CNN correspondent Frank Buckley as he interviewed pilots and took a ride in the Super Hornet (lucky guy!). The approach is more personal and casual than the “Wings” method, and clearly designed for general audiences rather than aviation fanatics.
Despite the program’s high-level approach, it did a better job than I expected of sharing information about these airplanes. Sometimes shows like this are ripe with breathless adoration or data no deeper than the stats on the side of a cereal box. CNN Presents did a nice job introducing the aircraft, discussing briefly the history of the Hornet and the B-52 programs, and how these aircraft will play a role in America’s future defense. Several experts are given some face time, including Walter Boyne and Sen. John McCain. In particular, I feel the program was good about fairly delineating the pros and cons of the Super Hornet. The interviewed pilots were of course very proud of their steed, but one analyst explained the concept of the multi-role fighter and how it, though good and cost effective at performing many different tasks, may not be as good at specific duties as a dedicated aircraft.
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| F-14 Tomcat ready for launch |
Buckley also asked what I thought was a very good question of the pilots making the transition from the famous Grumman F-14 Tomcat to the Super Hornet. He queried about their how their nostalgic love for the Tomcat held up against the new fleet defender, the Super Hornet. The pilot that answered him said he enjoyed the Tomcat, but that the Super Hornet is definitely a step up. Somewhere, Adm. Paul Gilcrist (author of Feet Wet, and major Tomcat supporter) is shaking his head!
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| Reporter Buckley picks out something fetching to wear. |
Some safety training and instruction on the ejection seat preceded Buckley's ride in the Super Hornet. It was standard fare for any guest getting a ride, and you’ve probably seen it before in other programs where a journalist goes on a public relations flight such as this. The flight itself, however, was special and is sure to drive a dagger of envy into the hearts of COMBATSIM readers. Buckley’s pilot performed a mock dogfight with his wingman, and afterward, proceeded to practice air-to-ground pop-up bombing techniques. The footage of the flight was a little disappointing, and there were only a few dramatic angles and film of close passes. As short as the dogfighting coverage was, there was even less of the bombing run.
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| Two F-18s |
Buckley went from the newest plane in the Navy to one of the oldest planes in the Air Force. The incredible Boeing B-52 was the other aircraft the “War Birds” program observed, and it did a fine job revealing how the B-52 has endured since the 1950's. Again the segment featured brief interviews with B-52 pilots and crew, commentary from the analysts, and lots of footage of the B-52 in flight. There was also coverage of the BUFF's (Buckley identified the watered-down version of the acronym: Big Ugly Fat Fellow) 50th birthday bash, and a brief tour through the interior of the crew spaces. The BUFF actually has a sleeping space behind the cockpit. The BUFF interior is clearly a very different animal than the strategic bombers of WWII. [Editor's Note: BUFF]
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| The mighty B-52. Long of tooth, but oh so effective. |
Unlike the Super Hornet segment, the BUFF segment spoke a little about the role the bomber played recently in Afghanistan, and also about what changes are in store for the craft. The BUFF is scheduled to be active with the Air Force until the 2040's. That's a long time, and a testament to the utility, stability, and flexibility of the airplane. Besides continual upgrades to the avionics, one change being considered is the replacement of the BUFF's eight engines with a set of four stronger ones.
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| The B-52 is affectionately called a 'BUFF' which stands for Big Ugly Fat Fellow. Actually, the original acronym was BUF with one 'F' and it didn't stand for Fat or Fellow :) |
Is “War Birds” worth watching if you can find a rerun or if CNN makes a video? I suspect there isn't much here that's new to most COMBATSIM.COM readers; yet, the footage itself is new and it's easy to enjoy watching these amazing aircraft in action. If you can catch a rerun, you'll probably find it a worthwhile hour. If you're a B-52 fan, definitely take a look. Although I'm more of a tactical flight fan, I finished watching “War Birds” with a real appreciation for the BUFF. “War Birds” is an apt prelude if you need a little inspiration before loading up Jane's F/A-18 or Digital Integration's Super Hornet on your PC. Maybe you'll even go dig up an old copy of Three Sixty's Megafortress. Somewhere, Dale Brown is smiling!
I've focused on the “War Birds” television program, but CNN Presents has more to offer than just the television component. Visit this page to get additional materials on the program. There are full text interviews from the analyst panel, a program summary, and additional interactive activities. And CNN Presents is an ongoing series, so you'll find several other topics of interest in the archives section, including materials on Black Hawk Down, the threat of Iraq, a Buckley visit to an aircraft carrier, and more.
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| CNN Present's next episode, “House of War: Uprising at Mazar-e Sharif” looks at an incident during the recent military operations in Afghanistan. |
If there is any compensation I can offer for not getting word about “War Birds” out earlier, it's that the next installment of CNN Presents is certain to raise your pulse rate. “House of War: Uprising at Mazar-e Sharif” looks at an incident during the recent military operations in Afghanistan. The lead for the program promises actual footage of the action during the event.
CNN Presents typically airs on Saturday, with repeat airings on Sunday and Monday.
Here's those links again, in case you missed them earlier: