Two Bones

[msm8378]

https://strategypage.com/military_photo ... 13534.aspx

Looking at this photo and noticed a distinct difference between the two aircraft. Was wondering if anyone here can educate me as to whether the underside difference is simply a difference in paint schemes or if the darkened half-circle area on the right-hand aircraft is a distinct avionics feature....

Mat

[Firebird]

You don't mean the gear retracting do you?

[John Young]

No, there's a semi-circular plate between the engine air intakes on the underside of the fuselage. I think the lighting is affecting them differently on the twp aircraft. I've looked at a lot of B-1B photos this afternoon but I can't be sure. The cut away drawings I have found, don't really show the underside features, so they didn't help. Still a mystery I'm afraid.

John

[msm8378]

Thanks for the save John...was about to admit being an old ground pounder having a senior moment in response to firebird .... it appears to be a painted feature on the right hand bird, but dont know what, if anything, it signifies...although it does appear to be where the main gear are. On a side note, my only experience with the fighter/bomber jocks was how fast can you get to my location and how big a boom can you make when you do!!!

[Victory103]

Looks like new antennas, probably from the SB16 upgrade.