B-52 “Wise Guy” is back: after “Ghost Rider” another BUFF resurrects from AMARG and rejoins USAF Strategic Bomber Fleet

“Wise Guy” is the second B-52 ever taken from AMARG. The other, “Ghost Rider”, was prepped and flown out back in 2015.

On May 13, 2019 the 307th Bomb Wing (BW) brought a previously decommissioned B-52 Stratofortress to Barksdale Air Force Base (AFB), Louisiana.

As reported by KSLA, Col. Robert Burgess, 307th BW Operations Group commander, led the three-man crew bringing the B-52 back from 309th Aerospace Maintenance and Regeneration Group (AMARG) at Davis-Mothan AFB, Arizona — also known as the ‘boneyard.’

The B-52, nicknamed “Wise Guy”, has been at AMARG since 2008.

“We are excited about the wing’s role in bringing this jet back into service,” Burgess said. “Its return is a testament to the skill of our Airmen in restoring the bomber for regular use in the Air Force.”

Noteworthy, “Wise Guy” is the second B-52 ever taken from AMARG. The other, “Ghost Rider”, was also prepped and flown out back in 2015, by Airmen assigned to the 307th Bomb Wing.

AMARG began “Wise Guy” Regeneration Process in April after the bomber has been parked in the long-term storage in Arizona.

By contrast, “Ghost Rider” instead required 19 months of refurbishment to restore to operational status from a long-term storage condition.

As Wise Guy rejoins the fleet, the Air Force will again have 76 B-52Hs available for combat, which equals the maximum number allowed under arms control limits. 

Photo credit: Senior Airman Luke Hill / U.S. Air Force

Artwork courtesy of AircraftProfilePrints.com