X-Nico

2 unusual facts about Minimum Interval Takeoff


Minimum Interval Takeoff

Water injection in the J57 produced extra power for takeoff but caused large amounts of unburned fuel to leave the engine in the exhaust, producing large amounts of black smoke which the subsequent aircraft would also have to go through in order to take off successfully.

The scene involves Colonels James Caldwell (played by Rock Hudson) and Hollis Farr (played by Rod Taylor) standing a few thousand feet down the runway, and watching B-52 Stratofortresses take off at fifteen second intervals.



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