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Your All-Times favourite strategic bomber

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Raptor:
22M, Bone and Vulcan, definitely. =)

Hohoho I'm semi-back again.

The Bone because it looks cool. Also because it's fast, technologically capable (as opposed to the Tu-160, which was the other option) and of course the fact that it's been said that it may be retired early... (always go for the pity factor, i do. Correct me if i'm wrong on this one.)

Second place goes to the Vulcan just because again it looks cool, but mostly because it was among the first batch of successful jet bombers, (Also because it had a delta-wing) it had a more or less minimal radar cross-section, and it's role in the falklands war.

Finally, a tough decision to fill up the last slot, the 22M cos it's such a bloody "dumb" bomber that I really can't help but love it for the back-to-basics-style, (even though neils has mentioned that it's not really that much of a strategic bomber...) 

Webmaster:
True, true, pity factor always comes into play wit these things, and I certainly won't hold that against you. Also "favourite bomber", it sounds pretty bad alrdy, so I'm more inclined to vote for insuccessful ones. So double pity... hence, I voted B-58, haha.

On the 22M, I agree, the thing is that both sides of the Cold War had basically converted their bomber inventory to missile carriers. Now, in Afghanistan a more conventional bomber was needed and there came the Tu-22M with everything up to 3000 kg bombs. That's not because it was retarded, it just still had that "dumb" bomber capability in additional to being an almost dedicated Kh-22M platform. Compare this with the B-1B at the time of Desert Storm... it wasn't ready for conventional, still fully dedicated to the nuclear role. Anyway, this makes it cool indeed, also if you read about how the Tu-22M anti-carrier packages would work... wow. Maybe tactical, but it's pretty close to strategic.

But yeah, I would have gone for the Tu-22, because it's basically like the 22M, only with a more exotic history and also more insuccessful, hehe.

Raptor:
Hustler, haha. Nice choice there, i must admit. I looks like the B-52 is a lot more popular in real life than it is on this poll though.. ;)

Haven't read much about the anti-carrier package, but based on the original hardware alone, the 22M should be a great deal faster than either the Tu-22 or the Bone. (originally fitted with the NK-25, i believe.) Haven't checked if any of the three aircraft has gotten an upgrade though.. And if i remember correctly, the 22M's payload far exceeds anything the Tu-22 can carry. Makes the 22M the first choice for anyone wanting to carry iron bombs, haha.

Hmm I would have picked the Tu-22 for that same pity factor too, except it really looks too much like some sci-fi spacecraft next to the Tu-22M. ;)

Webmaster:
I know about the loads, still it's a big load for what it was, it's quite a bit older of course. In theory they are not that far apart though. And one plus over the 22M is the 9000kg bomb, which the Tu-22 did carry. In Afghanistan the Soviets deployed Tu-16 to drop it, as the remaining Blinder were mostly recce/EW versions only, and the 22M could not carry it. I love the look, except for maybe the cockpit windows, but it can really be photographed to look ugly. But well, same for the Tu-22M.

Yeah I wanted to mention the B-52 with that regard. Set to serve for 90 years, 35 more to go, despite some 600 ending up on the boneyard. Absolutely devastating in all aspects. Scary as hell during the Cold War. Deadly as hell today. Major role in every major war since Korea. Impressive take-offs, especially during the old days with the short interval mass take-offs. It's for a fact, it does not have that pity factor required for more votes I guess. Everything looks sci-fi next to it, yet it's going to outlive all of them. And supersonic is just sexier, especially when it comes to these big machines. But I'm sure everyone respects it.

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