At Griffiss, my dad was with the 416th Bombardment Wing and his plane was always the B-52. 

Uncle Al was assigned to the KC-135 and he was affectionately referred to as Tanker Trash.

I remember Uncle Al used to always point up to the sky and tell me to look at the B.1.R.D.  I would comb the skies looking for aircraft.  Eventually I figured it out.  A B.1.R.D. was nothing more then a bird.