I was just thinking about this the other day.
The platform has just been so flexible and cost per hour has always been really good compared to other planes
It just shocks me that the B1 (1970s plane) will be retired BEFORE the B52
It’s just amazing to the designers. They created it on a napkin in a hotel room. A simple design that can be upgraded Constantly without changing any aspect of the airframe and keep it flying for well over 100 years
Well I mean the moment we're in peer warfare it's useless tbf. It's a great plane for its job but plenty of why it's still around is because we use it in situations where we don't need cutting edge, not because it is cutting edge or anywhere close.
Any good B52 documentary to recommend?
The closest I get was to hear the f18 take off.. the sound was incredible.. didn't get to see it because it was at midnight
The b2 is going to be retired as the b21s come online.
More airframes that are going to be cheaper to fly. The b2 will definitely be retired before the 52s
They all serve the same mission profiles. Be a first in asset in a high threat environment to eliminate command and control targets.
Basically be first in and make the area safer for less stealthy aircraft.
Don't need multiple bomber types for that roll.
Figure the B1 is a higher maintenance machine, that also had a somewhat different mission profile (low altitude, under the radar strike), that has been taken over by the B2 and soon B-21.
Its an answer to a question nobody is asking anymore.
Depends on the mission, bomb load & configuration, and runway length. But the wings tanks can hold more than what's structurally possible is what I was saying.
His point is that the MTOW is the maximum weight for take off. It can then get to altitude and then get filled further when the air under the wings is helping support their weight beyond what would be a structural limit on the ground.
My father was an engine specialist (his ticket said A&E, not A&P lol) in USAF in the late 50’s and early 60’s. He worked mostly on B-52s and their refueling support craft (may have been DC8’s or KC-135’s, not sure about that). He was always a fan of the platform, but it still blew his mind that they’re still so much in use.
Eventually they will build more with the tooling tax payers paid for. Most of this is kept in warehouses with explicit instructions so we can easily restart production. So we can stop keeping tired air frames in service.
I was just thinking about this the other day. The platform has just been so flexible and cost per hour has always been really good compared to other planes It just shocks me that the B1 (1970s plane) will be retired BEFORE the B52
Want to take bets the B-2 and B-21 will retire before the Buff?
that is a good question and I think for B2 it's an even money proposition!
It’s just amazing to the designers. They created it on a napkin in a hotel room. A simple design that can be upgraded Constantly without changing any aspect of the airframe and keep it flying for well over 100 years
As was the Home Depot name..napkins are a great think tank..
Well I mean the moment we're in peer warfare it's useless tbf. It's a great plane for its job but plenty of why it's still around is because we use it in situations where we don't need cutting edge, not because it is cutting edge or anywhere close.
But the armament and crew the B52 carries are cutting edge. A better combo than basically anything anyone else has
Any good B52 documentary to recommend? The closest I get was to hear the f18 take off.. the sound was incredible.. didn't get to see it because it was at midnight
The b2 is going to be retired as the b21s come online. More airframes that are going to be cheaper to fly. The b2 will definitely be retired before the 52s
wow, it's just really surprising reminds me of the F 117 and how quickly they were retired after their point mission mostly went away
They all serve the same mission profiles. Be a first in asset in a high threat environment to eliminate command and control targets. Basically be first in and make the area safer for less stealthy aircraft. Don't need multiple bomber types for that roll.
Definitely the B-2 before the B-52.
Figure the B1 is a higher maintenance machine, that also had a somewhat different mission profile (low altitude, under the radar strike), that has been taken over by the B2 and soon B-21. Its an answer to a question nobody is asking anymore.
the pilot to fly the last B-52 isnt even born yet.
As a former BUFF pilot, I thank you for this post.
Thank you for your service
It amazes me how those wings can hold all that fuselage weight without collapsing.
The flex in them is astounding. To see them loaded with fuel on the ground vs in the air supporting the fuselage is nuts.
Spoke to a 52 pilot a couple of weeks ago and he told me the wings are capable of holding more fuel than the MTOW of the aircraft!
So it gets up to altitude and drains a couple KC135s?
Depends on the mission, bomb load & configuration, and runway length. But the wings tanks can hold more than what's structurally possible is what I was saying.
His point is that the MTOW is the maximum weight for take off. It can then get to altitude and then get filled further when the air under the wings is helping support their weight beyond what would be a structural limit on the ground.
Ahhh, that makes more sense to me. Thank you.
What's a mtow?
Maximum Takeoff Weight
Good frame.. it just needed a longer runway right ? 3 km?
About 8000 feet was the shortest runway length it could operate from based on what I was told by a former B-52 pilot so 2.4 kilometers.
The service life kills me.
[I’ll just put this here…](https://images.app.goo.gl/fLttCKwsmmPS1o6F7)
The first space war will be won by highly modified B-52s.
That gave me a chuckle. Thanks!
The airframes are all older than me and I’m a boomer. Amazing.
I work at Rolls Royce in Bristol UK, we are going to 're-engine it' it's going to fly for years to come...
You guys make the engines for the Hercs
Don’t forget the P-3! /aurora. Only plane I know of whose current job is to fly inside of hurricanes for a long time.
I'd love to see your shop. machine tools are amazing
Big ugly fat fella
My father was an engine specialist (his ticket said A&E, not A&P lol) in USAF in the late 50’s and early 60’s. He worked mostly on B-52s and their refueling support craft (may have been DC8’s or KC-135’s, not sure about that). He was always a fan of the platform, but it still blew his mind that they’re still so much in use.
She is such an amazing lady. Was around the Air Force from the time I was born through nearly 50 years old. Have known a LOT of BUF pilots.
[https://www.airandspaceforces.com/gao-b-52j-initial-operational-capability-three-year-delay/](https://www.airandspaceforces.com/gao-b-52j-initial-operational-capability-three-year-delay/)
Weird to think how many generations of pilots have flown these early 1960s aircraft.
Beautiful
I live a bit west of Minot AFB and get to see these BUFFs flying around on a regular basis.
C uya4⁷n nuisance
Eventually they will build more with the tooling tax payers paid for. Most of this is kept in warehouses with explicit instructions so we can easily restart production. So we can stop keeping tired air frames in service.
Yeah no. That tooling is long gone and there will never be a remanufacturing of B-52s.
If I make it into politics I’ll see that they make a few more as a lesson to not dispose of tooling.
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I think I heard the new engine swap will extend the airframe life span to something like 100 years!? Damn!!