Boeing B-52 Stratofortress
| B-52 Stratofortress | |
|---|---|
| A B-52H from Barksdale AFB flying over Texas | |
| General information | |
| Type | Strategic heavy bomber |
| National origin | United States |
| Manufacturer | Boeing |
| Primary users | United States Air Force NASA (historical) |
| Number built | 744[1] |
| History | |
| Manufactured | 1952–1962 |
| Introduction date | February 1955 |
| First flight | 15 April 1952 |
| In service | 1955–present |
| Successors | Rockwell B-1 Lancer |
The Boeing B-52 Stratofortress is an American long-range subsonic jet-powered strategic bomber. The B-52 was designed and built by Boeing, which has continued to provide support and upgrades. It has been operated by the United States Air Force (USAF) since 1955 and was flown by NASA from 1959 to 2007.[2] The bomber can carry up to 70,000 pounds (32,000 kg) of weapons[3] and has a typical combat range of around 8,800 miles (14,200 km) without aerial refueling.[4]
After Boeing won the initial contract in June 1946, the aircraft's design evolved from a straight-wing aircraft powered by six turboprop engines to the final prototype YB-52 with eight turbojet engines and swept wings. The B-52 took its maiden flight in April 1952. Built to carry nuclear weapons for Cold War deterrence missions, the B-52 Stratofortress replaced the Convair B-36 Peacemaker. The bombers flew under the Strategic Air Command (SAC) until it was disestablished in 1992 and its aircraft absorbed into the Air Combat Command (ACC); in 2010, all B-52s were transferred to the new Air Force Global Strike Command (AFGSC).
The B-52's official name Stratofortress is rarely used; informally, the aircraft is commonly referred to as the BUFF (Big Ugly Fat Fucker/Fella).[5][6][7][Note 1] Superior performance at high subsonic speeds and relatively low operating costs have kept them in service despite the introduction of more advanced strategic bombers, such as the Mach-2+ Convair B-58 Hustler, the variable-geometry Rockwell B-1 Lancer, and the stealth Northrop Grumman B-2 Spirit. The B-52 has used conventional munitions in Indochina, Yugoslavia, and the Middle East.
As of 2024, the U.S. Air Force has 76 B-52s:[9] 58 operated by active forces (2nd Bomb Wing and 5th Bomb Wing), 18 by reserve forces (307th Bomb Wing), and about 12 in long-term storage at the Davis-Monthan AFB Boneyard.[3][4][10][11][12] The operational aircraft received upgrades between 2013 and 2015 and are expected to serve into the 2050s.
- ^ Knaack 1988, p. 291.
- ^ "B-52 Heavy-lift Airborne Launch Aircraft". NASA. 14 September 2023. Retrieved 25 February 2024.
- ^ a b "Fact Sheets: 5th Bomb Wing". Minot Air Force Base. 30 October 2019. Archived from the original on 31 May 2021.
- ^ a b "B-52 Stratofortress". United States Air Force. Retrieved 2 March 2023.
- ^ Sanders, Gordon F (20 January 2018). "The Incredible 50-year-old Plane on the Front Lines of the North Korea Standoff". POLITICO Magazine.
- ^ "BUF". Wordorigins.org. Archived from the original on 27 July 2010.
- ^ B 52 Instant Thunder (Television production). Wings. Discovery Channel. 17 April 2019.
- ^ Flinn 1997, p. 138.
- ^ Losey, Stephen (12 February 2024). "The new B-52: How the Air Force is prepping to fly century-old bombers". Defense News. Retrieved 24 September 2024.
- ^ "Facts Sheets: 2nd Bomb Wing". March 2021. Archived from the original on 2 November 2022.
- ^ "307th Bomb Wing-About Us". 25 September 2021. Archived from the original on 25 September 2021.
- ^ Trevithick, Joseph (19 February 2015). "I'll Be Damned, These Boneyard B-52s Can Still Fly". Medium.
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