Boeing B-52 Stratofortress

The Boeing B-52 Stratofortress is a long-range strategic bomber, which first saw combat action during the Vietnam War (1964-1975). Its prototype, the XB-52, flew for the first time on April 15, 1952. It had been designed as a high-altitude bomber replacement for the Consolidated B-36. More than 700 B-52 aircraft were made in different variants; today only 72 remain in service in the B-52H version.

After many test flights, which also involved the second prototype, the YB-52, it finally entered service with the US Air Force on February 20, 1955. In 1965, it went to war in Southeast Asia and it did not leave until the last American ground troops were withdrawn from Vietnam. Although at the beginning the Stratofortress proved to be exceptionally effective as a conventional bomber, it would suffer many losses when the North Vietnamese Army began operating the Soviet-made SAM defense system.

The Boeing B-52 flew 126,615 sorties in Vietnam. It carried out the first combat mission on June 18, 1965, during Operation Arc Light, attacking the Viet Cong positions near Ben Cat District in South Vietnam. This bomber would also take part in Operation Rolling Thunder and Operation Linebacker I and II. It would take part in the 1991 Gulf War, as well as the in American invasion of Afghanistan and Iraq in 2002 and 2003, respectively.

Technical Characteristics

The Boeing B-52 Stratofortress is a large, subsonic aircraft, which is powered by eight Pratt & Whitney TF33-P-3-103 turbofan jet engines. Its wings are mounted high, on shoulder of fuselage. They are swept at 35 degrees; the tail horizontal stabilizer is also swept back at the same angle. It has an all-metal fuselage and a bicycle landing gear.

The flight deck of the B-52 has two levels. The upper deck houses the two pilots, with the electronic warfare officer and tail gunner sitting right behind them. Meanwhile the lower deck houses the two navigators that handle the route navigation and the radar and weapon control system.

Specifications

Type: high-altitude strategic bomber

Length: 49.05 m (160 ft, 11 in)

Wingspan: 56.39 m (185 ft)

Wing Area: 271.60 square meters (2,932 sq. ft)

Height: 12.40 m (40 ft, 8 in)

Maximum Speed: 958 km/h (595 mph)

Range: 16,000 km (10,000 miles)

Armament: one 20mm A61A cannon in tail; bomb-load: 31,500 kg, which include smart bombs, air-to-ground cruise missiles, air-to-air missiles, and nuclear bombs.

Below, the Boeing B-52B in flight in 1958

The B-52A in 1956 flying over the US west coast