Alive and kicking (Air Force’s youngest B-52 Stratofortress turns 50 this year)

Airman Magazine ^ | 2 April 2012 | Tech. Sgt. Chris Powell

[ObamaMustGo2012]

<< I got “buzzed” by a B-52 back in the nineties while driving on the interstate in Eastern Washington. It was simply awesome! >>

Wasn’t so “awesome” for me when I was at Barksdale AFB during Viet Nam where they used to take off every four or five minutes fully loaded and I was working off the end of the runway only a few dozen feet from the point where they lifted off.

The 20% loss of hearing that I’m living with today is a painful and constant reminder of how powerful those things are!

[dearolddad]

I used to live near March AFB just outside of Riverside, CA at the time when a B-52 wing was there. Had the pleasure of watching one take off on several occasions. What a combination of noise, power and beauty!

I grew up in Riverside, finished high school (1957 Poly) went to work for Rohr Aircraft where they were building major components for the B52.

[unkus]

Awesome. I’ve seen that before but it’s always great to see. Thanks.

[calex59]

How many FReepers can remember Clinton having a bunch of B52s cut up and scrapped as part of his gut the military strategy? I remember and was highly pi**ed off when it happened.

What I don't understand is why, if the B52 is still necessary to our defense, that we don't contract and build an improved version with all of the upgrades now built into the old ones? I don't mean a "new" plane, but one that would be built on the original air frame but with all new upgrades.

Yep, they would have to build new machinery but it would be worth it, since we don't seem to be able to design new aircraft the way we used to, everything being caught up in red tape and BS in today's military with costly delays and inferior planes(F35 for example)being pushed on us.

[tarawa]

I think the B-52 and C-130 have given us probably the biggest return on investment we could ever get from an airframe. So many years in service and so many different types of missions that can be performed.

[jpsb]

December 17, 2010, marked the 75th anniversary of the DC-3's first flight, and there are still small operators with DC-3s in revenue service and as cargo aircraft.

[tomkat]

B-52 Dropping Lots & Lots of Bombs + takeoff climb, in-air fueling, and cockpit.

[ops33]

Hard to maintain, plagued with gear problems, only 1 weapon. Unlike the Buff, the B58 could not be adapted to anything other than high altitude, high speed, penetration.
Still, sexiest damn bomber we ever had!

[Ruy Dias de Bivar]

I worked on those babies, B-52A, back in 1966-67 at Walker AFB in Roswell NM. Then got sent to LRAFB in Arkansas and finished out my time on KC-135Q.

Think of my Great Grand father. Born in 1868. 8 years old when Custer got killed. 18 when Geronimo was captured.
77 when Hiroshima and Nagasaki were lit up, and died the year the B-52 was accepted by the US Air Force.

[4mer Liberal]

I made NCO of the Quarter in my unit twice and got to ride B52s out of Ellsworth AFB each time. We did high altitude and low level RBS missions, ECM and refueling. I even got about 30 seconds of white-knuckled stick time. It was awesome!

[El Norté]

I grew up 1/4 mile south of the Bayshore RBS in the 70s. We had our own private air show every week. Squadrons of B-52s, treetop bombing runs with their Bomb bay doors open. Fighter jets in mock dog fights, breaking the sound barrier. Once, while swimming in Walloon Lake, a delta wing bomber flew over so low it blocked out the sky. I still don't know what kind of plane that was. Nothing I've found online looks anything like it. Experimental?