'Ghost Rider': B-52 resurrected from desert Boneyard

[FordGT90Concept]

http://www.cnn.com/2015/02/21/us/arizona-b-52-restored/index.html

It's the first B-52 to be pulled from retirement. It is replacing a B-52 that caught on fire during maintenance. There are only 78 B-52s still in service out of 744 built.

 

[RCoon]

Hard to believe America thinks they need such a blunt instrument in their fleet. I mean those things were for big wars and mass carpet bombing of massive areas. I don't think the terrorist threat really needs such a titan craft, unless America intends on "removing" the mountain the insurgents are hiding underneath with one of these things.

Glad to hear such a marvel of engineering still flies after 50 years though! Don't make 'em like they used to.

 

[bubbleawsome]

unless America intends on "removing" the mountain the insurgents are hiding underneath with one of these things.

I think that is part of what they do.

 

[rtwjunkie]

Hard to believe America thinks they need such a blunt instrument in their fleet. I mean those things were for big wars and mass carpet bombing of massive areas. I don't think the terrorist threat really needs such a titan craft, unless America intends on "removing" the mountain the insurgents are hiding underneath with one of these things.

Glad to hear such a marvel of engineering still flies after 50 years though! Don't make 'em like they used to.

They've actually been modified over the years to deliver ALCM's and other precision munitions, along with all their electronics, etc., so their mission is more of a strike aircraft, altho from a distance.

 

[rooivalk]

I don't think current primary concern for US is 'terrorist'. They're focused on Pacific for a reason.

Even if they are, B-52 is actually cheaper alternative than their heavy bomber counterparts such as lancer or spirit.
Even better, B-52 is capable and already deployed for CAS missions. Long loiter time, out of reach high altitude precision bombing and shitload of bombs are relevant for asymmetric warfare.

Agree, they're one example of the marvel of engineering. They're planned to be used until 2040(!).

 

[droopyRO]

Hard to believe America thinks they need such a blunt instrument in their fleet. I mean those things were for big wars and mass carpet bombing of massive areas. I don't think the terrorist threat really needs such a titan craft, unless America intends on "removing" the mountain the insurgents are hiding underneath with one of these things.

Glad to hear such a marvel of engineering still flies after 50 years though! Don't make 'em like they used to.

Well if you go against ISIS in a desert against columns of vehicles, cluster bombs and JDAMs would be very effective, coupled with loiter time and high payload it would be like 2001 Afghanistan. Would have liked to see a XB-70 though

 

[REAYTH]

I suspect with Russia acting like a bunch of re-re's more of these beasts will be coming out of retirement.

 

[erocker]

Hard to believe America thinks they need such a blunt instrument in their fleet.

It's not really a blunt instrument.. anymore. They're more used for basically flying mobile bases, C&C, surveillance and things like that.

The USAF is also looking to re-engine the B52 fleet, and plan on using them until at least 2040! http://foxtrotalpha.jalopnik.com/once-again-the-usaf-is-looking-to-re-engine-its-b-52-fl-1685747978

 

[FordGT90Concept]

The B-1B has the B-52 upstaged in every way except unit cost. Basically, B-1B and B-2 and F-22 take control of the skies and eliminate imminent threats on the ground (RADARs, SAM sites, runways, etc.) and once air superiority has been established, the B-52s come in to maintain it. The reason is simple: the former aircraft cost a lot more per flight hour to operate than ye ol' workhorse B-52. Sure, B-52s could probably be replaced with a more modern airframe but...why? That's why they intend the fleet to keep on chugging away. So long as it succeeds at its role, there's no sense spending billions contracting the design of a new aircraft.

What's ironic is that the B-52 is more or less considered a medium bomber by today's standards. It's like Barney--a dinosaur everybody loves. XD

 

[VulkanBros]

Cut the crap - give us the SR-71 "BlackBird" again.....coolest plane ...ever...fact...

 

[CAPSLOCKSTUCK]

For safety reasons, Ghost Rider made the entire flight with its landing gear down, at a speed of only 288 mph and at a height of 23,000 feet, well below its top speed of 650 mph and ceiling of 50,000 feet, according to the Times report.

I would loved to have seen that, low level, low speed, and with the wheels down !
I wonder if one will ever make it to an airshow in the UK.

Vulcan bombers used to fly low level down the valley i grew up in .....awesome. I was lucky enough to be on the roof at Heathrow when the last Concorde took off and landed. The power in these aircraft is absolutely immense.

The B 52 is more of an instrument of peace than war considering the deterrent aspect and potential of it.

 

[FordGT90Concept]

Cut the crap - give us the SR-71 "BlackBird" again.....coolest plane ...ever...fact...

Replaced by satellites, drones, and probably at least one black project.

 

[erocker]

coolest plane ...ever...fact...

Confirmed.

Plus, look at that cockpit! All analog baby!

 

[CAPSLOCKSTUCK]

It's not really a blunt instrument.. anymore. They're more used for basically flying mobile bases, C&C, surveillance and things like that.

The USAF is also looking to re-engine the B52 fleet, and plan on using them until at least 2040! http://foxtrotalpha.jalopnik.com/once-again-the-usaf-is-looking-to-re-engine-its-b-52-fl-1685747978

Scroll down that link and theres a brilliant vid demonstrating how physical it is to fly one of these. Oh.......check the shit flying out the back, one gallon of juice every second i think it mentions.

 

[rtwjunkie]

Watch further down on that linked page in the link and you see how it is designed to land sodeways in heavy crosswinds, too.

 

[FordGT90Concept]

They would need to remove the pylons and put in a large engine replacing each pair. Fuel efficiency would dramatically increase as would power but they would need to reevaluate its flight characteristics to make sure it still operates as intended loaded and unloaded. It's a huge undertaking and not cheap considering the R&D costs followed by retrofitting 78 aircraft. That's probably why it hasn't happened yet.

 

[Norton]

Watch further down on that linked page in the link and you see how it is designed to land sodeways in heavy crosswinds, too.

You mean like this:

How about landing with the tail blown off:

Quite an amazing airplane!

 

[eidairaman1]

Hard to believe America thinks they need such a blunt instrument in their fleet. I mean those things were for big wars and mass carpet bombing of massive areas. I don't think the terrorist threat really needs such a titan craft, unless America intends on "removing" the mountain the insurgents are hiding underneath with one of these things.

Glad to hear such a marvel of engineering still flies after 50 years though! Don't make 'em like they used to.

b-52s are accurate today compared to what they were in the 50s/60s

 

[FordGT90Concept]

A notable feature of the landing gear was the ability to pivot the main landing gear up to 20° from the aircraft centerline to increase safety during crosswind landings.

I don't know of any other aircraft that does that. That's the advantage of having 4 landing gear with a pair of tires each but that also limits its payload.

Here's B-1B for comparison (more payload than B-52):

Size reference:

 

[CAPSLOCKSTUCK]

If you like the B52 and have 23 mins spare.....this is very good.

 

[Caring1]

And they thought they had to invade other countries looking for weapons of mass destruction, when their backyard is full of them.

 

[ne6togadno]

http://www.dieselpunks.org/profiles/blogs/s-a-m-60-the-flying-wing-firebird
http://www.flyingmidshipmen.org/k7russianbmbr.html

 

[CAPSLOCKSTUCK]

http://www.dieselpunks.org/profiles/blogs/s-a-m-60-the-flying-wing-firebird
http://www.flyingmidshipmen.org/k7russianbmbr.html

Amazing links.....


i will file them away for my secret private stash....you know, the sort us boys have.


Aviation history interests me a lot and there is tons of it all over the internut.

we were lucky that cinematography emerged at a similar time in history.

 

[Liquid Cool]

I like the B17 and the B29's...my father flew both in the war.

If you like odd planes(ufo's), just do a little research into 'foo fighters' from WWII. Crazy stories...

Best,

LC

 

[CAPSLOCKSTUCK]

An excellent series Flying Through Time


https://www.youtube.com/results?search_query=Wings Flying Through Time


The big stuff