Boeing’s follow-on aircraft to the B-47, the B-52 Stratofortress, entered service in 1955. The Stratofortress has been in service for more than fifty years. Certainly one of the most important aircraft ever produced, it was capable of carrying a 40,000-pound payload 8,800 miles. B-52s are closely identified with the Cold War and played a leading role in the Vietnam War, even acting in support of ground operations. They are best remembered, however, for their role in the December 1972 Christmas Bombing of Hanoi and Haiphong.
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I'm reading a chapter in the book Strength & Honor where a BUFF pilot describes his training and Vietnam deployment. I've never heard the term but the centerline landing gear are referred to as "trucks" and are unique to the B-52. Probably the greatest modern day heavy bomber ever. Brock, you or one of your readers know why another friendly nation's Air Force didn't acquire them. Were they prohibited for foreign sale? I know we sold many jet fighters to out allies but to my knowledge no B-52s were sold.
ReplyDeleteI have no knowledge and never thought about this before. Didn't find anything on a search also.
DeleteB-52s used to fly over my house in Western Massachusetts all the time out of Westover AFB in Chicopee, MA. Alas Westover is a reserve base now and the B-52s have long departed.
ReplyDeleteSo riddle me this: how many 57 Chevys do you see on the street? They're contemporaries of the B-52s. That's one really old aircraft.
That's one really old aircraft.
Delete& still chugging along.
If it was not for bribes and kickbacks we would still be producing the best bomber ever made. No one wants to admit how right they got it, over 60-years ago. The outrageously costly and honestly inferior replacements should be abandoned. But no, the B-52 even today is superior but they are just are not flashy. The fact they work is secondary. They don’t have all the flashy new toys. By comparison the B-1 and B-2 are over-priced duds. So, the old technology but superior airframe dies.
ReplyDeleteBadger
The outrageously costly and honestly inferior replacements should be abandoned.
DeleteAgreed.