Will the B52 be the first combat aircraft to be operational for 100 years?

2015-06-18T12:22:09-04:00

As a Marine, I'm not that versed on military aircraft as I am on ground combat weapons

http://www.boeing.com/defense/b-52-bomber/

TSgt Hunter Logan

Boeing: B-52

Few aircraft have had as long or storied a career as the B-52, which first joined the United States Air Force in the 1950s, and has continued its role as a heavy bomber ever since.

Response by SCPO David Lockwood made Jun 18 at 2015 12:24 PM

2015-06-18T12:24:43-04:00

I wouldn't be surprised. One hell of an airframe!

Response by TSgt Joshua Copeland made Jun 18 at 2015 12:47 PM

2015-06-18T12:47:41-04:00

Well, it's scheduled to make it till at least 80 with an EOL in 2040.

Response by Maj Mike Sciales made Jun 18 at 2015 12:50 PM

2015-06-18T12:50:48-04:00

Absolutely be there for 100 years and one of the best "values for money" ever.

The first B-52s rolled off the assembly line in 1952. It saw it's first combat operations in Vietnam conducting "Arc Light" bombing missions. 742 were created, 85 remain with plenty of spares in storage. This platform not only dropped tons of bombs, but had a nuclear mission as well and later were modified to carry Air Launched Cruise Missiles and heaps more ordinance. Having said that, it's most important and greatest mission was "close air support" of our Marines during the siege of the Khe Sahn iin 1968.

"Operation Niagara" was the destruction of enemy targets conducting siege operations. In that end, those BUFFs dropped 98,721 tons of ordinance on the enemy. That's like dropping the USS Enterprise on them.

They'll keep maintaining those airframes and upgrading the avionics and there have already been 3 generation aircrews - Father, son and grandson flying them. No reason to mess with success. During peace-time it also does Long range Search & Rescue & drug interdiction. Great platform.

Response by TSgt David L. made Jun 18 at 2015 12:53 PM

2015-06-18T12:53:26-04:00

I believe it can and will fly to and past the 100 year mark. It is a tried and true platform and has state of the art avionics and a solid airframe. The BUFF is an awesome plane to watch, especially when it drops the entire bomb bay load all at one. Pretty devastating and intimidating. I'd hate to be one the receiving end of its massive fire power.

Response by LTC Private RallyPoint Member made Jun 18 at 2015 12:58 PM

2015-06-18T12:58:43-04:00

I know of know other major military equipment that is still being used from the time i was a young child. (I'm now 65!!!) The only military aircraft that are used that are equivalent in age or older are privately-owned classic warbirds.

Response by SPC Private RallyPoint Member made Jun 18 at 2015 1:01 PM

2015-06-18T13:01:37-04:00

I knew a nav on one that was flying the same bird his father was the pilot of in the eighties, whose grandfather was the crew chief of in the sixties. It's an amazing plane. I heard rumors of replacing the engines with newer, more powerful, fuel efficient ones, supposedly the fuel cost savings over the lifetime would pay for themselves while offering more speed, altitude, and range. It's a lovely idea.

Response by CDR Michael Goldschmidt made Jun 18 at 2015 1:21 PM

2015-06-18T13:21:28-04:00

Coming out of Pensacola in 1985, where I trained with the F-14 and A-6 guys, I thought BUFF pilots were pussies: bus drivers who stayed up high, pickled their payloads, and went home every night. Then, we conducted joint war at sea exercises, where the pilots came in hot and low, clearing my Destroyer's mast by, maybe, 100 feet. That earned my respect, and proved to me that those cowboys are shit hot, despite the heavy hardware!

Response by SrA Edward Vong made Jun 18 at 2015 1:31 PM

2015-06-18T13:31:19-04:00

For something that has lasted for so long, I wouldn't be surprised if it extends beyond 100 years. Built well.

Response by SGT Rick Ash made Jun 18 at 2015 1:43 PM

2015-06-18T13:43:47-04:00

Boeing Engineering recently released a statement about recent upgrades to the B-52 and the fact that the plane could easily serve until 2040. Having been deployed originally in 1950 it is reasonable to believe the plane could survive another 10 years, especially given the planes' role in our Global Mission.

Response by LTJG Robert M. made Jun 18 at 2015 2:18 PM

2015-06-18T14:18:30-04:00

I expect you will see the CH-47 Chinook flying right along with the B-52, not as old, launched in 1962

Response by SSG John Erny made Jun 18 at 2015 3:17 PM

2015-06-18T15:17:38-04:00

One of my first memories is seeing a BUFF pop over a hill and fly right over my grand mothers ranch, it scared the hell out of me. The Joys of growing up during the cold war.

Response by TSgt Scott Hurley made Jun 18 at 2015 3:18 PM

2015-06-18T15:18:05-04:00

I worked on the B-52G in the early '90's and it was an impressive aircraft. And I know that some of them served in the later stages of Vietnam along with serving in Desert Storm. It was and still is the only plane that can carry all different types of munitions that have been developed.

There is a story that the enemy is more afraid of the B-52 than they are of the B-1 and B-2. Both in Vietnam and Desert Storm prisoners talked about the B-52 and what it did to them psychologically. Of course the best story was during Desert Storm. An Iraqi General surrendered his entire division. When asked why he surrendered. He said "it was because of the B-52." The interrogator told him that the B-52 didn't strike his area. He replied "I know, but I saw an area that was." Now that was a smart commanding officer who did not want to be on the receiving end of the Big Stick of the mighty B-52.

Response by SSgt Robert Jorgensen made Jun 18 at 2015 3:19 PM

2015-06-18T15:19:21-04:00

It will last until an engineer says it can no longer upgrade it, something better is built but not seen or the money gets tighter like the A-10. Do you really think that if the powers that be were to say upgrade this to do that, that it could not be done? It all depends on who's pet project it is and the pay off!

Response by MAJ Robert (Bob) Petrarca made Jun 20 at 2015 7:36 PM

2015-06-20T19:36:12-04:00

The way it's looking, could be.

Response by MSgt Kevin Willoughby made Jun 24 at 2015 3:48 AM

2015-06-24T03:48:40-04:00

Now this is a subject that could be debated or spoken about for as many decades as that wonderful aircraft has been around for. I crewed them from 1986-1990 and missed the H model for many years after that, while working on C-130Hs & LC-130Hs for the next 21 years.

When I worked them, they had already surpassed the "expected" service life from when originally put into operation. At that time, they were worried about having to boneyard them due to center wing cracks that were not repairable. Engineers had inspected them, and some were expected to get another 20 years of service.

We had 8 engines that people thought were pretty loud. On the other side or the ramp were KC-135s that I thought were much louder when they turned on the water injection.

There was talk that they were testing other engine packages at Edwards AFB to increase fuel economy and efficiency. I'm surprised they never implemented any engine upgrades over the years.

We used to joke about how they would surpass the B-1 back then. It seemed that the other long range bombers got more ground (grounded fleet) time than the time it took to refuel a B-52.

SAC Alert was fun too. Those shifts were good for a single guy. Not sure how they would have been if I had my family back then.

Fond memories and some not so fond memories crewing them. One of my favorite was a 21 day TDY to Anderson AFB, Guam in 1989. Lots of fun with that trip. One of my least favorite was the winter of 1988-1989. Bottom dropped out of the thermometer after I launched my bird Friday mornig. Crew ended up spending the weekend in Michigan at Wurthsmith or KI Sawyer AFB. I was told on Sunday that the crew was returning to base and that I needed to catch my airplane and get my crew ready. They said it was -76f and -120f with wind chill that day. Never saw that before! Closest to that was Thule AB, Greenland, and the South Pole Station (-51f). There were four of us that went in that evening-one in the line truck, I marshaled it in nose first, then when parked two got out to assist in pinning bomb bay doors and the ejection seats. We went back the next day to hook up a Uke and a stick to turn it around and put it on a bomber spot rather than the tanker spot we were given for the night, as well as do the post flight. One of my co workers got frost bite on the bridge of his nose with that oval opening on his face mask. As you can imagine were all cold that day.

Enough reminiscing tonight. The airframe will be around as long as it can survive the rigorous low level flights it performs, if still doing so, and the cost to operate per hour/man hours to repair aren't too much for certain powers that be as it sure has proven it can handle the test of time.

Response by Sgt Rob Brothers made Jul 2 at 2015 8:48 PM

2015-07-02T20:48:47-04:00

Being a Former H model Crew Chief I'm going to have to say yes, great airframe!

Response by SSgt Jim Gilmore made Dec 18 at 2015 12:46 PM

2015-12-18T12:46:21-05:00

When the B-1 and B-2 are relegated to the Boneyard, a B-52 will do the fly-by salute.

Response by SPC Kirk Gilles made Jun 15 at 2016 1:07 AM

2016-06-15T01:07:46-04:00

It's amazing to think of 100 years. The problem is why we could not advance beyond this? We go from Kitty Hawk to the Moon in less than 70 years. Mars seems so daunting now. If we had advanced the technology would we not have been there already? I mean what if a Rolls Royce jet engineer from the late 30's saw the engines in the B52? He would know that engine and its function because little has changed.
Neat to have B52's around. Not so neat that we could not advance to replace them.