Happy Birthday B-52

[Nypsy]

WICHITA, Kan., Oct. 26, 2012 -- Boeing [NYSE: BA] today marks 50 years since the company delivered its last B-52 Stratofortress to the U.S. Air Force. H-model bomber 61-040 was assigned to Minot Air Force Base, N.D., where it remains in active service.
Boeing built 744 B-52s, in eight different models, from 1952 to 1962. The Air Force fleet today comprises 76 H-models -- two test aircraft at Edwards Air Force Base, Calif., and 74 operational aircraft that are assigned to Minot and to Barksdale Air Force Base, La. All the H-models were built in Wichita.
The Boeing B-52 has been the backbone of the United States' manned strategic bomber force for nearly 60 years. Modern engineering analyses show the B-52's expected life span extending beyond 2040.

[SoonerMP]

Big, ugly and old as hell.... but packs one hell of a punch. What's not to love about that bird.     B-52 and Happy Birthday.

I find it nothing short of amazing that the B-52 is still in service, has crews that are younger than the airframe and has the possibility to outlive myself or at least possibly retire around the same time.

[chaser]

I pulled this from wiki so take it for what ever you want, but I found it pretty impressive.

From 2 to 3 September 1996, two B-52H struck Baghdad power stations and communications facilities with 13 AGM-86C conventional air-launched cruise missiles (CALCM) as part of Operation Desert Strike, a 34-hour, 16,000-mile round trip mission from Andersen AFB, Guam – the longest distance ever flown for a combat mission.

[bortas1]

  i met 2 machanics that where married (yes male and a female)  in del city, which is just outside oklahoma city, where tinker afb is. both workrf on differant modles of the b52. lol and both said there modles whrere better than the other. just like a marries couple. lol neat to talk to about the b52. 

[mbailey]

Big, ugly and old as hell.... but packs one hell of a punch. What's not to love about that bird.     B-52 and Happy Birthday.

I find it nothing short of amazing that the B-52 is still in service, has crews that are younger than the airframe and has the possibility to outlive myself or at least possibly retire around the same time.

 

Man i love that bird.....I think shes pretty as a prom date 

Look up workhorse in Websters, i bet theres a picture of her

[eagl]

If you're not planning 6-figure body counts, it's just amateur hour.

[eagl]

double post 

[Grayeagle]

Checkpilot for training B52 crews was my Aerodynamics instructor during 2 years I spent gettin my perpeller beanie.

We were both stationed at Seymour-Johnson AFB then ..I was in the ECM shop for the F-4's there, he was checkpilot for the buff's there.

Discussing relative merits of the F-4 vs the B52:

F-4 comes alongside a B-52 during a training flight, just blows by, does a nice barrel roll, loops, a few rolls ..
..'Pretty neat eh?' the front seater says to the B52 crew.
..'Bet you guys wish you could do that!' also.

B-52 pilot replies: 'Watch closely and I will show you something you cannot do.'

A minute goes by .. the F-4 guys watching the buff intently as it just motors along.

Finally the F-4 guy asks: 'What are you going to do?'

B-52 responds: 'We shut down 2 and are still up here'

-Frank aka GE