Aces High Bulletin Board

General Forums => The O' Club => Topic started by: ozrocker on May 16, 2012, 11:02:47 AM

Title: B 52's to be around till at least 2040
Post by: ozrocker on May 16, 2012, 11:02:47 AM
The longest serving Combat A/C still in our Active A/F inventory gets a long life extention.

http://www.dodbuzz.com/2012/05/15/not-your-grandfathers-b-52/?ESRC=sm_DODBuzz.nl

Pretty awesome is that they want to use the B-52 to support Carrier TF Commanders in the A/O.

                                                                                                                                             :cheers: Oz
Title: Re: B 52's to be around till at least 2040
Post by: Slate on May 16, 2012, 12:51:28 PM
  A lot of other good info on that site.  :aok

  Is there any problem with structural fatige on the older airframes? Are they retrofitting or are they building brand new Craft with the New Gadjets?
Title: Re: B 52's to be around till at least 2040
Post by: rpm on May 16, 2012, 02:46:03 PM
Think how many spare parts we would have had if we hadn't chopped them up?
(http://i.dailymail.co.uk/i/pix/2010/02/23/article-1253068-086DC2A3000005DC-104_470x423.jpg)
Title: Re: B 52's to be around till at least 2040
Post by: Seanaldinho on May 16, 2012, 05:22:55 PM
Think how many spare parts we would have had if we hadn't chopped them up?
(http://i.dailymail.co.uk/i/pix/2010/02/23/article-1253068-086DC2A3000005DC-104_470x423.jpg)

There are dozens more sitting untouched.

I know they have had some structural work done and they are inspected constantly for signs of fatigue because they are so old.
Title: Re: B 52's to be around till at least 2040
Post by: PR3D4TOR on May 17, 2012, 11:05:20 AM
I've wondered why they don't melt down those old jets? All that aluminum must be worth a fortune.
Title: Re: B 52's to be around till at least 2040
Post by: Puma44 on May 17, 2012, 12:22:30 PM
I've wondered why they don't melt down those old jets? All that aluminum must be worth a fortune.

They do.  After they've been chopped and  positioned as depictated below for a specified time so the opposition satellites can verify destruction in accordance with the SALT treaty, they are sold off to scrape yards.
Title: Re: B 52's to be around till at least 2040
Post by: PR3D4TOR on May 17, 2012, 12:42:10 PM
Cool  :aok
Title: Re: B 52's to be around till at least 2040
Post by: ozrocker on May 18, 2012, 06:46:22 AM
  A lot of other good info on that site.  :aok

  Is there any problem with structural fatige on the older airframes? Are they retrofitting or are they building brand new Craft with the New Gadjets?
The last "Brand New" B52's rolled out of Seattle in 1962, the "H" model. So it's purely upgrades.

I'm sure structural & mechanical maintenance is often and thorough.
                                                                                                                             :cheers: Oz

                                                                                                                                           
                                               
Title: Re: B 52's to be around till at least 2040
Post by: Karnak on May 18, 2012, 09:26:41 AM
I saw 2040 2042 put forth as the retirement date of the B-52s back in the 1990s.

Is this a new update?
Title: Re: B 52's to be around till at least 2040
Post by: Jarski on May 18, 2012, 02:23:14 PM
Why not Dale Brown mod.. :)
Title: Re: B 52's to be around till at least 2040
Post by: Ack-Ack on May 18, 2012, 02:51:51 PM
Why not Dale Brown mod.. :)

LOL!  I was thinking the same thing after reading the article and the proposed mods they want to add to the BUFF. 

ack-ack
Title: Re: B 52's to be around till at least 2040
Post by: camnite on May 18, 2012, 10:52:22 PM
good question, there has to be some turbofan engines that make more power than those j-79 pods. fibersteel also sounds like it might be a realistic and attainable mod for a few of the buffs also.
Title: Re: B 52's to be around till at least 2040
Post by: AAJagerX on May 18, 2012, 11:36:22 PM
Why not Dale Brown mod.. :)

Nah, ya gotta go with the Vampire.   :aok
Title: Re: B 52's to be around till at least 2040
Post by: camnite on May 18, 2012, 11:54:34 PM
Nah, ya gotta go with the Vampire.   :aok
but if you say that you need the cheetah mod
Title: Re: B 52's to be around till at least 2040
Post by: rpm on May 19, 2012, 05:39:19 PM
Why not Dale Brown mod.. :)
Man, am I glad I Googled that! I have some reading to do... :cheers:
Title: Re: B 52's to be around till at least 2040
Post by: AceHavok on May 20, 2012, 01:16:51 AM
Wow... Service until 2040?  That would make them around 90 years old.  That would be like taking a B-17G and using it in the modern day military.  Wouldn't they have to make new ones eventually?  They're only so many patches you can fix for a plane.
Title: Re: B 52's to be around till at least 2040
Post by: rpm on May 20, 2012, 01:33:29 AM
I'm sure flight hours are very restricted now.
Title: Re: B 52's to be around till at least 2040
Post by: Grayeagle on May 20, 2012, 05:14:37 PM
Thing about the B-52 is ..
.. they don't go the speed of heat, they don't pull a lot of G's,
..and they're built better than yer average bridge to haul that massive design load.

If they aren't hauling close to a million pounds,
they're down right 'sprightly' and the crew has to be on top of it during climbout or she'll get away from them.

Even the original avionics loadout has lightened considerably.
No more hydraulically tuned transmitters !!
(imagine slidin one o those in, at shoulder height, in the rain ..they were frik-kin HEAVY)

-GE aka Frank
Title: Re: B 52's to be around till at least 2040
Post by: TwinTail on May 21, 2012, 02:21:41 AM
Think how many spare parts we would have had if we hadn't chopped them up?
(http://i.dailymail.co.uk/i/pix/2010/02/23/article-1253068-086DC2A3000005DC-104_470x423.jpg)

Few hundred B52's among many other types of military aircraft sitting in the aircraft graveyard in Tuscon AZ