Walk around - Boeing B-52 Stratofortress (4x)

The Boeing B-52 was designed in the fifties during the Cold War as an American long-range strategic bomber. The B-52 dubbed Stratofortress was subsonic and had a large bomb bay and also external weapon pylons could be fitted. Operated by the Strategic Air Command (SAC), also nuclear bombs could be dropped and the load can be over 70,000 pounds (32,000 kg) of weapons. Typical range is  8,800 miles (14,080 km) but capable of being re-fuelled in air, can be much longer. The YB-52 made its maiden flight in April 1952. It was a successful design and hundreds of aircraft were manufactured and the B-52 is also very good at simple "carpet bombing" also at medium altitude. It was upgraded over the years with several versions with now "new aircraft" manufactured but replaced structures and systems. The BUFF, as the B-52 is called by its crews, refuses to retire and even nowadays it probably will remain in service with the USAF for a few decades to come!  

 

---

Boeing B-52D

This B-52D coded 55-0679 has no markings. It is on display at the March Field Air Museum at Riverside (CA), USA.

Photographed 2016 by Cees Hendriks (C) Copyright!

• 
• 
• 
• 
• 
• 
• 
• 
• 
• 
• 
• 
• 
• 
• 
• 
• 
• 
• 
• 
• 
• 
• 
• 
• 
• 
• 
• 
• 
• 
• 
• 
• 
• 
• 
• 
• 
• 
• 
• 
• 
• 
• 
• 
• 
• 
• 
• 
• 
• 
• 
• 
• 
• 
• 
• 
• 
• 
• 
• 
• 
• 
• 
• 
• 
• 
• 
• 
• 
• 
• 
• 
• 
• 
• 
• 
• 
• 
• 
• 
• 
• 
• 
• 
• 
• 
• 
• 
• 
• 
• 
• 
• 
• 
• 
• 
• 
• 
• 
• 
• 
• 
• 
• 
• 
• 
• 
• 
• 
• 
• 
• 
• 
• 
• 
• 
• 
• 
• 
• 
• 
• 
• 
• 
• 

---

Boeing B-52G

This B-52G-95BW c/n 464253 coded  58-0185 is located at the Air Force Armament Museum, Eglin AFB, Florida

Photographed 2016 by Cees Hendriks (C) Copyright!

• 
• 
• 
• 
• 
• 
• 
• 
• 
• 
• 
• 
• 
• 
• 
• 
• 
• 
• 
• 
• 
• 
• 
• 
• 
• 

---

Boeing B-52H

This B-52H coded 61-0011  has nick name "dressed to kill". This operational aircraft was seen at Nellis AFB (Nev.) at an open day in 2008.

Photographed 2008 by Cees Hendriks (C) Copyright!

• 
• 
• 
• 
• 
• 
• 
• 
• 
• 
• 
• 
• 
• 
• 
• 
• 
• 
• 
• 
• 
• 
• 
• 
• 
• 
• 
• 
• 
• 
• 
• 
• 
• 
• 
• 
• 
• 
• 
• 

---

Boeing B-52F

This B-52F coded 57-0038 was delivered to the USAF in August 1958. It served with SAC until 1961 and later used for weapon testing at Eglin including the AGM-28 Hound Dog missile. It is the only surviving example of a B-52 "F" model and was loaned to the Joe Davies Heritage Park in Palmdale (CA) for display. 

Photographed 2017 by Cees Hendriks (C) Copyright!

• 
• 
• 
• 
• 
• 
• 
• 
• 
• 
• 
• 
• 
• 
• 
• 
• 
• 
• 
• 
• 
• 
• 
• 
• 
• 
• 
• 
• 
• 
• 
• 
• 
• 
• 
• 
• 
• 
• 
• 
• 
• 
• 
• 
• 
• 
• 
• 
• 
• 
• 
• 
• 
• 
• 
• 
• 
• 
• 
• 
• 
• 
• 
• 
• 
• 
• 
• 
• 
• 
• 
• 
• 
• 
• 
• 
• 
• 
• 
• 
• 
• 
• 
• 
• 
• 
• 
• 
• 
• 
• 
• 
• 
• 
• 
• 
• 
• 
• 
• 
• 

---

Cockpit B-52

This cockpit represents a B-52 and was probably used for training. It gives a good idea how a B-52 cockpit looks like. Display was seen at the Castle Air Museum, Atwater.

Photographed 2017 by Cees Hendriks (C) Copyright!

• 
• 
• 
• 
• 
• 
• 
• 
• 
• 
• 
• 
• 
• 
• 
• 
• 
• 
• 
• 
• 
• 
• 
• 
• 
• 
• 
• 
• 
• 
• 
• 
• 
• 
• 
• 
• 
• 
• 
• 
• 
• 

---

OFFICIAL USAF COLOUR INFORMATION B-52
from USAF handbook Technical order TO 1-1-4. Collection M. de Vreeze (used with permission)
Standard System colour numbers refer to the Federal Standard system with 5 digit numbered colours. Deviations on real aircraft may occur.

• 
• 
• 
• 
• 

---

Model kits: various plastic models have appeared over the years.  In the sixties at odd scales like a 1/175 Revell kit, ENTEX/ Sunny at 1/320 and Aurora in 1/270. Dragon has a 1/200 kit. In scale 1/100 Tamiya has a classic kit.

In 1/72 scale Monogram / Revell an impressive good model. The AMT/ ERTL 1/72 B-52 in various kits and boxes were also nice but the wing shape is a bit inaccurate. The latest 1/72 kit is from ModelCollect.

In 1/144 scale an old kit by Crown and now better Minicraft / Revell kits. A bold effort was an ID Model 1/48 vacuform kit! Various upgrades sets for 1/72 scale were also issued.

 

This webpage was first created May 2016 by M. de Vreeze