U.S. Air Force Boeing B-52 Stratofortress Bomber

Boeing XB-52 Stratofortress

B-52 Stratofortress Background

In June of 1946, Boeing was issued a letter of contract for $1.7 million to build a full-scale mock-up of the new XB-52 and do preliminary engineering and testing. After considerable work between Boeing and the Air Force, the YB-52 first flew on April 15, 1952.

Convair also submitted to the Air Force a design for a swept-wing, 8-engine bomber known as the Convair YB-60. The Convair design was rejected after one proptotype was built and tested.

The eight-engine B-52A first flew in 1954, and the B model entered service in 1955. The first of 102 B-52Hs was delivered to the Strategic Air Command in May 1961. Production lines were in Seattle and Wichita, Kansas.

Boeing YB-52 during flight testing

The B-52 has now been in active service with the US Air Force since 1955, originally an integral part of the Strategic Air Command. It replaced the Convair B-36 Peacemaker as the Air Force's heavy bomber, and remains in service today.

B-52 Stratofortress Capabilities

The B-52 is capable of dropping or launching the widest array of weapons in the U.S. inventory. This includes gravity bombs, cluster bombs, precision guided missiles and joint direct attack munitions.

The H model can carry up to 20 air launched cruise missiles. In addition, the airplane can carry the conventional cruise missile that was launched in several contingencies during the 1990s, starting with Operation Desert Storm and culminating with Operation Iraqi Freedom.

Boeing B-52 Production History and Active Service

A total of 742 B-52s were built with the last, a B-52H S/N 61-0040, delivered in October 1962. 

About 76 B-52 aircraft are still on active duty. Only the H model is still in the Air Force inventory and is assigned to the 5th Bomb Wing at Minot AFB, N.D. and the 2nd Bomb Wing at Barksdale AFB, La., which fall under Air Force Global Strike Command.

The aircraft is also assigned to the Air Force Reserve Command's 307th Bomb Wing at Barksdale.

B-52D Stratofortress U.S. Air Force Boeing B-52D Stratofortress S/N 550049

Production Summary Model No. Built B-52A 3 B-52B 50 B-52C 35 B-52D 170 B-52E 100 B-52F 89 B-52G 193 B-52H 102 Total 742

Boeing B-52 Stratofortress Specifications

Boeing B-52G Stratofortress

Wingspan: 185 feet
Length: 159 feet, 4 inches
Height: 40 feet, 8 inches
Weight: Approximately 185,000 pounds
Maximum Takeoff Weight: 488,000 pounds
Fuel Capacity: 312,197 pounds  
Payload: 70,000 pounds
Speed: 650 miles per hour (Mach 0.86)
Range: 8,800 miles
Ceiling: 50,000 feet

The B-52 in the News

First female B-52 pilot to join reserves at BAFB shares what it takes KTBS Shreveport LA - 03/16/2020 Keeping the B-52 Looking Good KTBS Shreveport LA - 02/06/2019 Second B-52H "Wise Guy" Begins Regeneration Process at AMARG MRO-Network - 04/10/2019

 

B-52 Surviving Aircraft

A total of 39 B-52 Superfortress aircraft have been preserved and are on display in aviation galleries and airparks in the United States. Photos of several of these planes are shown below.

Original B-52 Photographs by Airplanes Online

Nose of B-52G Stratofortress, S/N 58-0183, "Valkyrie", Pima Air Museum in Tucson, AZ

B-52 Stratofortress 0185 "El Lobo II" at Eglin AFB, Florida

B-52B Stratofortress S/N 0-20013, Albuquerque, New Mexico

 

Boeing B-52D Stratofortress S/N 56-695 at Tinker Air Force Base, Oklahoma City, Oklahoma

NB-52A Stratofortress S/N 52-0003, "The High and Mighty", used by NASA in the X-15 test program, Tucson, AZ

NB-52B Stratofortress S/N 52-0008, North Gate, Edwards Air Force Base, California Service with NASA's Dryden Flight Research Center

B-52G Stratofortress S/N 58-0191, "Bearin Arms", Hill AFB, Ogden, Utah

B-52G Stratofortress, S/N 57-6509, at the Barksdale Global Power Museum in Bossier City, Louisiana

B-52D Stratofortress, S/N 56-0657, near Ellsworth Air Force Base, Rapid City, South Dakota

B-52D Stratofortress, S/N 56-0657, Ellsworth Air Force Base

B-52B Stratofortress, S/N 52-8711, Strategic Air Command and Aerospace Museum, Ashland, Nebraska

 

 

Nose art "Hoosier Hot Shot" from a B-52G Stratofortress, in Tucson, Arizona

Photos by Our Friends and Supporters

B-52D Stratofortress at Fairchild Air Force Base near Spokane, Washington (photo by Michael Hoschouer)

USAF B-52 Stratofortress Photographs

Boeing RB-52B Stratofortress

Boeing B-52C Stratofortress

Boeing B-52E S/N 560631 Stratofortress

 

 

USAF Boeing B-52F Stratofortress S/N 70162 on a bombing run

B-52 Stratofortress bombers on the tarmac at Barksdale Air Force Base in Louisiana (U.S. Air Force Photo)

USAF B-52 Stratofortress bomber preparing to roll at Barksdale Air Force Base (U.S. Air Force Photo)

Lineup of B-52 Stratofortress bombers at Barksdale Air Force Base (U.S. Air Force Photo)

U.S. Air Force B-52 Stratofortress bomber at takeoff from Barksdale AFB (U.S. Air Force Photo)

U.S. Air Force B-52 Stratofortress bomber Serial Number 60-001, Tail Code LA (U.S. Air Force Photo)

Boeing B-52 in-air refueling by a KC-135 Stratotanker

Boeing B-52 static display at the U.S. Air Force Academy in Colorado Springs

Boeing B-52H "Ghost Rider" S/N 61-1007 being restored back to flight status at Davis-Monthan AFB by AMARG boneyard personnel along with maintenance crews from Barksdale, Minot and Tinker Air Force Bases.

B-52H Strtofortress "Ghost Rider" S/N 61-1007, nose view, during regeneration at Davis-Monthan AFB in Tucson, Arizona

Boeing B-52H "Ghost Rider" S/N 61-1007 returns to flight at Davis-Monthan AFB in Tucson after 7 years of storage at the AMARG "boneyard. The flight was from Tucson to Barksdale AFB in Louisiana on February 17, 2015. This aircraft, the first B-52 restored to service after boneyard storage, will replace another B-52 taken out of service after a cockpit fire.

Another B-52H, S/N 60-0034, "Wise Guy", was also restored and returned to active service in the Air Force in March of 2021. See photos below, courtesy of the 309th AMARG.

First time B-52 Lands at Oshkosh AirVenture - July 17, 2015