The B-52 Stratofortress

[peter taft]

Originally Posted by Ashrunner

The boneyard is a depressing place...what with them cutting up BUFFs.

This is an area where i steer well clear of my friend... :( the sight of so many of THE BEST planes ever built, being left to there fate of a guy with a torch cutter.. VERY DEPRESSING.

Originally Posted by Gixergs

It was a smaller but equally depressing sight at Manston fire training station where 3 Vulcan's and 2 Victors gleaming in the sun were waiting to be torched next to the burnt and rusty remains of an E.E Lightning. Such is the sad and indignant end for many great aircraft.

This too is so very sad matey, our aircraft are amongst the finest in the world, and will always be remembered. The models we have and those we shall make, help keep them alive. Thank god for YOU TUBE - and all those people who managed to capture these beauties on film or video tape before it was too late.

[Ashrunner]

A couple of months after I arrived at Elmendorf AFB, I was tasked with dumping contaminated fuel into the fire department's burn pit. So myself and several other troops headed to our storage area, loaded a bunch of 55 gallon drums on a flatbed and headed to the burn pit.

Upon arrival I was shocked to see the burned out hulk of a B-47 (minus wings) sitting in the middle of a scorched area. As we were rolling the drums out to the pit, I kept looking at the skeletonized, burnt-out Stratojet and couldn't believe even in that nasty condition, still looked great.

Many great aircraft have fell to the cutter's torch, the guillotine or the burn pit. Even one-off aircraft have ended up in gunnery ranges. It's definitely a shame.

[peter taft]

Originally Posted by Ashrunner

A couple of months after I arrived at Elmendorf AFB, I was tasked with dumping contaminated fuel into the fire department's burn pit. So myself and several other troops headed to our storage area, loaded a bunch of 55 gallon drums on a flatbed and headed to the burn pit.

Upon arrival I was shocked to see the burned out hulk of a B-47 (minus wings) sitting in the middle of a scorched area. As we were rolling the drums out to the pit, I kept looking at the skeletonized, burnt-out Stratojet and couldn't believe even in that nasty condition, still looked great.

Many great aircraft have fell to the cutter's torch, the guillotine or the burn pit. Even one-off aircraft have ended up in gunnery ranges. It's definitely a shame.

Yes a very big shame my friend. The 47's are also on my list of BEST AIRCRAFT EVER. One question concerning the 52's for you or anyone reading this who has ever piloted one or been in one during flight - The question is this... I fly Simulators with many varying aircraft {in MS Flightsim 2002} the one thing that stands out with the 52 is that it YAWS almost all of the time during heavy or empty flights - what i'd like to know is this a TRUE CHARACTERISTIC of the BUFF or is the actual program not giving me a true flight simulation of this bird ? I have MANY aircraft and the BUFF is the only one that has this effect. One other thing in the simulator, the gear actually lines up with the landing strip when i go for a landing with a crosswind which i know happens and i thought that this was GREAT that the simulator had got this programmed to do so

[Ashrunner]

I haven't heard or read anything about yaw problems in the bird. I do recall talking to a BUFF pilot who said aircraft flies a bit nose heavy when light.

It's pretty cool the gear lines up in crosswind approaches and nice that simulators have that feature. I enjoyed watching the B-52s come in for a landing while crabbing the gear.

I do recall reading one time in a book, that the B-52 never lifts off tail first. That it was an illusion. I've watched many H models take off and land and have seen it occur. It doesn't happen all the time, but it does happen. I would estimate when it did happen, that the rear gear was two, maybe three feet off the ground when the forward gear lifted. Same for the landing, when it happened.

For the most part, the aircraft would land with both gear touching down at the same time. I don't think I ever actually witnessed a B-52 take off or land with the forward gear lifting first or touching down last...though it probably did at times. I just don't recall seeing it happen. However, I have seen it happen in videos.

I always loved watching that aircraft take off and land. It could be -30 with a 20 mph wind blowing, and I would be out on the tarmac with a smile on my face, watching the "Snakes" fly around.

I only wish I had been around to watch another great bird, one of Peter's Best Aircraft Ever - the B-47, fly. I heartily agree with it being one of the top birds ever.

[peter taft]

Originally Posted by Ashrunner

I haven't heard or read anything about yaw problems in the bird. I do recall talking to a BUFF pilot who said aircraft flies a bit nose heavy when light.

It's pretty cool the gear lines up in crosswind approaches and nice that simulators have that feature. I enjoyed watching the B-52s come in for a landing while crabbing the gear.

I always loved watching that aircraft take off and land. It could be -30 with a 20 mph wind blowing, and I would be out on the tarmac with a smile on my face, watching the "Snakes" fly around.

I only wish I had been around to watch another great bird, one of Peter's Best Aircraft Ever - the B-47, fly. I heartily agree with it being one of the top birds ever.

I would consider myself highly honoured to be anywhere near these birds. I have seen lots of footage of the 52's take off and land, and like you say it is very rare that the nose rotates first - maybe down to her length and cart configuration... i imagine even unloaded the back pairs would get one hell of a weight problem if the nose came up first. I get a wee bit emotional when i see video of a BUFF coming at you low and slow, then full power on climb - the sight and sound is something to behold for sure. The 47's are real beauties too, i like the whole arrangement they have - those were the days of true power and a true airforce to be proud of, just like we are proud of our RAF here in the U.K and all the aircraft that we have lost to the cutters is has said before, very sad.... a Vulcan or Victor is awesome in all aspects, as too are many others that we no-longer have :( The planes they vanish... but the memories are with us forever Ash.

[chiawatkom]

Dear Peter,

It's TOUGH WORK! my friend. This work is one of a giant built for me!!!