Boeing B-52 Stratofortress

The first B-52 completed its maiden flight six decades ago, yet the aircraft type remains a formidable and highly capable military asset. Let us look at the fascinating history of this seemingly immortal bomber. 

Development

The B-52 story has a rather complex beginning. As World War II came to an end in 1945, USAAF (United States Army Air Force) decision makers realised there would soon be a requirement for a new strategic bomber which could fly vast distances. However, would it be powered by turboprop or turbojet engines? Just how fast would it need to fly? It appeared that the USAAF did not know what it wanted. Accelerating events of the Cold War and the leadership of Strategic Air Command’s (SAC) General Curtis Lemay helped focus the details of the requirement and as a result, Boeing’s B-52 programme, which had been postponed and nearly completely cancelled on a few occasions, was eventually given the go-ahead.

At last, in 1951, Boeing was awarded a contract for thirteen B-52s, with the first of two prototypes completing its maiden flight on 15 April 1952. The bomber was powered by eight newly developed J57 turbojet engines and had long, high-mounted wings, swept back at a 35° angle. Unlike production variants, the prototypes had a tandem seating arrangement, which was rejected by General Lemay in favour of a more ergonomic side-by-side seat layout. A pilot, co-pilot and electronic warfare officer sat in the upper flight deck, whilst a navigator and radar-navigator would man the lower flight deck. There was space for a gunner in the B-52’s tail, although in later variants, the gunner would be seated behind the pilots in the cockpit and make use of a television link to control the tail guns.

Three B-52As were built and used primarily for test and evaluation purposes. The new bomber’s production run began with the B-52B. Fifty examples of this variant were built, although most of these were designated ‘RB-52B’ and equipped as reconnaissance aircraft. Enthusiasm for using the massive bomber as a reconnaissance aircraft soon waned and as a result all subsequent variants were dedicated bombers.

As a matter of interest, the last of the three B-52As was used by NASA (National Aeronautics and Space Administration) as a research platform, designated NB-52A. It was that aircraft which was famously used to launch the experimental hypersonic X-15s.  NASA’s NB-52A was later replaced with an NB-52B, affectionately known as ‘Balls 8.’ Decades later, the latter aircraft became too difficult to maintain due to a shortage of spare parts, leading to its replacement with a more modern B-52H in 2004.

Although the B-52 was officially named ‘Stratofortress’, it was mostly referred to as the ‘BUFF’, an acronym for ‘Big Ugly Fat Fella’. That said, ‘fella’, was usually replaced with a different word beginning with the same letter!

Nuclear bomber

With the Cold War and a nuclear arms race in the background, a B-52B dropped a nuclear bomb on 21 May 1956. This was the beginning of the aircraft type’s involvement in nuclear tests, which would last seven years. Of course, these tests were designed to send a warning message to NATO’s (North Atlantic Treaty Organisation) Soviet enemies on the other side of the Iron Curtain. This warning message was underlined in 1957, when three B-52Bs flew non-stop around the world with the aid of in-flight refuelling, illustrating the reach of these nuclear bombers.

During the Cold War, peace was maintained by mutually assured destruction. This meant that if one side attacked the other, it would immediately have to face a swift and violent nuclear counter-strike.  From the late 1950s, B-52s and their crews were kept on high alert. At the sound of an alarm, a B-52, armed with nuclear weapons, could be airborne within fifteen minutes. During the 1960s, a third to half of the SAC’s entire B-52 force would be on high alert. In addition, more B-52s were kept on ‘airborne alert’, which meant that the SAC would already have nuclear bombers airborne should there be an enemy attack. At least twelve airborne bombers each armed with three or four thermonuclear bombs, had pre-assigned targets in the Soviet Union. Few realise just how close the world came to an all-out nuclear war. During the Cuban missile crisis of 1962 for example, B-52s armed with nuclear bombs were orbiting next to the Soviet Union’s borders, ready to enter enemy territory at a moment’s notice. There were inherent risks associated with constantly having nuclear bombers in the skies. Accidents involving armed B-52s led to temporarily losing nuclear bombs, costly clean-up operations and national embarrassment. A solution came with the introduction of intercontinental ballistic missiles, which rendered the ‘airborne alert’ unnecessary.

Combat history

Of course, not all theatres of the Cold War were ‘cold.’ During the mid-1960s, it was decided to modify B-52s for use as conventional bombers in the Vietnam War. The modification meant that each B-52 in Southeast Asia could carry 51bombs, each weighing 750 lbs (340 kg). The decision to use B-52s in Vietnam was controversial and was opposed by the SAC. Nevertheless, the first B-52 raid took place in June 1965. That first mission could not have been less successful. Two bombers collided and crashed, whilst the enemy had already left the area by the time the formation dropped its bombs. As the war intensified, B-52s were used regularly, flying hundreds of sorties each month, causing havoc in enemy-held territory and becoming the weapon feared most by the Viet Cong guerrillas. Make no mistake, Communist forces had set up an intricate air defence network, leading to numerous B-52s being shot down, but the heavy bombers had a massive impact on enemy operations, logistics and morale. Interestingly, during the siege of Khe Sahn, B-52s were used very effectively in a close air support role, helping to rescue trapped Marines. In the end, not even the mighty B-52s could win a war which would ultimately be lost by political blunders.

During the 1970s and 1980s, various upgrade programmes modernised the B-52s, particularly in terms of carrying modern weapons systems, such as cruise missiles. In 1991, Operation Desert Storm was launched when seven B-52s took off from Louisiana in the USA, flew to the Persian Gulf with the help of in-flight refuelling, launched missiles which struck targets in Iraq and then returned to their base in the USA. The record-breaking mission lasted 35 hours. The distance flown was an astounding 25 750 kms. On the same day, other B-52s entered Iraqi airspace at low level and attacked various targets. In the end, B-52s flew about 1 600 sorties during Operation Desert Storm. Later during the 1990s, these bombers would see more action over Iraq, as well as the Balkans, when NATO forces entered Kosovo in 1999. Two years later, following ‘9/11’, ‘Buffs’ saw more combat in Afghanistan.

Specifications

Over the last few decades, B-52s have continuously been upgraded and modernised. These bombers have outlived many combat aircraft and it appears that they will remain in service for at least another decade. In fact, according to a U.S. Air Force fact sheet, it seems the B-52H, the only variant still in service, might still be flying in the year 2040.