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50 Years of Boeing Bombers in a Picture

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B52HVet
03/17/09

In reply to 50 Years of Boeing Bombers in a Picture
Thanks for bringing back some great memories, Giz!

I worked as an Aircraft armament systems specialist (2W151, or 462) on the B-52H for quite a while. It's truly a masterpiece of engineering, one of the most versatile and dependable platforms the military has ever used. Given the planned upgrades, current projected service life of the B-52 is 2040. Newest airframes were built toward the end of 1961. It'll be the longest lived aircraft in U.S. history, and I'm proud to have been a part of the hardest working maintainers in the Air Force.
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macabron
03/17/09

In reply to 50 Years of Boeing Bombers in a Picture
Sorry to burst your bubble, but the B-17 was introduced in 1938 and the B-52 has been in service since 1955. Thats less than 20 years. The B-52 is such a well made aircraft that it has been upgraded with jet engines, and it's internals with state of the art avionics, but otherwise the shell is the same, no redesign. It's like putting a Ford model T next a 57 Fairlane with a new engine and wheels, and then claim 50 years of evolution by Ford.
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Kaiser-Machead
03/17/09

@macabron: Well it's not so much 50 years of Boeing design, but it is over 50 years of service. The B-52's always had jet engines, and has gone through some minor external upgrades though.
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Kaiser-Machead
03/17/09

In reply to 50 Years of Boeing Bombers in a Picture
Loveliest thing on two wings ever built. These things can take all sorts of punishment, and then fly home on just one engine. WW2 planes are about my favorite, along with the P-38's, B-25's, and of course my all-time favorite P-51 Mustang.

When I was taking a trip by Wright Patterson AFB, both this and a B-29 were flying side by side. I love the sound of the cyclones.
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dirtybacon
03/17/09

In reply to 50 Years of Boeing Bombers in a Picture
The B-17 is one of my staples whenever I have gotten on a model kick in my life-time. Ever since I was 5, if I wanted to do a model, I would do a b-17 and a p-38. My dad always grabs a p-51 Mustang.

I feel like doing a model now.
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boot shrew
03/17/09

In reply to 50 Years of Boeing Bombers in a Picture
I'm surprised the B-52 hasn't fallen out of the sky trying to fly slow enough for that B-17. Then again I can't tell if its flaps are down.
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Kaiser-Machead
03/17/09

@boot shrew is really rig stig: The B-52 has an extremely large surface area on the wings, and unlike lots of smaller fighters, it can travel as slowly as an A-10 without stalling out. Fantastic aircraft it is.
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Hello Mister Walrus
03/17/09

In reply to 50 Years of Boeing Bombers in a Picture
At the rate things are going, the next huge bomber will have a Google logo on the side. Or at the very least, the bikini woman painting on the side of the aircraft will be replaced by a young, shirtless Steve Jobs.
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Jrsy Devil's Advocate®
03/17/09

@Hello Mister Walrus: Perhaps Google can outfit one with a bunch of cameras...
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stryder100
03/17/09

In reply to 50 Years of Boeing Bombers in a Picture
Beautiful. Too bad they're purveyors of massive civilian death.
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Jrsy Devil's Advocate®
03/17/09

@stryder100: And just think, they were manufactured by civilians too...
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Donald Moore
03/17/09

In reply to 50 Years of Boeing Bombers in a Picture
Where does the cartoon wheel go?
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Jrsy Devil's Advocate®
03/17/09

@Donald Moore: That was probably one of my favorite episodes of Amazing Stories.
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Kaiser-Machead
03/17/09

@Donald Moore: Thanks for the memories! I'm glad I downloaded that episode.
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aerospaceman
03/17/09

In reply to 50 Years of Boeing Bombers in a Picture
the B52 was deployed in the 1955 and the B17 had it's first flight in 1935, so this photo only spans 20 years.
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secretmanofagent
03/17/09

@aerospaceman:

They're talking about when it first entered service (B-52 was in '54), which was more than 50 years ago. That's what they're referring to.
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RamV10: E A G L E S EAGLES!
03/17/09

@secretmanofagent: They may also be talking about combined service life of both aircraft, though now it's been 74 years since the first flight of the B-17.

Wikipedia interestingly says that the operational life of the B-52H is predicted to end some time around 2040. Pretty goddamned close to 100 years is insane.
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Kaiser-Machead
03/17/09

@RamV10: Isn't it awesome?
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FredicvsMaximvs
03/17/09

@aerospaceman:

[barbie]

Math is hard! Let's go shopping!

[/barbie]
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justin44l
03/17/09

In reply to 50 Years of Boeing Bombers in a Picture
It looks like the guns located on the B-17G are facing the tail....
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Hello Mister Walrus
03/17/09

@justin44l: It wouldn't surprise me if there was a mechanism that prevented the gun from firing when facing the tail.
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Garrett Brooks
03/17/09

@justin44l: Well the top gun mount swivels, you know what swivels means? and the one on the side is to shoot at planes that are attacking next to the plane. Basically the idea was to put guns on each side so they could protect themselves. Pretty intuitive, huh?
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Jrsy Devil's Advocate®
03/17/09

@justin44l: You mean all of them except the nose gun..
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Hello Mister Walrus
03/17/09

@Garrett Brooks: Everyone knows that the gun turret can point in different directions. However, in its current position, it appears to be facing the tail. Smart ass.
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discounteggroll
03/17/09

@justin44l:

friendly fire's turned off
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ripfire
03/17/09

@justin44l: It looks like the guns aren't even loaded.
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