Keep in mind that the last of these B-52s was built in 1962. All of them have been flying for over six decades. As Americans we've gotten our investment in the back at least ten-fold. If only our other military spending could do as well.
So when I was a Crew chief on these things at minot back in 89-92 about the only OEM on these frames where the engines and landing struts.. which have been replaced plenty in its life span.. The key is minor block upgrades are made pretty much every time the bird went to Depot level maintenance at Tinker.. Now with the whole series of upgrades taking it to J model, New engines, new radar, new data link, new new new.. Again its a bomb truck and the only OEM are the frame and the landing struts. I saw a composite that showed with the new weather and TA radar the nose will look a lot different, they think they may take the TV and FLIR off the nose since it has a Hunter pod now..
So if you look at the video at 1:18 and look at the tail you will see a few things 1. MT this is a Minot Bird, 2. Knighthawks is the squadron 3. AF over a 60 with 017 This indicates the frame was started in 1960 and was the 17th plan that year. In this video I have seen 0004, 0017, 0023 and 0026 Also on the front left side of the fuselage you will see, the Icon for the plane under the AC's window, behind that the Icon for the 5th bomb wing, behind that the 4 digit tail number for the frame. 00xx and below that you see a box the shape of the state of North Dakota, with the Crew chief and the two assistant crew chiefs names are painted inside the outline. Normally the crew chief is a E6 or E5 with 2-3 E4 mafia to do their bidding.. Other unusual things about the BUFF.. while the plane looks kind of smooth from a distance there are area's where you do NOT walk under that plane.. it is covered in antenna for all kinds of purposes, which I will not go into. I walked into the "christmas tree" on the 47 section and oh lord did it hurt.. Other Other things to notice, they are light loaded with fuel and likely minimal training bombs.. how to I know this? No external pylons on, also look at the amount of silver you can see on the tip gear strut. If they had a Heavy fuel load on those things would be half or more compressed OOOther thing, because of the wing flex, the tip gear will take off as the wings build lift, long before the plane hits V1 16' up and down from the wing root.
Keep in mind that the last of these B-52s was built in 1962. All of them have been flying for over six decades. As Americans we've gotten our investment in the back at least ten-fold. If only our other military spending could do as well.
"Old but not obsolete"
So when I was a Crew chief on these things at minot back in 89-92 about the only OEM on these frames where the engines and landing struts.. which have been replaced plenty in its life span.. The key is minor block upgrades are made pretty much every time the bird went to Depot level maintenance at Tinker.. Now with the whole series of upgrades taking it to J model, New engines, new radar, new data link, new new new.. Again its a bomb truck and the only OEM are the frame and the landing struts. I saw a composite that showed with the new weather and TA radar the nose will look a lot different, they think they may take the TV and FLIR off the nose since it has a Hunter pod now..
So if you look at the video at 1:18 and look at the tail you will see a few things
1. MT this is a Minot Bird, 2. Knighthawks is the squadron 3. AF over a 60 with 017 This indicates the frame was started in 1960 and was the 17th plan that year. In this video I have seen 0004, 0017, 0023 and 0026
Also on the front left side of the fuselage you will see, the Icon for the plane under the AC's window, behind that the Icon for the 5th bomb wing, behind that the 4 digit tail number for the frame. 00xx and below that you see a box the shape of the state of North Dakota, with the Crew chief and the two assistant crew chiefs names are painted inside the outline. Normally the crew chief is a E6 or E5 with 2-3 E4 mafia to do their bidding..
Other unusual things about the BUFF.. while the plane looks kind of smooth from a distance there are area's where you do NOT walk under that plane.. it is covered in antenna for all kinds of purposes, which I will not go into. I walked into the "christmas tree" on the 47 section and oh lord did it hurt..
Other Other things to notice, they are light loaded with fuel and likely minimal training bombs.. how to I know this? No external pylons on, also look at the amount of silver you can see on the tip gear strut. If they had a Heavy fuel load on those things would be half or more compressed
OOOther thing, because of the wing flex, the tip gear will take off as the wings build lift, long before the plane hits V1 16' up and down from the wing root.
Good PM please help the pelepenas