B52s in RAF Fairford

[Boac]

https://www.gloucestershirelive.co.uk/n ... rs-4448450

I hope they are wearing masks.....

[TheGreenGoblin]

And cowboy hats...

[Pontius Navigator]

Interesting relistening to that. The intercom chat before the missile explosion had greater similarity to the live Bomber chat from WW2 than modern Hollywood ideas of combat chat.

[llondel]

Affectionately known as BUFFs (Big Ugly Fat Fellas or a similar word beginning with F) - these big beasts cost around $14million each.

[Pontius Navigator]

I bet all the little pink bodies inside will be around the same cost.

[G-CPTN]

[Pontius Navigator]

Interesting video of course 8 engines wasn't always enough :

1960, SAC developed procedures so that the B-52 could use the Hound Dog's J52 engine for additional thrust while the missile was located on the bomber's two pylons. This helped heavily laden B-52s fly away from their airbases faster, before enemy nuclear weapons obliterated them. The Hound Dog could then be refueled from the B-52's wing fuel tanks.[10]

I remember one report in Combat Crew of a copilot who left the Hound Dogs on full power for 4 or 5 hours. Thrusting on 10 engines!

[Boac]

Sheesh, Elmer - I ain't never seen Mountain Wave like that! Lookee there boy - all 8 P&Ws throttled right back and still we're crusin'! Say - did we ever do that there 'after take-off checklist'?

[Pontius Navigator]

BOAC, I think that was about the size of it. What was not recorded, or I would have remembered, was if it was an operational patrol or a pair of training rounds.

[TheGreenGoblin]

More on those B52's in action with the Norwegian Air Force.

https://thebarentsobserver.com/en/secur ... 52-bombers

[Boac]

Nice pic. Love the reheat! The Fluffs must have been going some

[G-CPTN]

Apparently, a B52 is currently trying to land back after a Mediterranean sortie as one engine has 'failed'.
Talk of fuel-dumping - but why would a B52 returning from a mission with 'only' 7 operational engines need to dump fuel?

[Undried Plum]

Mebbe 'cos the max landing weight has got nowt to do with the power available?

[G-CPTN]

Mebbe 'cos the max landing weight has got nowt to do with the power available?

Maybe the Mediterranean sortie was cut short? - but:-

The B-52 made the distress signal after completing a mission over the Mediterranean Sea.
The aircraft's flight path shows it began heading towards the UK to land.

Maybe it's SOP to empty the tanks in case of fire?

[Undried Plum]

Their missions can be very very long, so yes, perhaps they still had a silly amount of fuel for a landing, even after a round trip from Fairford to the Med.

I'm still surprised that a 7-engined landing rates as much as a Pan. Mebbe there were other consequences of the engine failure? Uncontained turbine failure, perhaps? With secondary damage?

[Ex-Ascot]

Their missions can be very very long, so yes, perhaps they still had a silly amount of fuel for a landing, even after a round trip from Fairford to the Med.

I'm still surprised that a 7-engined landing rates as much as a Pan. Mebbe there were other consequences of the engine failure? Uncontained turbine failure, perhaps? With secondary damage?

Or maybe just because they are American.