Bruce, strictly speaking they would only be same airframes. The cockpits have been fully redesigned and of course digitised. The bomb bays are reconfigured to also accomodate cruise missiles. Neither the father and certainly not the grandfather would know how to operate today's B-52.
Aside the engine maintenance cycle, there is also a rebuild cycle. The engines are pulled completely appart and all parts scruitinised the way that wasn't possible even in the 80s.
However, B-52s have a unique mission profile to other AF aircraft. The airframe is not exposed to the same forces that smaller lower altitude designs are. And, they don't get as many flight hours as the lift aircraft like C-5s which date from same period and are being retired.
Greg
> On Apr 20, 2016, at 10:10 AM, Phil Pugliese (via tml list) <xxxxxx@simplelists.com> wrote:
>
> This email was sent from yahoo.com which does not allow forwarding of emails via email lists. Therefore the sender's email address (xxxxxx@yahoo.com) has been replaced with a dummy one. The original message follows:
>
> -------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
>
> Now here's something from the 'Defense Industry Daily' n/l that almost sounds impossible!
>
> "Pratt and Whitney has maintained that they can develop a TF33 upgrade package that will keep Boeing's B-52 bomber flying until the 2040s. The eight engine bomber has kept the same TF33 engine since its induction in 1952, but high fuel consumption had the USAF looking at potential re-engine options. With oil prices dropping dramatically, the program was dropped; but P&W are still looking at improvements for the TF33 that will keep it on-wing, and allow the air force to reduce their maintenance costs."
>
> These planes have been in service so long ('H" models were built about '60-'64) that the authors seem unaware that only the 'H" models had the TF33 turbofan. Earlier models had turbojets. The 'fanjets' gave the 'H' a much greater range than the earlier versions & were more powerful.
> Still, I find it amazing that those planes could still be flying past the age of 75 years old!
Sometime in 2033...Pilot walks up to ‘his’ B52, turns to his friends and smiles. “The same plane my grandfather and my father flew”.
His friends nod and murmur, “Amazing. How long have they been making B52’s?”
The pilot shakes his head. “They stopped making ‘em in 1963, 70 years ago. You don’t get it. It’s the SAME PLANE. C’mere, I’ll show you where they carved their initials…."
true fact, this has, already happened, at least to two generations. Father flew the Buff in Vietnam, Son in Gulf II. (or maybe it was I, I’d have to go dig up the issue of 'Air and Space' with the story…)
--
Bruce Johnson
University of Arizona
College of Pharmacy
Information Technology Group
Institutions do not have opinions, merely customs
-----
The Traveller Mailing List
Archives at http://archives.simplelists.com/tml
Report problems to xxxxxx@simplelists.com
To unsubscribe from this list please goto
http://www.simplelists.com/confirm.php?u=JydxSB9tZc6TS63HiAHJcg6SAwighNGJ