-------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

But still the airframes, esp the wings, have been subjected to a lot more stress than they were designed for.
My dad flew B-52's (SAC) for about a year (ended when he got 'grounded' due to chronic ear problems) in 1958.
he later told me about how they practiced 'toss bombing' where they would come in very, very low (like riding a roller-coaster, he said), pull up sharply (you should've seen the wings bend, he said), release the, in this case, dummy nuclear bomb so it would arc over intervening terrain, & execute a 180 degree escape-maneuver turn  to get away.
He said more than once that he didn't know how the a/c could take it.

---------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

On Wed, 4/20/16, Greg Chalik <mrg3105@gmail.com> wrote:

 Subject: Re: [TML] Off-topic but incredible!
 To: xxxxxx@simplelists.com
 Date: Wednesday, April 20, 2016, 12:45 PM

 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 21/04/2016 4:07 AM,
 "Bruce  Johnson" <xxxxxx@pharmacy.arizona.edu>
 wrote:

 > 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

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