The Boeing B-52 'Stratofortress' began its service life in the year of 1955, with its first flight having been completed three years previously - 15th April 1952. As of now, the B-52 is the United States longest serving bomber in its inventory; and the B-1B's senior by 31 years.
Over the last sixty odd years, the B-52 long range intercontinental bomber has undergone several extensive and minor modifications to improve certain performance or tactical capabilities. Although it's still going and suit the US's needs currently, it had a rough start; and went from the original design of a straight winged aircraft powered by six prop powerplants - to an eight engined, sweeped wing air-frame. The original six engined design was chosen by the US Army Air Forces in 1946, and then two years later, in October 1948, Boeing's Chief Designer - Ed Wells - and his design team; were told to change from props to jet engines - turning the B-52 into a jet bomber. Within a week, a new design was created, and this was to become the B-52 that is still here supporting combat operations around the world today. Ed and the design team produced a 33 page report and a scale balsa wood model of this new eight engined design. The teams effort impressed the Air Forces Material Command, and the design was approved for production - with an initial number of 13 airframes being ordered. Only three B-52A's were produced when production was changed to B-52B, of which had larger engines and were a heavier airframe. A small number of these B-52B aircraft had photoreconnaissance or electronic equipment in their bomb bays, with a resulting designation of RB-52B for these examples. The aircrafts large airframe earned it the name of the Big Ugly Fat Fellow (BUFF) but provided plenty of space for navigational, defensive, weapon control systems and electronic countermeasures. Among combat support missions, the 'BUFF' has been used as a mothership in the developmental lives of prototype aircraft, a role that was done by a converted B-52. With each variant, the Stratofortress became more capable, increased in range and power, and became an aircraft used in the majority of wars fought by the US since the B-52s conception. Along with combat operations - throughout the 1950s the 'BUFF' broke numerous speed and distance records, one of the being halving the round-the-world flight time record, and in January of 1962, flying 12,500 miles nonstop without refuelling; from Japan to Spain. The B-52 saw active service in the Vietnam war - Operation Linebacker; took part in operations in the gulf war of 1991, partook in missions over Bosnia and Kosovo, patrolling the Soviet Union borders with nuclear warheads, 24 hours a day, eight years straight; was over Afghanistan throughout the US campaign in theatre, and most recently helping in the war against ISIS, in Iraq and Syria. Out of the 744 examples built, only 76 remain in service today. In 2006, the B-52 fleet received an MLU (Mid-Life Update), which brought upgrades to their avionics, navigation equipment and modernised processors. 2014 brought new communication systems to the fleet, the first upgrade of the type since they began service, along with new LCD screens to replace the aged ray cathode versions. Upgrades on the weapons front are proposed bomb bay upgrades, to allow the carriage of more 'smart' bombs, and radar improvements - potentially using systems found in modern aircraft such as the F-22. Other potential upgrades are the improvements to defensive suites, sensors, ejection systems - with the resultant airframe to be designated B-52J; although at present this is just a potential future aircraft. The re-engining program for the B-52H fleet is also being pushed along fast by the USAF, upgrading their current TF33 engines. In all, several upgrades are planned for the B-52 fleet to attempt to extend its service life over the currently predicted year 2040, with the emphasis on the re-engining of the B-52s, and bringing improvements to current systems to aid with this goal. By Connor Woodward
1 Comment
We are thankful to have been able to ask a Vietnam UH-1B Nav Technician veteran some questions, and have an interesting read from them. Bill was in the USMC and served in Vietnam in the years 1969-1970, find out a bit more about his job in the answers below, enjoy!
1) As a Nav tech on the UH-1B in Vietnam, what were your responsibilities on the aircraft? When the aircraft was on the ground I was responsible for insuring that the radios (UHF, FM, HF) and crypto equipment (KY 28) as well as the radar altimeter were working as advertised. I would get a notice from the line shack if the pilot had entered deficiencies about any of those systems in the log book. Following notification I would trouble shoot the problem, correct it and sign off the log book as having been repaired and tested. 2) What made you want to join the USMC, and did you originally want to be on the Huey, doing what you did? I entered college immediately after High School at Indiana Tech. It became increasingly obvious, as the quarters went by, that I was not mature enough to run my own life, or studies. I was given my "try again some other time" notice after my 3rd quarter, having been on academic probation from the previous quarter. I got a job at the local steel mill with my "connections". A few months later I got notice from the draft board that my status had gone from 1-S to 1-A. I decided that I was going to direct my future, since I had not done such a good job at College. All the recruiters in my town were located in the American Legion hall. When I went there the only office that was open was USMC. I spoke with the recruiter at length about what I thought I wanted to do. He gave me a commitment that I could go to the Air Wing if I got the proper level of score from my aptitude test during boot camp. I signed up, boot camp test results were 136, I needed 120. The rest as they say is history. That was actually the second highest score in our company. Some jackoff beat me with a 139. 3) How well suited was the Huey to the environment in Vietnam? The only thing that could have been improved, in my mind, was overall top speed. With our gunship fully loaded in the morning the best we could do was about 90 knots. When people are shooting at you that seems way too slow. I was volunteered to become a 6320 (Aerial Observer and Gunner UH-1). I flew in that position for about 6 months and still had to work troubles at night when I was RTB..The pilots that I flew with could make that plane do tricks that I had never experienced. In skillful hands it was quite capable for anything we were asked to do. 4) What do you think the best variant of the Huey was that flew in Vietnam, and why? Having only spent 4 years active duty, when I was EAS they were still flying the same aircraft that I was very familiar with. I am not familiar with proceeding variants. 5) The UH-1 is regarded as the life saver of many Vietnam war soldiers and some even consider the aircraft and it's crew as angels of life. What would be your comment on this? During my 6 months as a door gunner on an aircraft equipped as we were, it was easy to get down among 'em. We did not fly by and drop a payload. Our armament consisted of 4 fixed M-60's controlled by the pilot, 2 M-60's in a nose turret controlled by the co-pilot, 2 external 7 shot rocket pods(pilot) and an M-60 in each door controlled by the crew chief and yours truly. That's why it was called a gunship. We took our armament to tree top level and stayed on station for extended periods of time. The only restriction was fuel and losing function of some aircraft control systems or excess blood. We added additional aerial support as if we were a member of the ground troops. On several occasions when the situation on the ground was "under control" I have heard a hearty "Thank you Scarface" 6) Helicopters use to be deemed as an inferior form of air transportation compared to fixed wing aircraft. What would you say about this? Fixed wing aircraft have a problem when It comes to on-station time. If they don't move forward they fall like a big rock. They can make a multitude of passes, but they are just that, passes. Our aircraft were incredibly reliable, very agile. There is no other aircraft that could have performed the function that was our job. It sort of like a big dragon fly that could bob and weave and deliver accurate death to those we opposed. 7) The Huey is considered as one of the icons of the Vietnam war. How would you explain your experience with this aircraft? I began working on Hueys in 1967 which continued until 1970. I understand every working part of that aircraft and it's foibles. For me it was a labor of love. If you took care of it, it will take care of you. 8) Where there any major problems in the early Huey variants that were fixed by future variants? As I remember, there was a rotor tracking problem but that was resolved fairly quickly. Not like the 46 where the back half of the aircraft would come apart in flight. Or the engine problem with the 53s. By Arjun Iyer and Connor Woodward After a post calling for volunteers to contact us to arrange a QnA for the website, quite a few people came forward, and some had the same roles. Vahe Ohanian who served in the USMC and was a CH-46 Crew Chief and door gunner, with over 500 hours flight time. When he left he worked for Northrop, as a Hydraulic Test Technician on the F/A-18 production line, and then employed by the Flying Tigers cargo company working on the Boeing 747 and 727 and McDonnell DC-8. When FedEx bought out Flying Tigers, he then worked on the DC-10, MD-11, and the Airbus A300; before finally working for American Airlines and was trained to work on the 767, 757, 737 and the MD-80.
As another veteran contacted us who was was also a gunner/crew chief on the CH-46, we asked Vahe about his time on the F/A-18 production line, and below are 10 questions answered by him: 1) What did your job as a hydraulic test technician on the F/A-18 production line entail? My job, at El Segundo, California, entailed hooking up the hydraulic pressurization unit using 5606 hydraulic fluid to test for leaks in swage fittings or B nuts and operation of the tail flight surfaces before the unit was shipped out to McDonald Douglas in St. Louis by rail. Was a very messy job as there were a lot of leaks to fix. 2) What do you think makes the F/A-18 such a successful naval aircraft? Maneuverability, safety with two GE power plants (a Naval Aviation requirement at the time) and the avionic packages to include the HUD (heads up display). One has to remember that the F/A-18 replaced the A4 from the Marine Corp’s inventory. 3) The YF-17 originally lost to the YF-16 in the Light Weight Fighter competition, do you think if the F/A-18 did not come about, the F-16 could of been an as good naval aircraft? The Northrop Tiger Shark lost to the F-16 in competition. The problem with the F-16 for the Navy and Marine Corps is that it is a single engine configuration designed to fly mostly over land and light weight. It’s light weight fuselage would not be able to handle the stresses of carrier landings and would have to be beefed up losing some of its agility. 4) Favourite thing about the F/A-18? Watching them in the Blue Angels air shows 5) In terms of capability, do you think the F-35C is a suitable replacement for the F/A-18 on carriers? The Marine Corps has been always searching for the Holy Grail of Vertical Takeoff capable of launching from helicopter carriers like LHA -5 with all around capabilities. I think the F-35 is getting one step closer to that quest. 6) Were there any major issues or problems with the Hornet that was then fixed/sorted by the introduction of the Super Hornet variants? As I recall, which I haven’t followed too much from technicians who worked on them, their initial issues were with the GE power plants. Like every other aircraft in the Marine Corps inventory, they are constantly being refined based on input from the pilots and technicians. It is an evolutionary process for Marine Corps aircraft using old platforms. 7) A best memory during your career as a Hydraulic Test Technician? My best memory working for Northrop Aircraft was their benefit packages. Their pay sucked and it was a very messy job. However, their hours were reasonable and the job was relatively easy whereas if you work for the major airlines, it is grunt work where you will probably be working the grave yard shift with Tuesday/Wednesday off for about 20 years before you see daylight. If you are married, it will destroy your marriage and family life because your family will not understand why they shouldn't be calling you at 3:00 pm in the afternoon when you are trying to sleep. 8) Which, in your eyes, is a better aircraft, the Tomcat or the Hornet? The F/A-18 is a much more capable aircraft because of the avionic packages on it. Remember, the F-14 required another officer to manage the ordinance to deliver while the front pilot managed the aircraft and flight surfaces. F-18’s computers got rid of the need for the ordinance officer. Pretty soon, drone pilots are going to be in more demand and then Artificial Intelligence will be manning these aircraft months at a time. I think eventually they are going to have hybrid surveillance aircraft as well that can stay up for months at a time. 9) When a leak occurred in the hydraulics, what is done to fix it? If a leak occurred during my stint, we would first determine where it was coming from. If from a component, we would remove and replace. If from a B nut, we would simply tighten to the specified torques. If from a swage fitting, we would get the hydraulic crimping tool and re swage it. Or, cut the line to get the leaky swaged fitting off and install a new set and re swage and test again. 10) If you could of worked on any aircraft in USMC service, past or present, what would it be and why? The following photos are the aircraft that I would have liked to work on past and present. The biggest thrill I got while in the Marine Corps was saving fellow service members’ lives. I was lucky to be on the CH-46 in order to accomplish those missions. We would like to thank vahe for his time to answer these questions, and his service in the USMC. By Arjun Iyer and Connor Woodward The Douglas A-4 Skyhawk, is a nimble yet powerful jet, which entered service with the United States Navy originally in the year of 1956. The A-4 took it’s roots from the U.S Navy’s requirements for replacing the late WWII era A-1 Skyraider, a prop driven attack aircraft which had served in the Korean war. The requirements specified that it had to be a jet aircraft, which was to be cheaper than $1 million per aircraft, easy to maintain and operate from an aircraft carrier and have a decent range. The aircraft was designed by Ed Heinemann in 1952 as the XA-4D1 . The first prototype flew on 22nd June 1954 from Edwards AFB, California.
The aircraft is characterised with a typical post World War Two delta winged aircraft, with a jet engine and a tricycle landing gear. The aircraft was initially equipped with 2 20mm Colt Cannons with one mounted on the root of each wing. Each cannon carried up to 100 rounds. The aircraft was easy to maintain , which had short wings, thus consuming less deck space. The engines of the aircraft could be removed by a sliding platform towards the aft of the aircraft. It had forward slats, which would automatically deploy at a preset speed (determined by the air pressue and centre of gravity) to assist landing on an aircraft carrier. The rudder of the aircraft was made out of a single control surface. The original variant had one centerline station and two hardpoints (one on each wing). The A4E model, which was introduced in 1964, featured more powerful Pratt&Whitney J52-P6A engines and two more external hardpoints, increasing the total number of hardpoints to 5. Pylons 2,3 and 4 are wet plumbed (the Centreline plylon, and the two pylons which are sitting inwards on the wings of the aircraft), to support the carrying Drop tanks for extra range/loitering time. The cockpit was placed at a higher angle so that the pilot could get a clear view while landing on a carrier deck. The aircraft also featured aerial buddy-buddy refuelling; where it can refuel other aircraft with high payload during a long range mission. The aircraft could carry bombs, rockets, napalm, drop tanks and missiles as well. The most famous variants of this aircraft are the A-4E Skyhawk and the A-4F Skyhawk. The A-4F could be told apart by the additional hump on the spine of the aircraft, which carried electronic equipment. Additionally, trainer variants were also produced for this aircraft (the TA-4, about 555 built). It can be noted the first bombing mission by the U.S forces in North Vietnam were carried out by A-4 Skyhawk units. It is also a fact that the last missions over Vietnam were also flown by the A-4. The A-4, though built as a ground attack aircraft, scored one aerial kill over Vietnam where the pilot fired Zuni air-to-ground rockets and downed an enemy MiG-17. Sadly an A-4 pilot was also the first POW in that war. The A-4 was purchased by countries such as Argentina, Australia, Malaysia, Israel, Brazil, Kuwait and New Zealand. The US Navy began retiring these airfames from active duty in 1978, though it still served as a trainer aircraft until 2011 (many sources dispute this time period), however the USMC saw this as an aircraft that held potential and retained it in service until 1991. The Israeli Skyhawks saw combat during the 1973 Yom Kippur war. The Israeli A-4F and A-4H variants were equipped with an extended tail pipe for lower detection by Heat Seeking Missiles. Additionally these were also armed with DEFA552 Cannons instead of the regular Colt cannons. Foreign countries modified this aircraft according to their requirements. They also played a pivotal role in the TOPGUN school, where they were proven very versatile for training pilots due to it’s high agility. It was assigned to mimic the Soviet made MiG-17s due to the similar nature of handling. The last Skyhawk rolled out in the year 1979 and served with VMA-331 of the USMC. By Arjun Iyer |
Here is where we post our articles, every other day! Enjoy!
AviationMilitaryBlogNews |