Home

Other Military Planes

How to Order

Refund Policy

Contact Us

Scale 1:100   Length 15.7"   Wingspan 18.5"

Photography by Action Asia Photo
© 2002-8 Action Asia Photo - All Rights Reserved
www.actionasiaphoto.com

Since becoming operational in April, 1955, the B-52 has been the main long-range nuclear bomber of the Strategic Air Command. In its 25-plus years of service, the B-52 has set many records. On January 18th, 1957, three B-52B's completed the world's first non-stop round-the-world flight by jet aircraft, lasting 45 hours and 19 minutes with only three aerial re-fuelings en route. It was also a B-52 that made the first airborne hydrogen bomb drop over Bikini Atoll on May 21, 1956.

When production ended in 1963, nearly 750 Stratofortress aircraft had been built of which 170 were B-52D's modified to carry conventional bombs and Quail decoy missiles.

The B-52D went through further development producing the B-52E and B-52F versions. First flight of the -F version was on May 6th, 1958.

The major improvement in the B-52F was to the power plants that used Pratt & Whitney J57-P-43W turbojets - each with a maximum thrust of 13,750 lbs using water injection. These new engines had large alternators mounted on the left side which gave the -F model engine nacelles a distinctive bulge (an -F model is easily identified by the tall tail and the alternator fairings on the engine nacelles).

A total of 89 -F models were built, 44 at Boeing's Seattle plant and 45 at the Wichita plant.

The B-52F entered operational service in June 1958 after a very short acceptance and test program.

The B-52F was used extensively in Southeast Asia during the early stages of the conflict. In 1966, the -F models were withdrawn from combat operations and returned to the United States for nuclear deterrent duty. The aircraft remained in operational service until the last aircraft was retired in 1978.

Serial #s  57-0030 to 57-0073 (Seattle built) and
                 57-0139 to 57-183 (Wichita built)

Crew:       6 (Pilot, Copilot, Electronic Warfare Officer, Navigator, Radar Navigator-Bombardier, Tail Gunner)
Length:      156 ft 7 in
Wingspan: 185 ft
Height:       48 ft
Weight:      293,100 lbs combat weight
Engines:     8  P&W turbojets with 13,750 lbs thrust each
Speed:        638 mph at 20,000 ft.  Cruise 526 mph
Ceiling:       46,200 ft. at combat weight of 293,100 lbs
Range:        3,305 miles combat radius without re-fueling
Armament:  Four .50-cal. M-3 machine guns in the tail barbette and up to 43,000 lbs. of bombs

Related Links
B-52 Stratofortress Association