Boeing B-52 Stratofortress

The B-52 Stratofortress is a United States Air Force long-range strategic bomber that was first flown in April 1952. Designed by Boeing Aircraft to replace the Convair B-36 Peacemaker and carry nuclear weapons during the Cold War, this massive swept-wing eight-engine aircraft has a range of 8,800 miles, can fly up to 50,000 ft, and is capable of carrying approximately 70,000 lbs. of mix ordnance, including gravity bombs, cluster bombs & precision-guided missiles. Known as the “BUFF” (big ugly fat fellow), the B-52 is highly adaptable and has served in a wide variety of conflicts since its inception including the Vietnam War, first Gulf War, the War in Afghanistan, and the War in Iraq. In total, 744 B-52 Stratofortress’s were built between 1952-1962 in Seattle, Washington and Wichita, Kansas. With B-52’s constantly being upgraded with newer, more modern equipment, the airplane is planned to continue to operate until at least 2050.

The Museum’s B-52G Stratofortress was built in Wichita, Kansas and delivered to the United States Air Force on September 23, 1960. In February 1963, the airplane was transferred to the Air Force’s 397th Bombardment Wing at Dow Air Force Base in Bangor, Maine. On May 16, 1964, the City of Bangor was given honorary ownership of the aircraft and the B-52 was Christened the “City of Bangor” by Miss Bangor of 1964 (Sherryllee Kay Jones), who ceremoniously broke a bottle of champagne over the nose of the airplane. When Dow Air Force Base closed down in 1968, the B-52 was transferred to the 2nd Bombardment Wing at Barksdale Air Force Base in Louisiana. In May 1972, with the Vietnam War continuing in earnest, the Museum’s B-52 was sent to Andersen Air Force Base in Guam as a part of “Operation Bullet Shot” (the buildup of forces in southeast Asia to combat the North Vietnamese). Here it participated in bombing raids over Vietnam. After the war, the B-52 was stationed at a number of bases, including in Texas, California, North Dakota, and Washington State. In 1991, with the build-up of tensions surrounding Iraq’s invasion of Kuwait, the Museum’s B-52 was again put into action, flying 14 combat missions during the conflict. In November 1991, the airplane was retired and sent to the Air Force’s Aircraft Storage & Disposition Center (AMARG) at Davis-Monthan Air Force Base in Tucson, Arizona where it was cut into five pieces to satisfy terms of disarmament agreements between the United States and the Soviet Union. Fortunately, the airplane’s cockpit was saved when the Southern Utah Aviation Museum retrieved the piece and began restoration of the cockpit for display at their museum. When the museum ceased operations, the cockpit was then sold to Doug Scroggins of Scroggins Aviation Mockup & Effects of Las Vegas, Nevada. Scroggins Aviation subsequently loaned the B-52 to the Tillamook Air Museum in September 2021.

SPECIFICATIONS

Type                                           Bomber Aircraft

Weight                                       488,000 lbs. (loaded)

Wingspan                                185 ft, 0 in

Length                                      160 ft, 10 in.

Height                                       40 ft. 7 in.

Power                                       Eight Pratt & Whitney J57-P-43WB turbojets with

                                                    13,759 pounds of thrust each

Manufacturer                         Boeing Aircraft Company

PERFORMANCE

Maximum Speed                   634 mph

Cruise Speed                          493 mph

Ceiling                                      46,000 ft

Range                                        7,100 miles