B-52 Stratofortress

by Bill Yenne

  Maximum speed: 630 mph at 19,800 feet; 570 mph at 45,050 feet

  Cruising speed: 523 mph

  Service ceiling at combat weight: 46,200 feet

  Combat radius: 3,500 miles with 10,000 pound bomb load

  Ferry range: 7,875 miles

  Powerplant: Eight Pratt & Whitney J57-P-29WA or -19W turbojets (10,500 pounds of thrust dry, and 12,100 pounds of thrust with water injection)

  B-52F (Boeing Model 464-260)

  Length: 156 feet 6.9 inches

  Wingspan: 185 feet

  Tail height: 48 feet 3.6 inches

  Wing area: 4,000 square feet

  Weight: 173,599 pounds empty; 291,570 pounds combat; 450,000 pounds gross.

  Armament: Four .50-caliber M3 machine guns with 600 rounds in tail turret.

  Maximum offensive payload: 43,000 pounds

  Maximum speed: 638 mph at 21,000 feet; 570 mph at 46,500 feet

  Cruising speed: 523 mph

  Service ceiling at combat weight: 46,700 feet

  Combat radius: 3,650 miles with 10,000 pound bomb load

  Ferry range: 7,976 miles

  Powerplant: Eight Pratt & Whitney J57-P-43WA turbojets (11,200 pounds of thrust dry, and 13,750 pounds of thrust with water injection)

  B-52G (Boeing Model 464-253)

  Length: 157 feet 7 inches (later increased to 160 feet 10.9 inches)

  Wingspan: 185 feet

  Tail height: 40 feet 8 inches

  Wing area: 4,000 square feet

  Weight: 168,445 pounds empty; 302,634 pounds combat; 488,000 pounds gross

  Armament: Four .50-caliber M3 machine guns with 600 rounds in tail turret.

  Maximum offensive payload: 50,000 pounds

  Maximum speed: 636 mph at 20,800 feet; 570 mph at 46,000 feet

  Cruising speed: 523 mph

  Service ceiling at combat weight: 47,000 feet

  Combat radius: 4,100 miles with 10,000 pound bomb load

  Ferry range: 8,900 miles (Record flight, 10,078.8 miles)

  Powerplant: Eight Pratt & Whitney J57-P-43WB turbojets (13,750 pounds of thrust with water injection)

  B-52H (Boeing Model 464-261)

  Length: 156 feet

  Wingspan: 185 feet

  Tail height: 40 feet 8 inches

  Wing area: 4,000 square feet

  Weight: 172,740 pounds empty; 306,358 pounds combat; 488,000 pounds gross

  Armament: One 20-mm M61 cannon with 1,242 rounds in tail turret

  Maximum offensive payload: 50,000 pounds

  Maximum speed: 632 mph at 23,800 feet; 603 mph at 35,000 feet; 560 mph at 46,650 feet

  Cruising speed: 525 mph

  Service ceiling at combat weight: 47,700 feet

  Combat radius: 4,825 miles with 10,000 pound bomb load

  Ferry range: 10,145 miles (Record flight, 12,532.28 miles)

  Powerplant: Eight Pratt & Whitney TF33-P-3 turbofans (17,000 pounds of thrust each)

  Appendix 2

  Stratofortress Production by Model and Block Number

  XB-52 (Boeing Model 464-67)

  1 built in Seattle:

  49-230 (XB-52-BO) c/n 16248

  YB-52 (Boeing Model 464-67)

  1 built in Seattle:

  49-231 (YB-52-BO) c/n 16249

  B-52A (Boeing Model 464-201-0)

  3 built in Seattle:

  52-001 through 003 (B-52A-1-BO) c/n 16491 through 16493

  B-52B (Boeing Model 464-201-4)

  23 built in Seattle, in 3 blocks:

  53-373 through 376 (B-52B-25-BO) c/n 16852 through 16855

  53-380 through 387 (B-52B-30-BO) c/n 16859 through 16866

  53-388 through 398 (B-52B-35-BO) c/n 16867 through 16877

  RB-52B (Boeing Model 464-201-3)

  27 built in Seattle, 6 in blocks:

  52-004 through 006 (RB-52B-5-BO) c/n 16494 through 16496

  52-007 through 013 (RB-52B-10-BO) c/n 16497 through 16503

  52-8710 through 715 (RB-52B-15-BO) c/n 16838 through 16843

  52-8716 (RB-52B-20-BO) c/n 16844

  53-366 through 372 (RB-52B-25-BO) c/n 16845 through 16851

  53-377 through 379 (RB-52B-30-BO) c/n 16856 through 16858

  B-52C (Boeing Model 464-201-6)

  35 built in Seattle, in 3 blocks:

  53-0399 through 0408 (B-52C-40-BO) c/n 16878 through 16887

  54-2664 through 2675 (B-52C-45-BO) c/n 17159 through 17170

  54-2676 through 2688 (B-52C-50-BO) c/n 17171 through 17183

  B-52D (Boeing Model 464-201-7)

  69 built in Wichita, in 10 blocks:

  55-0049 through 0051 (B-52D-1-BW) c/n 464001 through 464003

  55-0052 through 0054 (B-52D-5-BW) c/n 464004 through 046006

  55-0055 through 0060 (B-52D-10-BW) c/n 464007 through 464012

  55-0061 through 0064 (B-52D-15-BW) c/n 464013 through 464016

  55-0065 through 0067 (B-52D-20-BW) c/n 464017 through 464019

  55-0673 through 0675 (B-52D-20-BW) c/n 464020 through 464022

  55-0676 through 0680 (B-52D-25-BW) c/n 464023 through 464027

  56-0657 through 0668 (B-52D-30-BW) c/n 464028 through 464039

  56-0669 through 0680 (B-52D-35-BW) c/n 464040 through 464051

  56-0681 through 0698 (B-52D-40-BW) c/n 464052 through 464069

  101 built in Seattle, in 6 blocks:

  55-0068 through 0088 (B-52D-55-BO) c/n 17184 through 17204

  55-0089 through 0104 (B-52D-60-BO) c/n 17205 through 17220

  55-0105 through 0117 (B-52D-65-BO) c/n 17221 through 17233

  56-0580 through 0590 (B-52D-70-BO) c/n 17263 through 17273

  56-0591 through 0610 (B-52D-75-BO) c/n 17274 through 17293

  56-0611 through 0630 (B-52D-80-BO) c/n 17294 through 17313

  B-52E 59 (Boeing Model 464-259)

  58 built in Wichita, in 4 blocks:

  56-0699 through 0712 (B-52E-45-BW) c/n 464070 through 464083

  57-0095 through 0109 (B-52E-50-BW) c/n 464084 through 464098

  57-0110 through 0130 (B-52E-55-BW) c/n 464099 through 464119

  57-0131 through 0138 (B-52E-60-BW) c/n 464120 through 464127

  42 built in Seattle, in 4 blocks:

  56-0631 through 0649 (B-52E-85-BO) c/n 17314 through 17332

  56-0650 through 0656 (B-52E-90-BO) c/n 17333 through 17339

  57-0014 through 0022 (B-52E-90-BO) c/n 17408 through 17416

  57-0023 through 0029 (B-52E-95-BO) c/n 17417 through 17423

  B-52F (Boeing Model 464-260)

  45 built in Wichita, in 2 blocks:

  57-139 through 154 (B-52F-65-BW) c/n 464128 through 464143

  57-155 through 183 (B-52F-70-BW) c/n 464144 through 464172

  57-184 through 228 (B-52F-BW) (Cancelled)

  44 built in Seattle, in 3 blocks:

  57-030 through 037 (B-52F-100-BO) c/n 17424 through 17431

  57-038 through 052 (B-52F-105-BO) c/n 17432 through 17446

  57-053 through 073 (B-52F-110-BO) c/n 17447 through 17467

  57-074 through 094 (B-52F-BO) (Cancelled)

  B-52G (Boeing Model 464-253)

  193 built in Wichita, in 12 blocks:

  57-6468 through 6475 (B-52G-75-BW) c/n 464173 through 464180

  57-6476 through 6485 (B-52G-80-BW) c/n 464181 through 464190

  57-6486 through 6499 (B-52G-85-BW) c/n 464191 through 464204

  57-6500 through 6520 (B-52G-90-BW) c/n 464205 through 464225

  58-0158 through 0187 (B-52G-95-BW) c/n 464226 through 464255

  58-0188 through 0211 (B-52G-100-BW) c/n 4642256 through 464279

  58-0212 through 0232 (B-52G-105-BW) c/n 464280 through 464300

  58-0233 through 0246 (B-52G-110-BW) c/n 464301 through 464314

  58-0247 through 0258 (B-52G-115-BW) c/n 464315 through 464326

  59-2564 through 2575 (B-52G-120-BW) c/n 464327 through 464338

  59-2576 through 2587 (B-52G-125-BW) c/n 464339 through 464350

  59-2588 through 2602 (B-52G-130-BW) c/n 464351 through 464365 />
  (Note: Some sources list 59-2564 through 59-2602 as all being part of Block 120.)

  B-52H (Boeing Model 464-261)

  102 built in Wichita, in 9 blocks:

  60-0001 through 0013 (B-52H-135-BW) c/n 464366 through 464378

  60-0014 through 0021 (B-52H-140-BW) c/n 464379 through 464386

  60-0022 through 0033 (B-52H-145-BW) c/n 464387 through 464398

  60-0034 through 0045 (B-52H-150-BW) c/n 464399 through 464410

  60-0046 through 0057 (B-52H-155-BW) c/n 464411 through 464422

  60-0058 through 0062 (B-52H-160-BW) c/n 464423 through 464427

  61-0001 through 0013 (B-52H-165-BW) c/n 464428 through 464440

  61-0014 through 0026 (B-52H-170-BW) c/n 464441 through 464453

  61-0027 through 0040 (B-52H-175-BW) c/n 464454 through 464467

  B-52J

  0 (to date)

  The designation may be applied to B-52Hs retrofitted with high-bypass turbofan engines.

  Selected Modifications Resulting in Redesignations

  EB-52H (designation provisionally considered for an ECM aircraft)

  JB-52B (one aircraft, 52-0004, formerly RB-52B)

  JB-52C (two aircraft, 53-0399 and 54-2676, formerly B-52C)

  JB-52G (several aircraft temporarily redesignated, including 57-6470, 57-6473, 57-6477, 58-0159, 58-0182, formerly B-52G)

  JB-52H (several aircraft temporarily redesignated, including 60-0003, 60-0004, 60-0005, 60-0023, formerly B-52H)

  NB-52A (one aircraft, 52-0003, formerly B-52A)

  NB-52B (one aircraft, 52-0008, formerly B-52B)

  NB-52E (one aircraft, 56-0631, formerly B-52E)

  NB-52H (one aircraft, 61-0025, formerly B-52H)

  Appendix 3

  Stratofortress Combat Wings and Assigned Squadrons (1955–Present)

  Notes:

  (1) At press time, the three active, permanent Stratofortress wings in the U.S. Air Force were the 2nd Bombardment Wing at Barksdale AFB, Louisiana (tail code LA); the 5th Bombardment Wing at Minot AFB, North Dakota (tail code MT); and the 307th Bombardment Wing (Air Force Reserve Command) at Barksdale AFB, Louisiana (tail code BD).

  (2) In 1960–1961, in order to disburse the Stratofortress fleet as broadly as possible for fear of enemy air attack, the SAC established a large number of provisional strategic wings designated with four-digit numbers beginning with 4. These were deactivated on February 1, 1963, and their aircraft reassigned to other units as noted below.

  2nd Bombardment Wing (Heavy)

  (Superseded 4238th Strategic Wing)

  Barksdale AFB, Louisiana

  B-52F, 1963–1965; B-52G, 1965–1992; B-52H, 1992–present

  11th Bombardment Squadron (B-52H)

  20th Bombardment Squadron (B-52F/H)

  62nd Bombardment Squadron (B-52G)

  96th Bombardment Squadron (B-52H)

  596th Bombardment Squadron (B-52G)

  5th Bombardment Wing (Heavy)

  Travis AFB, California (1959–1968)

  Minot AFB, North Dakota, (1968–present)

  B-52B, 1959; B-52G, 1959-1968; B-52H, 1968-present

  23rd Bombardment Squadron

  31st Bombardment Squadron

  72nd Bombardment Squadron (B-52H)

  6th Bombardment (later Strategic Aerospace) Wing

  Walker AFB, New Mexico

  B-52E, 1957–1967

  24th Bombardment Squadron

  39th Bombardment Squadron

  40th Bombardment Squadron

  4129th Combat Crew Training Squadron (1959–1963)

  7th Bombardment Wing (Heavy)

  Carswell AFB, Texas

  B-52F, 1958–1969; B-52D, 1969–1983; B-52H, 1982–1992

  9th Bombardment Squadron

  20th Bombardment Squadron (to 2nd BW 12/92)

  11th Bombardment (later Strategic Aerospace) Wing

  Altus AFB, Oklahoma

  B-52E, 1958–1968

  26th Bombardment Squadron

  42nd Bombardment Squadron

  17th Bombardment Wing (Heavy)

  Wright-Patterson AFB, Ohio (1963-1975)

  Beale AFB, California, (1975-1976)

  (Superseded 4043rd Strategic Wing)

  B-52E, 1963–1968; B-52H, 1968–1975; B-52G, 1975–1976

  34th Bombardment Squadron

  19th Bombardment Wing (Heavy)

  Homestead AFB, Florida (1962–1968)

  Robins AFB, Georgia (1968–1983)

  B-52H, 1962–1968; B-52G, 1968–1983

  28th Bombardment Squadron

  22nd Bombardment Wing (Heavy)

  March AFB, California

  B-52B, 1963–1966; B-52D, 1966–1982

  2nd Bombardment Squadron

  486th Bombardment Squadron

  28th Bombardment Wing (Heavy)

  Ellsworth AFB, South Dakota

  B-52D, 1957–1971; B-52G, 1971–1985

  77th Bombardment Squadron

  717th Bombardment Squadron

  718th Bombardment Squadron

  39th Bombardment Wing (Heavy)

  Eglin AFB, Florida

  (Superseded 4135th Strategic Wing)

  B-52G, 1963-1965

  62nd Bombardment Squadron

  40th Air Expeditionary Wing

  Diego Garcia, British Indian Ocean Territory

  B-52H, 2001–c.2006

  40th Expeditionary Bombardment Squadron

  42nd Bombardment Wing (Heavy)

  Loring AFB, Maine

  B-52C, 1956–1957; B-52D, 1957–1959; B-52G, 1959–1994

  69th Bombardment Squadron

  70th Bombardment Squadron

  75th Bombardment Squadron

  43rd Strategic Wing

  Andersen AFB, Guam

  B-52D, 1972–1983; B-52G, 1983–1990

  60th Bombardment Squadron

  63rd Bombardment Squadron (Provisional), 1972–1973

  68th Bombardment Wing (Heavy)

  Seymour Johnson AFB, NC

  (Superseded 4241st Strategic Wing)

  B-52G, 1963–1982

  51st Bombardment Squadron

  70th Bombardment Wing (Heavy)

  Clinton-Sherman AFB, Oklahoma

  (Superseded 4123rd Strategic Wing)

  B-52E, 1963–1968; B-52D, 1968–1969

  6th Bombardment Squadron

  72nd Bombardment Wing (Heavy)

  Ramey AFB, Puerto Rico (1959–1971)

  Andersen AFB, Guam (Provisional wing 1972–1973)

  B-52G, 1959–1971, 1972–1973

  60th Bombardment Squadron

  91st Bombardment Wing (Heavy)

  Glasgow AFB, Montana

  (Superseded 4141st Strategic Wing)

  B-52D, 1963–1968

  322nd Bombardment Squadron

  92nd Bombardment (later Strategic Aerospace) Wing

  Fairchild AFB, Washington

  B-52D, 1957–1971; B-52G, 1970–1986; B-52H, 1986–1994

  325th Bombardment Squadron

  326th Bombardment Squadron (B-52D)

  327th Bombardment Squadron (B-52D)

  93rd Bombardment Wing (Heavy)

  Castle AFB, California

  B-52B, 1955–1965; B-52D, 1956–1958; B-52E, 1957–1958, 1967–1970; B-52F, 1958–1974; B-52G, 1966–1967, 1974–1994; B-52H, 1974–1993

  328th Bombardment Squadron

  329th Bombardment Squadron

  330th Bombardment Squadron (1955–1963) (1998–1991)

  4017th Combat Crew Training Squadron (1955–1956)

  95th Bombardment Wing (Heavy)

  Biggs AFB, Texas

  B-52B, 1959–1966

  334th Bombardment Squadron (1959–1966)

  96th Strategic Aerospace Wing

  Dyess AFB, Texas

  B-52E, 1963–1970; B-52D, 1969–1972; B-52H, 1982-1993

  337th Bombardment Squadron

  97th Bombardment Wing (Heavy)

  Eaker AFB, Arkansas

  B-52G, 1960–1992

  340th Bombardm
ent Squadron

  99th Bombardment Wing (Heavy)

  Westover AFB, Massachusetts

  B-52C, 1956–1966; B-52B, 1958–1959; B-52D, 1957–1961, 1966–1974

  346th Bombardment Squadron

  347th Bombardment Squadron

  348th Bombardment Squadron

  306th Bombardment Wing (Heavy)

  McCoy AFB, Florida

  (Superseded 4047th Strategic Wing)

  B-52D, 1963–1973

  367th Bombardment Squadron

  307th Strategic Wing

  U-Tapao RTNAF, Thailand

  B-52D, 1973–1975

  364th Bombardment Squadron (Provisional)

  365th Bombardment Squadron (Provisional)

  307th Bombardment Wing (Air Force Reserve Command)

  Barksdale AFB, Louisiana

  B-52H, 1993–present

  93rd Bombardment Squadron

  343rd Bombardment Squadron

  319th Bombardment Wing (Heavy)

  Grand Forks AFB, North Dakota

  (Superseded 4133rd Strategic Wing)

  B-52H, 1963–1982; B-52G, 1982–1987

  46th Bombardment Squadron

  320th Bombardment Wing (Heavy)

  Mather AFB, California

  (Superseded 4134th Strategic Wing)

  B-52F, 1963–1968; B-52G, 1968–1989

  441st Bombardment Squadron

  340th Bombardment Wing (Heavy)

  Bergstrom AFB, Texas

  (Superseded 4130th Strategic Wing)

  B-52D, 1963–1966

  486th Bombardment Squadron

  366th Wing

  (Headquartered at Mountain Home AFB, Idaho; aircraft located at Castle AFB, California)

  B-52G, 1992–1994

  34th Bombardment Squadron

  376th Strategic Wing

  Kadena AB, Okinawa

  4180th Bombardment Squadron (Provisional) (never operational)

  379th Bombardment Wing (Heavy)

  Wurtsmith AFB, Michigan

  B-52H, 1961–1977; B-52G, 1977–1992

  524th Bombardment Squadron

  380th Strategic Aerospace Wing

  Plattsburgh AFB, New York

  B-52G, 1966–1971

  528th Bombardment Squadron

  397th Bombardment Wing (Heavy)

  Dow AFB, Maine

  (Superseded 4038th Strategic Wing)

  B-52G, 1963–1968

  596th Bombardment Squadron

  410th Bombardment Wing (Heavy)

  K. I. Sawyer AFB, Michigan

  (Superseded 4042nd Strategic Wing)

  B-52H, 1963–1994

  644th Bombardment Squadron

  416th Bombardment Wing (Heavy)

  Griffiss AFB, New York

  (Superseded 4039th Strategic Wing)

  B-52G, 1963–1992; B-52H, 1992–1995

  668th Bombardment Squadron

  449th Bombardment Wing (Heavy)