(Download a higher resolution picture by clicking on any
picture below.) 
B-52D, Serial
55-0104, on approach to March AFB on March 26, 1980.
Photographer: Brian Lockett.
It is possible to get quite close to the
approach to March AFB, so I was able to use a short focal length
lens for this shot of B-52D,
Serial 55-0104, on March 26, 1980. Photographer: Brian Lockett.
B-52D, Serial
55-0104, about to touch down on the runway. Note the upward flex
of the wings compared to the following picture of a B-52D sitting
on its landing gear. Photographer: Brian Lockett.
B-52D, Serial
55-0071, runs up prior to takeoff from March AFB on March 27,
1980. Its wings are bent downward by the weight of the fuel that
they contain. The extended fowler flaps reveal an expanse of
green zinc chromate. Photographer: Brian Lockett.
B-52G,
Serial 58-0204, appeared again at the 1980 Edwards AFB Open House
hooked up to the boom of NKC-135A, Serial 55-3135, with F-4E,
Serial 66-0291, flying chase. 58-0204 has had its cruise missile
pylons removed. Photographer: Brian Lockett.
The last operational B-52D I ever saw was this one
departing March AFB on November 3, 1980, the day after the Open
House that year. I was not able to read its serial number.
Photographer: Brian Lockett.
By December 31, 1981, B-52F, Serial 57-0177, was
retired, along with all other B-52E and B-52F model
Stratofortresses. This Stratofortress had been painted aluminum
over gloss white by the end of its career. Photographer: Brian
Lockett.
Parts of over two dozen B-52E and B-52F Stratofortresses can
be seen in this picture of the reclamation area of the Military
Aircraft Storage and Disposition Center (MASDC) on December 30,
1981. Photographer: Brian Lockett.
B-52H,
Serial 60-0050, hasn't quite made contact with NKC-135A, Serial
55-3128, at the November 9, 1986 Edwards AFB Open House. It still
sports the classic SIOP camouflage and a single AGM-86 cruise
missile pylon on the left wing. Photographer: Brian Lockett.
Boeing B-52H Stratofortress,
60-0050 at the Edwards Air Force Base open house on November 9,
1986.
B-52F, Serial
57-0039, is seen here in November 24, 1986. It had been joined by
the black-tailed B-52D fleet, which had also been relegated to
AMARC at that time. Photographer: Brian Lockett.
B-52H,
Serial 60-0050, made its fly-by of the November 8, 1987 Edwards
AFB Open House wearing its cruise missile pylon on the right
side. Photographer: Brian Lockett.
B-52H,
Serial 60-0025, sits on static display at the September 18, 1988
Vandenberg AFB Open House. This Stratofortress' nose has been
overpainted with gray (FS-36081) and the green areas wrap aound
the underside of the forward fuselage to tone down the appearance
of the bomber from the front. It has had its inboard engine cowl
replaced with one from a Stratofortress with a different paint
scheme. Photographer: Brian Lockett.
An unidentified B-52G
flys past the October 15, 1988 March AFB Open House with its
bomb-bay doors open. Photographer: Brian Lockett.
Water is sprayed onto B-52H, Serial 60-0050, as it
trails behind NKC-135A, Serial 55-3128, at the 1988 Edwards AFB
Open House. An international orange external fuel tank on the
right wing of 60-0050 complements the SIOP camouflage. On 55-3128
the boom normally used for refuelling was equipped with a spray
nozzle for icing research. At high altitudes, the water would
freeze and ice would accumulate on the trailing aircraft. 55-3128
was retired, citing costs of operation versus the low number of
icing research tests conducted each year, although there is no
alternative aircraft equipped for the purpose. The spray nozzle
system was removed and placed into storage at Edwards AFB and the
Stratotanker went to the Aircraft Management and Regeneration
Center (AMARC) at Davis-Monthan AFB. Photographer: Brian Lockett.
B-52H,
Serial 60-0050, makes a "bomb pass" at the 1988 Edwards
AFB Open House. Photographer: Brian Lockett.
Boeing
B-52G 
from the 320th Bomb Wing out of 
Mather AFB flies by Palm Spring on
a low level mission through the Saline
Valley in October 1988. Photographer: Brian Lockett.
A moment after the B-52G above had
flown past, B-52G,
Serial 58-0183, also from the 320 BW at Mather AFB flew almost
directly overhead. Rack adapters for the carriage of conventional
iron bombs can be seen on the weapons pylons. The small pylon
between the engine pylons is for ALE-25 forward firing chaff
rockets. It has a california black bear squadron insignia painted
on the vertical stabilizer. Photographer: Brian Lockett.
One of the most colorful of the
Stratofortresses was the NB-52E
Control Configured Vehicle (CCV), Serial 56-0632, which had been
operated by the Air Force Flight Dynamics Laboratory. It was
already retired to AMARC on September 9, 1989, when this picture
was taken. Photographer: Brian Lockett.
B-52G,
Serial 57-6519, makes the tanker pass at the October 29, 1989
Edwards AFB Open House with the re-engined NKC-135E, Serial
55-3135. The low visiblity camouflage pattern wraps green
(FS-34086) around the wings and fuselage, with the lighter gray
shade (FS-36118) used on the lower surfaces and the darker gray
shade (FS-36081) used on the upper surfaces. The ED on the tail
of 57-6519 identifies the 6512 TS based at Edwards AFB.
Photographer: Brian Lockett.
An unidentified B-52G
makes a dirty pass at the November 11, 1989 March AFB Open House.
Photographer: Brian Lockett.
Giant Jet Airplanes |
||||||
| First Flight | Wing Span | Length | Wing Area | Gross Weight | Engines | |
| Airbus A380 | 2005 |
261ft,10in |
239ft,06in |
9,100 |
1,235,000 |
4 x 84,000 lb RR Trent 900 or Engine Alliance GP-7200 |
| Boeing 777-300ER | 2003 |
212ft,07in |
242ft,04in |
4,700 |
775,000 |
2 x 115,300 lb GE90-115B |
| Airbus A340-600 | 2001 |
208ft,02in |
247ft,01in |
4,729 |
811,300 |
4 x 56,000 lb RR Trent 556 |
| Boeing 777-200 | 1994 |
209ft,01in |
199ft,11in |
4,605 |
545,000 |
2 x 74,000 lb PW4074, GE90-75B, or RR Trent 875 |
| Airbus A330-300 | 1992 |
197ft,10in |
208ft,10in |
3,892 |
507,000 |
2 x 51,590 lb GE CF6-80E, PW4000, or RR Trent 700 |
| Boeing 747-400 Jumbo Jet | 1988 |
211ft,05in |
231ft,10in |
5,650 |
833,000 |
4 x 45,000 PW4062 or GE CF6-80C2B1F |
| Antonov An-225 Mryia | 1988 |
290ft,00in |
275ft,07in |
10,280 |
1,300,000 |
6 x 51,590 lb DT-18T |
| Antonov An-124 Ruslan | 1984 |
240ft,00in |
227ft,00in |
6,760 |
890,000 |
4 x 51,590 lb DT-18T |
| Tupolev 160 Blackjack | 1981 | 182ft, 09in | 177ft, 06in | 3,660 | 606,000 | 4 x 50,900 lb NK-321 |
| Lockheed C-5A Galaxy | 1968 |
222ft,08in |
247ft,10in |
6,200 |
769,000 |
4 x 50,000 lb GE TF-39 |
| Boeing 747-100 Jumbo Jet | 1968 |
195ft,08in |
231ft,04in |
5,500 |
850,000 |
4 x 50,000 lb P&W JT9D |
| Antonov An-22 Antheus | 1965 |
211ft,04in |
189ft,07in |
3,713 |
550,000 |
4 x 15,000 shp Kuznetsov NK-12MV |
| North American XB-70A Valkyrie | 1964 |
105ft,00in |
189ft,00in |
6,297 |
530,000 |
6 x 33,000,lb J-93 |
| Boeing B-52 Stratofortress | 1952 |
185ft,00in |
157ft,07in |
4,000 |
450,000 |
8 x 8,000 lb J-57 |
| Convair YB-60 | 1952 |
206ft,05in |
175ft,02in |
5,239 |
410,000 |
8 x 8,000 lb J-57 |
Boeing B-52
Stratofortresses displays.
You can buy a 2009 Calendar featuring my photographs of Boeing B-52 Stratofortresses.
A dozen photos of Boeing B-52 Stratofortresses in flight.
Stratofortresses pictured include:
B-52D 56-0612, March Air Force Base, February 23, 1978;
B-52H 60-0050, Edwards Air Force Base, November 9, 1986, October 23, 1988, October 9, 1999;
B-52G 58-0183, Saline Valley, October 25, 1989;
B-52G 57-6519, Edwards Air Force Base, October 29, 1989;
B-52G 59-2565, Castle Air Force Base, September 17, 1992;
B-52H 60-0008, Nellis Air Force Base, April 25, 1997;
B-52H 61-0023, Nellis Air Force Base, February 1, 2002;
NASA NB-52B 52-0008/X-43A Hyper-X, Edwards Air Force Base, November 16, 2004;
B-52H 60-0026, Naval Air Station Pt Mugu, March 29, 2007;
and Rockwell B-1B Lancer 85-0068, Edwards Air Force Base, October 9, 1999
Put a copy of the Boeing B-52 Stratofortress: 2009 Calendar in your Lulu.com shopping cart for $16.95.
You can buy a 2009 calendar featuring my photographs of Boeing B-52G Stratofortresses of the 93rd Bomb Wing at Castle Air Force Base.
A dozen photos of Boeing B-52G Stratofortresses of the 93rd Bomb Wing flying at Castle Air Force Base in 1992 and 1993. Stratofortresses pictured include:
B-52G 57-6473
B-52G 58-0214
B-52G 58-0258
B-52G 59-2565
B-52G 59-5888
Put a copy of the Boeing B-52G Stratofortresses of the 93rd Bomb Wing at Castle Air Force Base: 2009 Calendar in your Lulu.com shopping cart for $16.95.
Boeing B-52 Stratofortress by Tony Thornborough
B-52 Stratofortress : Boeing's Cold War Warrior
by Robert F. Dorr, Lindsay Peacock
B-52 Stratofortress in Action by Larry Davis
B-52 Walk Around by Lou Drendel
Boeing B-47, B-52 and the Avro Vulcan by Stewart Wilson (Legends of the Air Series Vol 5)
Boeing B-52 : A Documentary History by Walter J. Boyne
Usaf Plus Fifteen : A Photo History 1947-62 by
Menard. Full color photos of Air Force aircraft from 1947 to
1962.
Books about
the Strategic Air Command available from 
America's Shield : The Story of the Strategic Air
Command and Its People
Big Bombers : Strategic Air Command's B-52S, Swingwings, and Stealth by Robert F. Dorr, Jim Benson
Peace Was Their Profession : SAC : A Tribute by
Mike Hill, John M. Campbell, Donna Campbell
SAC, the Strategic Air Command by Richard Gibson Hubler
B-52 tail gunners should make a point of
visiting 
Gunner's
Web Site.
Check out some stories
that convey the feel of
being a crew member on a B-52 in a way that only someone who has
been there can. Phil
Rowe was a D-model crewman and he has assembled some of his
personal stories on his web site. He has also flown on B-58
Hustlers and RF-4C Phantoms.
The B-52 Stratofortress Association is dedicated
to preserving the history and heritage of this magnificent
airplane and the men and women who designed, tested, built,
maintained and flew her in three wars - two hot, one cold.
Joe Baugher has an on-line history of the Boeing B-52 Stratofortress.
Send a message to Brian.
Go to home page of the Goleta Air and Space Museum.
