B-52 strategic bomber engine upgrades

[mojave30cal]

I saw two of these bad boys yesterday afternoon flying into
Nellis AFB here in Las Vegas with the upgraded CF high bypass
turbo fan engines. They were very quiet and left no black smoke
trail like the old engines did. I like seeing my tax dollars put
to good use.

 

[shouldazagged]

Got to love the BUFF. Still doing good work for sons and grandsons of guys who flew it long ago.

I wasn't aware of the engine upgrade. That's very cool indeed.

 

[vt_shooter]

A 4 engine buff - 'never thought I'd see the day.

 

[LVSteve]

I also saw a BUFF going into Nellis, and while the smoke was absent, the engine count was still eight. Reckon that picture is a fake.

The B-52 re-engine scheme comes up in the USAF budget on a regular basis as a stalking horse, i.e., something that will then go away as a savings. At the last count the DoD were studying the matter BUT they were looking at replacing the eight TF-33s with much more modern CF34-10s, one for one.

B-52 Re-engine Resurfaces As USAF Reviews Studies | Defense content from Aviation Week

 

[sheepdawg]

A B-52 with four engines is like that new electric Harley. Something just ain't right about it.

 

[Lee Barner]

back in 1970 I went up to visit a friend who lives near the boeing plant in KS. there sat a B-52 with three regular engine pods and one inboard engine that looked like it a 747 engine. darn thing almost touched the ground. it was a test bird as a lot of it was bright orange. guess that didn't work out either. lee

 

[mojave30cal]

Yeah, well it looks like they reconfigured at least two of the
B-52H's in the fleet from what I saw yesterday. They sounded
like a B737-800 they were so quiet. And they were painted
the silver color shown in my attached picture.

 

[vt_shooter]

What could be more manly in the world of flying than grabbing a fist-full of 8 throttles and pushing them all forward to the stops? A 4 engine buff just isn't right, if for no reason other than a bomber pilot's happiness.

 

[pharmer]

I wonder if those 60 year old airframes can handle the power of 4 modern blowers. Joe

 

[Big Cholla]

Many years ago I was on short final to the Tucson Commercial/Military Airport. I was flying a Piper Comanche 250. Right behind me was a USAF version of the Cessna 310. The Tower Controller came up on the com and asked me if I would have any problem quickly clearing the runway upon landing. I said, No, I can do that. He then directed the USAF Cessna 310 to "Do a 360 to allow a B-52 to land on a straight in with one engine out. The reply came back quickly, "Oh my gosh, the Dreaded 7 Engine Landing. Of course we can do one or two 360s for the BUFF with the major problem." I laughed out loud, but not over the air. The BUFF came up with, "Hey, drinks on us at the "O" club at 1800 hrs." I landed and cleared the runway. The USAF Cessna 310 did at least two 360s and ...........finally the BUFF lumbered into sight and landed. I went on about my business. ...................

 

[Farmer17]

I worked at Tinker AFB in Oklahoma City and saw a lot of B-52 being repaired. They could strip those planes down to where there was hardly nothing left and put em' back together and they would look like brand new. Some of those planes were built in the 50s and 60s and still won't be retired until 2045. It has got to be the most successful aircraft of any kind ever built!

 

[S42N8]

Ah yes, the dreaded 7-engine IFE. Many days, the crash phone would ring, and after all sections were on the line, the command post controller would call out the IFE with one engine out. Lines were quickly hung up...

 

[Kernel Crittenden]

The Pratt Whitney PW2000 might make sense since it's the same engine as what's on the C-17 Globemaster III and the AF already has about 1,000 in service. Trained techs, schools, tools, diagnostic equipment, spare parts, SOP's....

 

[rwsmith]

I wonder.....

I wonder if that changes the flight characteristics?

 

[LVSteve]

The Pratt Whitney PW2000 might make sense since it's the same engine as what's on the C-17 Globemaster III and the AF already has about 1,000 in service. Trained techs, schools, tools, diagnostic equipment, spare parts, SOP's....

Such is the pace of jet engine development, some types in the air force already consider the PW2000 yesterday's engine. See near the bottom of this article.

America?s 60 Year-Old Nuclear Bomber Might Finally Get a New Engine - The Daily Beast

There is some muttering about the engine out characteristics of a four-engined B-52.

 

[Oddball]

A 4 engine buff - 'never thought I'd see the day.

Well I suppose it's time to show my ignorance and ask the question. In the late sixties I spent four years of my life loading nuclear and conventional weapons on B-52s and never once did I hear that aircraft referred to as a "buff". I would appreciate it if someone would enlighten me on this. Thanks in advance. I do know that I applied many other names to it.

 

[gtoppcop]

In the Marines, I'm an aviation logistician and cost analysis guy. We are constantly battling the UH-1Y cost per hour (CPH). This fiscal year, we're aghast that its costing $7300/hr.

Look at the B52H's CPH. You'll be surprised. CPH is due to many different factors: Aviation Consumables, Repairables and Fuel. My guess is that the old warhorse is a fuel hog.

I saw one fly into Cherry Point from Barksdale several years ago. About 5 miles distant, I saw large black contrails from an indistinguishable aircraft. I knew of only two planes that can make those telltale contrails: A section of F4 Phantoms or the B52.

I watched her approach and felt the fuel droplets hit me when she flew about 50 feet overhead when she was landing. Cool!!!

The B52 is one of those planes that most likely has surprised any of her designers (if they're still alive) about the service life. We're almost done phasing out the venerable CH-46E Sea Knight. The BUFF is in the same fraternity of an enormous time on wing for the nation.

Great thread!

 

[Trooperdan]

BUF - Big Ugly Fellow.. or something similar

 

[dsbock]

I heard from an old Air Force guy that BUFF stood for "Big, Ugly, Fat, F***er."

David

 

[shouldazagged]

I heard from an old Air Force guy that BUFF stood for "Big, Ugly, Fat, F***er."

David

Yep, sure did.

I've never thought they were ugly, but they damn sure look impressively lethal.