B-52 Bomber

The subsonic strategic bomber developed by the United States is known as the "Stratospheric Fortress." Mainly used for long-range conventional bombing and nuclear attacks. Design began in 1948, and the prototype began flight testing in 1952. It began to be equipped with the US Strategic Air Force in 1955, and production was discontinued in 1962. ***Produced 8 models, of which 3 models D, G, and H are still in service. The aircraft is 49.05 meters long, 12.40 meters high, has an empty weight of 84 tons and has a crew of 6. Equipped with 8 turbofan engines, each has a thrust of 75.6 kN, a thrust-to-weight ratio of 42.6 N/kg, a maximum flight speed of 316.35 m/s, a practical ceiling of 13,250 m, a maximum take-off weight of 229.066 tons, and a transition range of 16,100 km. Radius 7400 kilometers. The bomb bay contains 84 227-kg aerial bombs, and the wings can carry 24 340-kg aerial bombs, with a total bomb load of 27.2 tons. It can also carry nuclear aerial bombs with a TNT equivalent of one million tons or 10 million tons. It carries 20 AGM-69A air-to-ground cruise missiles, a 6-barrel 20mm aircraft cannon and other airborne weapons. It is equipped with airborne photoelectric equipment such as fire control system, long-distance communication and navigation equipment, electronic jamming equipment, radar warning system and so on.

The B-52 "Stratofortress" is an eight-engine long-range strategic bomber developed by the American Boeing Aircraft Company. It is used to replace the B-29 bomber to perform strategic bombing missions. The design plan was proposed in 1948, and the first prototype flew for the first time in 1952. The batch production model was delivered in 1955, and eight types including B-52A, B, C, D, E, F, G, and H were developed. , production ceased in 1962, and total production was 744 aircraft. The 1990s was the heyday of the use of B-52 bombers. More than 600 B-52 aircraft of various types were in service with the U.S. Strategic Air Force. Since then, most of the early types have been retired.

The U.S. Air Force now budgets to keep the B-52 in service until 2050. By the time it retires, the B-52's airframe will be close to 90 years old. One of the reasons why the U.S. military is willing to keep the B-52 in old service is that the B-52 has very high reliability. Among the strategic bombers of the US military, the B-1 is in combat readiness only 57 times; the B-2 is only 26. But the B-52's combat readiness time is as high as 80.

On December 27, 1972, the B-52 bomber was shot down by the enemy for the first time. The downer was North Vietnamese Air Force pilot Pham Tuan.

Dimensional data

Wingspan: 56.39 meters

Length: 49.05 meters

Height: 12.40 meters

Crew: 6 people

Maximum level flight speed: M0.95/1014 km/h (altitude 11,000 meters)

Maximum allowable surface speed: 741 km/h

Maximum cruising speed: 909 kilometers/hour (altitude 11,000 meters)

Low-altitude penetration speed: 652-676 kilometers/hour

Wing area: 371.60 meters 2

Maximum climb rate: 17 meters/second

Empty weight: 84,000 kg

Normal take-off weight: 221,350 kg

Practical ceiling: 13,250 meters

Combat radius: 7,400 kilometers

Transition range: 16,100 kilometers

Endurance time: 19 hours

Maximum fuel capacity : 125200 kg

Maximum bomb load: 27200 kg

Maximum wing load: 616 kg/m2

Maximum use overload: 2.8g

Takeoff rolling distance: 2900 meters

Landing rolling distance: 1615 meters

Power plant: 8 TF33-P-3 turbofan engines, each with a thrust of 75.6 thousand Ox (7718 kg), thrust-to-weight ratio 42.6 N/kg

Main equipment: AN/ABS-9A fire control system, long-distance communication, navigation equipment, electronic jamming equipment, radar warning system, etc.

Weapons and equipment: 1 20mm M-61 six-barreled cannon; 20 AGM-69A air-to-surface missiles, conventional bombs or nuclear bombs can be mounted in the bomb bay and under the wings