“It handles terribly, is sluggish, and has some weird behaviors,” is what one former B-52 pilot noted, and it perfectly summarizes just how unusual this stratofortress actually is. The B-52 has been around for so many decades that these contradictions became an inseparable part of it. The Stratofortress is extremely tough on the body and ears, and its engineering is firmly based on outdated principles of jet design, but it still gets modernized all the way until the 2050s. For pilots, it translates into dealing with an almost obsolete machine, while for the planning department, it means keeping an aircraft that can deliver an exceptional amount of ordnance over vast distances.
According to Lee Alloway, one former B-52 pilot, the aircraft cannot even boast agility and comfortable seats, but he still considered the process of mastering such an unusual airplane as the ultimate challenge. Another ex-pilot Vilmos Shepard has told how the B-52 could become “the most unpleasant plane I ever flew.” Cruising altitude required pilots to use oxygen due to relatively low differential pressure, and the seats were extremely cramped. It was especially noticeable during long missions that lasted up to ten hours or even more. However, the reasons behind the aircraft’s popularity have nothing to do with any comfort. The aircraft was challenging and demanded perfectionism from its pilots, and it had nothing to envy compared to other American fighters in this aspect.
And, speaking about its features, there are a lot of peculiarities the Stratofortress possesses. Its unusually long wingspan combined with flexibility and roll management through the use of spoilers make its handling characteristics incomparable to smaller bombers and airliners. As for landing, even the first attempt might prove to be a surprise as well. Due to crosswind correction mechanism, the bomber’s wheels are steered to move perpendicularly to its direction. At the same time, the aircraft’s fuselage is oriented against the direction of airflow thanks to special 20 degree steerable bogies.
These peculiarities explain the decision to keep using eight separate engines as the primary source of power for the aircraft. Originally, it was due to the limitations in engine technology of the late 1940s, but modernizing them proved to be harder than reducing the total number of power plants. Currently, the plans include replacing old turboprops with Rolls Royce’s F130 engines to decrease fuel consumption and maintenance costs while avoiding complete aircraft overhaul to compensate these changes.
It will be especially useful as the future B-52J bomber’s main task will be acting as a long range missiles’ carrier. It will allow for launching 30 percent more fuel efficient weapons while getting equipped with improved radars and avionics for a better stand off mission. In this context, the coexistence of pilot complaints and bomber’s strategic role turns out to be logical.
It is impossible to claim that the Stratofortress is beloved because of its features. However, the B-52 continues being used for the simple reason that it solves an important military task by moving weapons across continents. Moreover, the aircraft remains an excellent example of how the Air Force works with obsolete machines.