The B-52 Stratofortress is an amazing aircraft, and it’s got a state-of-the-art engine that makes an incredible noise.
A few lucky people got to experience that unique sound in person while chilling on the beach in Florida, just a few weeks ago.
And fortunately for us, there’s also a video.
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Built by Boeing, the B-52 Stratofortress has been around since the 1950s, but it’s still in service.
Between 1952 and 1962, Boeing built 744 units, most of these jets were built for the US Air Force, apart from a few units that went to NASA.
The B-52 has eight engines, four on each side, which can produce anywhere between 8,700 and 10,500 pounds of force of thrust depending on the model.
Mind you, in 1961, Boeing built a one-off model that could achieve 17,100 pounds-force.
That’s a lot of thrust, coming from a unique set-up with eight relatively small engines, and that’s what gives this ‘veteran’ aircraft its distinctive hissing sound.
Around ten years ago, in October 2015, Northrop Grumman, the same company that also makes the B-2 Stealth Bomber, was awarded a contract to develop the B-52 successor.
They said the first few models would be available in the 2020s, but the B-52 is still around.
So how come this 72-year-old bomber is still in service?
To be honest, there are lots of reasons, but chief among them is reliability.
Since 1952, the first year of production, several aerospace companies, including Boeing and Lockheed Martin, have built a variety of newer, faster, more sophisticated aircraft.
The B-2 definitely leaps to mind.
But the fact of the matter is, when all is said and done, the B-52 is reliable and relatively cost-effective, explaining why this ‘OG’ is still around.
