The Reason Why This Monstrous US Bomber Needs 8 Engines To Take Off 

When the B-52 was designed in 1948, the most powerful engines developed only 17,000 pounds of thrust. Thus, eight are required to get the plane airborne. Today''s engines can develop 78,000 pounds of thrust, so if the plane were designed today it might only have two engines. The new Rolls Royce engines are designed to still provide only 17,000 pounds of thrust, so as not to require redesign of the wings, but to improve fuel efficiency and increased range. The remaining 76 operational B-52H's are 62 years old, The primary structural components are never replaced. The main reason for their longevity is that the usage has not been as severe as was projected. We designed the B-52G/H in 1956 for high-altitude bombing. The emphasis in the structural design was minimum weight, to maximize range. But in 1961, at the height of the Cold War, we redesigned the structure to meet SAC's new, more severe usage and service life requirements. These notably included low level terrain avoidance training, often under extreme gust and maneuver conditions. The emphasis in structural design shifted to toughness and durability. As Chief of Structures Technology at Boeing-Wichita at the time of the redesign. I am honored to say I chose the materials, the analysis methods, and the limiting stress levels for the redesign. I am now 96 and I am thrilled to see these planes still flying, and projected to do so for many more years.

the last pilot to fly the B-52 hasn't even been born yet.

During the Cold War, SAC required the entire fleet to be airborne within 15 minutes to avoid being destroyed on the ground by Soviet ICBM's. "COCOA" alert exercises were frequently performed to practice this. The flight crews did not know if it were for practice, or for real. By design, the leading edge of the wing is tilted up a few degrees so that enough lift is generated during the takeoff roll to allow lift-off without rotation.

The ultimate importance of professional maintenance. Kudos to these men and women for keeping USAF ready to answer the call.

From Deb…in 1963 the USAF shipped our family to England for a 3-year tour. Dad was stationed at RAF Upper Heyford. But before that we were at RAF Fairford. Dad was a navigator on mostly KC-135s & also the BUFF. Our Fairford quarters had a great view of the flight line, with the large window of my bedroom giving me a fab view of flight ops. Every time the klaxon went off, my brother and I would rush to that window to watch the fabulous show of the entire B-52 squadron taking off; the four plumes of each plane trailing behind! Don’t be jealous of my childhood! No wonder I’ve been an aviation addict ever since.

All of these pilots were not born when this aircraft started flying. Amazing

I grew up as an Air force brat in the mid fifties and sixties until I did my hitch in the USAF 73-77. So I was was around these BUFFs as we called them for the first 21 years of my life. I was in SAC stationed at U-Tapao Thailand and Mather AFB in California where we had an A ramp for the 4 nuclear laden alert birds and their 4 KC-135 Strato Tankers. These big boys would taxi out at high speed with all 8 of those T 33's howling on O.R.I 's Operational Readiness exercises. I was a K-9 handler and when those 4 BUFFS taxied out at high speed 50 feet away you could feel the sound waves and the turbulence pulsating from those 8 engines making your internal organs practically vibrate. Even wearing ear plugs and a "Mickey Mouse" headset over that to further protect your ears. You still could hear the high pitched whine of those TF turbo fan engines. And those long pendulous wings flexing up and down carrying those 2 pods of 4 engines on each wing. Watching them land and take off made one marvel at how agile they were with their short landing gear.

Former Master Crew Chief B-52H 61-011 Chameleon. The B-52 actually flies at 3° nose down. One of my greatest thrills was running up engines after maintenance. Worst was cleaning starters after an alert cart start. Flying low level was also thrilling. Picking up drag chutes suck. 5th Bomb Wing Minot.

I lived 25 miles NE of Blytheville, Ark Air Base in the 60's & 70's. These fine warplanes circled my Grandparent's farm several times a month. They were a site to see & watch!

The combined 8 engines produce a takeoff thrust almost as large as one of my B777 GE90-115 engines.

Back in 1969 I had three B-52 models held above my bed by fishing line along with Huey and Cobra helicopters until My brother gave me a pack of Blackcat fire crackers.

The American Boeing B- 52 Stratofortress and Russian Tupolev Tu-95 are the embodiment of "If it ain't broke don't mess with it."

One of the reasons the BUFF is so big is that there isn't very many cubic inches inside the fuselage that isn't filled with equipment. I worked ECM systems on it, and there is a vast amount of electronics inside it and many, many, miles of wiring.

I remember watching them take off and land as a kid at the Grabd Forks Air Force Base. I was born and raised there. This was an amazing air base. Many years lader for many years I provided alot of the weekend entertainment, meet alit of people and made many friends. I always was amazed by these plains.

The starters on B52's are mounted on the OPAH Oil Pump and Accessories Gear Drive Housing. The starters are driven by compressed air that drives a Starter turbine wheel that drives the gear housing. The cartridge starter allows for starting when a ground APU Auxiliary Power Unit isn't available as a compressed air source. Back in the 70's there was just one cartridge starter on each wing and bleed air was used for the other engines. It's interesting that they have 8 Cart Starters on the BUFF's now. The video makes it sound like "The Black Smoke" blows into the actual engine or something. It is simply the residual exhaust from the starter turbine wheel. United States Air Force 1971-1975 AFSC 43250 Jet Engine Technician SSGT.

Can't wait to see the B-52 with the new Rolls-Royce engines! So curious to see the difference between the old and the new on my favorite Airforce plane.

Lived in Blytheville when Blytheville AFB (later Eaker) was operating. Nothing like see a B52 in person and in takeoff. I really miss seeing them. I was often on base and could really see how massive they were. We had renters that were crew chiefs and would rotate on the alert pad, planes and crews ready to go at a moment's notice. I miss those days.

Some people call it ugly i think its one the most beautiful planes ever built.

amazing that frame holds up after 50 years

Those are some awesome aircraft. I'm glad they belong to us God bless the men and women who operate and maintain them! 😊😊

I cant believe how the wings dont fold with the weight of 4 engines on them.....fabulous engineering.

I used to live near the old Plattsburgh air force base in northern N.Y., the base was part of the strategic air command and had a B52 loaded with nukes in the air 24/7 until the end of the cold war then they closed the base now all we have up here is fort drum home of the 10th mountain division

Very well-made video. Thank you!

OUTSTANDING video. Not only was it very educational, but entertaining as well. The narration was just perfect and the video was crystal clear! Liked it so much that I just subscribed! Thank you for creating, uploading and sharing! PS: I don't know if you take requests, but I would really enjoy a video about the FLYING WING. I don't know if she is still flown or not, but I feel it would make a great video. Thanks! ✈😊

Seeing one on video can’t compare to seeing one up close. When I was in the Army, we saw one in the hangar waiting to deploy and it was massive.

Terrific video, Fluctus~! Thanks!!

Probably the best missile truck ever built:)

Those things are one of my favorites for sure .

I think the new engines are virtually fit for life and can take bio fuels. Two large engines would virtually destroy the wings, which are not designed for modern large high power engines. The B52 is special, glad it flies on. 🇬🇧

I just LOVE B-52 🥰

A super military aircraft of a super power , good 👍

I grew up in northeastern Montana, just 60 miles from old Glasgow AFB. In addition, just to the south of us was the low-altitude Flint Rock Oil Burner run which B-52s from all over trained on. They were a very common sight during my youth. As it stands now, I haven't seen a B-52 in flight since 2001 (it and a B-2 flew over my house, which is below an aerial refueling leg). Miss seeing those ol' girls.

What a beautiful jet maintaining this is really a costly job but nice work

By far the greatest warplane of all time

when l was a kid in the 60s, l could see this wonderful machine high in the sky over SW Ontario Canada. l knew to look very closely at the entrail to see a pair coming out from the engine pods then blending into the more visible 4 total. and wished and wondered what it would be like to FLY IN ONE.

I love the sound of those engines. Powerful.

IIRC there is a difference between a "Cartridge" start and a "Cart" start. A Start-Cart or "Huffer" is a ground ower unit that provides compressed air to spool up the engine. Cartridge starts are done with a "explosive (or rocket fuel) cartridge" that is fired and spools up the engine. The first video image of a Cartridge Start may be seen in the moving "Flight of the Phoenix" starring Jimmy Stewart.

Nice video. I have wondered which was actually bigger the B-36 or the B-52? I was stationed at Roswell when the B-52 was there. Sometimes a B-58 would make a visit. At that time the B-52 was equipped with hound dog missiles.

There is one at the Imperial War Museum at Duxford England. Worth a visit!

We have a lot of skill men and women in the world they are to be commended

*_Former Boeing.... BUFF lives on and on.... kids flying it today had parents that flew it._* Because there is almost zero rotation, the B-52 has no tail strikes common to other military aircraft. Many aircraft have 'sacrificial' wearing blocks to take the punishment of a tail strike. Cheaper to replace these blocks than repair dinged up tail sections on fuselage. When B-52 was first flown, the 8 engines were quite the sight. They were needed for power and for redundancy. Can't have aircraft turning back from a strategic mission because of a blown engine. Today, the 2 giant GE 9xx engines on our 777 have more power than all 8 engines on the current B-52's combined. In fact, the GE 9xx engines are larger in diameter than the entire fuselages of 737 and B-52. If it wasn't so expensive to retrofit engines, 4 GE 9xx engines on BUFF would more than double performance. *_How long will BUFF continue to fly.... for as long as it needs to..._*

With the current technical means, are the B-52 operational today? Aren't they very fragile considering the current weaponry?

i still miss the b-52's and kc-135's that were stationed here at castle. i think it was a mistake to centralize everything but who knows? still miss'em!

En Verdad Es Una Gran Aguila En Vuelo!✈️🇵🇷🎱🇵🇷

A marvelous airframe. Long live the BUFF.

One of the B-52s is being displayed at the War Museum in Korea. I was surprised to find that it was huge in its height, wingspan, and sheer size. However, it is still smaller than B747.

Fue desarrollado poco después de la SGM en dónde la tecnología de los motores a reacción no estaba tan desarrollada como hoy día,el BUFF Fue diseñado con regla de cálculo y servilletas tiene casi setenta años en servicio y no hay forma de remplazarlos.y eso que hay bombarderos más modernos en la USAF.

The tu160 is a much larger mach 2 bomber and uses four engines. 8 engines are required only because they are not large engines,

Very good thanks from hamou fahem Algeria

Good aircraft keep it in use

Love the 52's!

Thank you America for bringing aluminum mining technology from the sky to help the North Vietnamese people have the best aluminum home appliances in the world.

Rolls engines will see BUFF through to its centenary.

If people maintained their cars half as good as these planes,cars would last 50 years as well.

Do you guys also have a Simoniz program for the B-52? Just imagine a wax job on that plane wow.

In the air under 10 mins .? Freaking amazing 😮. Behemoth air - borne ..

I served at BAFB in fuels- this a/c is pretty awesome...

When doing pre-flight checks…do they check the fluids, including the wiper fluid? 🤭

Nhôm của máy bay Mĩ rất tốt nên người dân Bắc Việt Nam thường tái chế thành xoong, nồi,chảo và đồ dùng gia đình. Rất bền.

It's something to say that this incredible plane is flown by people that are less than half its age.

Man that thing is huge.

They are undergoing a engine upgrade. Using a rolls-royce engine made for the b-52

Amazing Aircraft

Please please keep on such a thing

One GE9X produces as much thrust as all 8 of these engines combined. Crazy

Un gran equipo de trabajo todos los de mantenimiento...

At 3:12 & 10:10, it's stated the engines take a long time to warm up. TORO CACA. This disinformation has been put out in a number of videos. In northern cold & snow country the engines would be heated if the engine was frozen. Ice would form around the compressor blade & turbine blades & had to be thawed before starting. For day to day missions, the crew shows up to the aircraft an hour & thirty minuets prior to take off. They do their walk around then go inside & do their preflight inspections, check the chute, powering up the avionics etc. Then it's engine start , more check with aircraft power, the taxi out approx 20 min before take off. On alert, they crew preflight is done one time. Response time on alert is under 10 minuets. No waiting for any bogus lengthy warm up.

dumd question but if this plane caught fire on the ground would the bombs blow up or do they need actual impact? I suppose when if the gas tanks blew up everything would go off?

Imagine what if this massive aircraft was redesigned to be an high speed tactical bomber just like B-22 spirit and then break the speed of sound 😬

WOW!!! amazing!

How long does it take to cold start?

INEFFABLE ! MIND BLOWING 👌👍👏👏👏

Awesome Video

أمريكا عظيمه وستبقى عظيمه ❤❤❤

Any educated guess of what percent of the parts on any one of these is actually original?

I landed one of these first try in a simulator when I was at encampment at Barksdale

Cart start is pretty trick it's easy to forget alot of gse is needed to keep these behemoths happy.same with no port no dock no ship I guess⚓

Will the new engines have reverse thrust on them?

GOD I Love this PLANE 👍👋🥰👌

I thought the acronym BUFFY was supposed to stand for the B-52 stratosphere, not A&P’s and line crew. 😂

My friend lives on the approach to Dover AFB. All his cars parked outside have corroded roofs due to jet exhaust.

Forget JATO- just put the charge inside the engine. Wow.

Nice

Military aircraft must be coated with gray paint and a flat gray texture ... this reduces lighting so that it allows you to avoid enemy radars ..

The B-52 max takeoff weight 488,000 lbs (219,600 kg), compared to the 747 max takeoff weight of 910,000 lb (412,770 kg). Therefore a B-52 would only need two 747 jet engines to do the same job as the older eight engines. This is 60 year old tech when compared to today's tech! 😆

SO cool wow

WHAT A BOMBER

Still prefer the B1. It has a larger payload capacity than the B52, and it's supersonic.

I have been told from a AF officer (retired) that the plain tends to land like a frame is bent (lands crooked)

BUFF = Beautiful Unmatched Freedom Fighter. 🇺🇸

I didn't know the jet engines had to warm up before operating the plane. And why is that? I thought it was like when warm up our cars in winter that the plan engines had to be warmed up

I e seen one at an air show that was engined with just four modern engines

Adianta nada Tang do vídeo em português mas não têm dublado ou opção de legenda em português aí não dá 🇧🇷

AMAZING!!!

만찬에서의 팝송부터 의회 연설까지 윤대통령은 어울릴 줄 알고 위트도 있고 강직함도 있는 자유민주주의 대한민국의 진정한 리더입니다 누가 뭐라고해도 옳은 길로 가는 대통령님 존경합니다

Very nice

Very beautiful sweet looking sir

Just keep them all well fed.

😊 i think wy dont we use c5 galaxy as acomercial air craft because of its enjin better than ordinary&also can carry a weapons for it self defense,well it my suggestions,than we all must think this coze in future we dont know it could be boeing secret wepons more alibility.

The B52 was and still is a wonderful marvel. And i am just a ordinary person who has nothing to do eith aviation.