Warbird Information Exchange

Chris, As more of the late model B-52's are slowly retired, has there been any talk at the museum of acquiring a G or H model someday?

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Ain't no sunshine when she's gone!

Anyone know many "G" models are left at AMARG? They don't have any "H" models do they?

As of 21Aug09, the following totals were on the AMARC inventory:

B-52G 97
B-52H 13

Regards,
Andy Marden

Thanks as always for your great info. Andy!!

-Derek

Weren't the Gs cut up in place due to arms control treaties with the Russians? I'm thinking the pieces were left out in the open for verification by satellites.

Hundreds did get the BIG BLADE to meet the SALT delivery system guidelines and then had to sit there, broken up, for a length of time for the satellite verification. Don't know the specific numbers off hand.

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Aviation Illustration Website
http://shepartstudio.com/illustration/

Due to floor space constraints, I wouldn't be surprised if the next B-52 to join the NMUSAF collection is the last one to retire. You and I won't live to see that happen, but I bet that's the spot they're saving.

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"Take care of the little things and the big things will take care of themselves."

Ken,

Out of curiosity, what spot are you talking about?

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Jerry
S/Sgt. - USAF Radio Operator '52-'56
C-119 "Flying Boxcar" - Korea & Japan

Volunteer: National Museum of the US Air Force (2007-2016)
LTM 381st Bomb Group Memorial Association

It would have been nice if someone had thought to save one of the Gs that opened Desert Storm by flying non-stop to Iraq with AGM-86Cs (the then-secret conventional ALCM). T
hey were...and perhaps still are..the longest combat missions ever flown.

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Remember the vets, the wonderful planes they flew and their sacrifices for a future many of them did not live to see.

I believe the Pima B-52G 58-0183 and the Armament Museum 58-0185 birds are both veterans of the mission.

Dave in NJ

I think 183 was a veteran of the "Secret Squirrel" mission flown from Barksdale AFB, LA to Iraq and back in 36 hours non-stop with 8 aerial refuelings, on the opening night of Desert Storm. I'm not sure if it still stands as the longest I was stationed at Barksdale at the time and heard them take off over my apartment and thought, "here we go, the war just started". As a former BUF (yes only one F) Crew Dawg, I think that one of the veterans of this historic mission would be the best choice to be preserved in the NMUSAF. I remember working on 183 at BAFB between '88 and '91. She was a good bird, not pretty, but reliable. Glad to see that she has been spared from the guillotine. I'm kinda partial to 57-6476 which was my bird though.

I remember that the crews involved were biting thier lips because they couldn't talk about what they had done until after the war was over. The "Classified News Network" CNN would report about how the "old and inaccurate B-52's" were still being used and giving the glory to the F-117's. Who do you think took out the radar sites with CALCM's so the F-117's wouldn't get shot down - DA BUF's! When they retire the last B-1's and the last B-2's there will be a 20 something year old BUF crew in an 80 year old BUF to pick up the crews and take them to Barksdale so they can transition into the B-52.

Stratofortresse's to Flying Fortress's - if it ain't Boeing, it ain't going!

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Bill Gorin
Vintage Flying Museum
http://www.vintageflyingmuseum.org
https://www.facebook.com/#!/group.php?gid=57513906106

According to the book "B-52 Stratofortress Units in Operation Desert Storm", 58-0185 was a veteran of the Secret Squirrel Mission also. Here are my shots of her at the AF Armament Museum down the road from Eglin AFB back in '04. The hot and humid climate must be tough on the old girl...

-Derek

It's a figure of speech regarding the proposed floorplan for the next future building.

I was down at the Armament Museum over Labor Day and 58-0185 is soooo weathered now as are all the a/c that haven't recently been repainted.

I was down at Eglin in November and I watched as some members at the sponsoring unit were using rollers to put primer on 58-0185. They weren't too happy but then again they are taking care of the largest aircraft at the museum.

Dave in NJ