 Editor in Chief Bill   | 28 Sep 2022 2:42 a.m. PST |
Boeing released a video announcing that the B-52 Commercial Engine Replacement Program has completed wind tunnel testing using a model of the B-52 Stratofortress. The clip provides the best look yet at how the aircraft will appear with its new F130 engines. Rolls-Royce won the long-anticipated re-engining deal, which is supposed to help ensure the bombers can keep flying into the 2050s and probably beyond, last year… The Drive: link |
| kevin smoot | 28 Sep 2022 6:28 a.m. PST |
Why does it feel like if I went 100 years forward in a time machine, the B-52 will still be in service? |
| Garand | 28 Sep 2022 7:54 a.m. PST |
One modeling meme that is going around are models of the B-52 with Star Trek warp engines… Damon. |
| microgeorge | 28 Sep 2022 8:17 a.m. PST |
Good explanation on why they didn't go with 4 larger engines: Although, the proposals had been passed over in part because of complications with integrating the new larger engines with the B-52's existing wing design. For moving from eight to four engines, this would have included the need to deal with issues relating to how low the engines would be to the ground and major asymmetric thrust issues for engine-out situations, as well as the need for relocated placement on the wings and new pylons to mount the engines at those locations. |
 Legion 4  | 28 Sep 2022 8:52 a.m. PST |
Until it gets cheaper to replace the B-52, they will continue to get upgrades, I'd think. |
 Sgt Slag | 28 Sep 2022 9:10 a.m. PST |
Garand: LOL!!! That made my day. Imagine becoming a pilot flying a B-52, and it turns out you are flying the same B-52 airplane that your father, and your grandfather, flew before you… I find that quite funny, and surprising, too. This is the only operational, generational airplane the world has ever seen. Mr. (Scotty) Montgomery Scott will have those warp nacelles installed and functioning at Warp 9, in no time, Captain Kirk! "Scotty, I need more power…" "Aye, Captain, I'm giving you all she's got! She's about to tear herself apart!" Cheers! |
| Legion 4 | 28 Sep 2022 9:53 a.m. PST |
I've seen a photo of a son, Father & Grandfather who all were B-52 pilots. All in the family ! |
| Andrew Walters | 28 Sep 2022 9:54 a.m. PST |
That's already happened… link We're probably only a decade away from pilots flying the same B-52s their *mothers* flew. I wonder when we hit the Ship of Theseus paradox? It's like the 1911 pistol and the Ma Deuce, when you get something really right it sticks around. 501 jeans. But those are designs, I suppose, these are the actual aircraft… |
| Garand | 28 Sep 2022 11:42 a.m. PST |
One of these days I'm going to build a model of a B-52 with warp engines. In 1/144 scale. I just need to find warp engines sufficiently small, & figure out a logical way to mount them (cropped wings? Warp engines under the jet engine nacelles? Where do I put the Impulse Drive? etc). Damon. |
| Andrew Walters | 28 Sep 2022 1:33 p.m. PST |
B-52 @ 1:144 is over 15" across… |
| Sgt Slag | 28 Sep 2022 2:08 p.m. PST |
You will need a tiny man, with a red, long sleeved shirt, and black pants and shoes. A blond fellow in a gold-yellow shirt would be nice to have next to him, along with two black-haired guys, with lite blue shirts… LOL! Cheers! |
| emckinney | 28 Sep 2022 3:57 p.m. PST |
It's funny that the shoulder wing of the B-52 is now a serious limiting factor. It put the engines far enough down that reaching them for maintenance was reasonable, but now it's a limiting factor on going to larger diameter engines. You can mount engines on overwing pylons, but the shoulder wing would make that and absolute maintenance nightmare. |
| Garand | 28 Sep 2022 6:38 p.m. PST |
B-52 @ 1:144 is over 15" across… Thinking about this project, I would probably truncate the wings at the first engine pylon, to mount the warp engines. The inboard weapons hardpoints can serve as a pylon for photon torpedo launchers, & replace the rear gunners station/ECM blister with an impulse engine of some sort, & job's done. It would also cut down on the size of the model (I have a B-2 in 1/144 scale, which isn't a massive model, although the B-52 as a geometry all it's own). The question now is: do I build & paint a TOS B-52, movie era, or (if I can find suitable warp engines) a TNG version? The latter would probably get the most humor factor out of the model… Damon. |
| Thresher01 | 28 Sep 2022 7:33 p.m. PST |
They should just build some newer B-52 variants from scratch. |
| Legion 4 | 29 Sep 2022 8:23 a.m. PST |
If anyone can keep'm flying Scotty can ! |
| LORDGHEE | 29 Sep 2022 2:11 p.m. PST |
warp cells on wing tips the jet engines are the impulse drives |
| Bunkermeister | 30 Sep 2022 9:48 p.m. PST |
"1911 pistol and the Ma Deuce," In the 1980s I was issued a M1911A1 that was made by Singer Sewing Machine company in the Second World War. The 334th Ma Duece to be manufactured stayed in service over 90 years! link Mike Bunkermeister Creek |
| Editor in Chief Bill | 30 Sep 2022 10:19 p.m. PST |
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| Legion 4 | 01 Oct 2022 8:47 a.m. PST |
In the 1980s I was issued a M1911A1 that was made by Singer Sewing Machine company in the Second World War. All our .45s were old too. The US in WWII used many manufacturers to make weapons. It only made sense. |
| Sgt Slag | 01 Oct 2022 3:02 p.m. PST |
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