Maximum speed: 630 mph at 19,800 feet; 570 mph at 45,050 feet
Cruising speed: 523 mph
Service ceiling at combat weight: 46,200 feet
Combat radius: 3,500 miles with 10,000 pound bomb load
Ferry range: 7,875 miles
Powerplant: Eight Pratt & Whitney J57-P-29WA or -19W turbojets (10,500 pounds of thrust dry, and 12,100 pounds of thrust with water injection)
B-52F (Boeing Model 464-260)
Length: 156 feet 6.9 inches
Wingspan: 185 feet
Tail height: 48 feet 3.6 inches
Wing area: 4,000 square feet
Weight: 173,599 pounds empty; 291,570 pounds combat; 450,000 pounds gross.
Armament: Four .50-caliber M3 machine guns with 600 rounds in tail turret.
Maximum offensive payload: 43,000 pounds
Maximum speed: 638 mph at 21,000 feet; 570 mph at 46,500 feet
Cruising speed: 523 mph
Service ceiling at combat weight: 46,700 feet
Combat radius: 3,650 miles with 10,000 pound bomb load
Ferry range: 7,976 miles
Powerplant: Eight Pratt & Whitney J57-P-43WA turbojets (11,200 pounds of thrust dry, and 13,750 pounds of thrust with water injection)
B-52G (Boeing Model 464-253)
Length: 157 feet 7 inches (later increased to 160 feet 10.9 inches)
Wingspan: 185 feet
Tail height: 40 feet 8 inches
Wing area: 4,000 square feet
Weight: 168,445 pounds empty; 302,634 pounds combat; 488,000 pounds gross
Armament: Four .50-caliber M3 machine guns with 600 rounds in tail turret.
Maximum offensive payload: 50,000 pounds
Maximum speed: 636 mph at 20,800 feet; 570 mph at 46,000 feet
Cruising speed: 523 mph
Service ceiling at combat weight: 47,000 feet
Combat radius: 4,100 miles with 10,000 pound bomb load
Ferry range: 8,900 miles (Record flight, 10,078.8 miles)
Powerplant: Eight Pratt & Whitney J57-P-43WB turbojets (13,750 pounds of thrust with water injection)
B-52H (Boeing Model 464-261)
Length: 156 feet
Wingspan: 185 feet
Tail height: 40 feet 8 inches
Wing area: 4,000 square feet
Weight: 172,740 pounds empty; 306,358 pounds combat; 488,000 pounds gross
Armament: One 20-mm M61 cannon with 1,242 rounds in tail turret
Maximum offensive payload: 50,000 pounds
Maximum speed: 632 mph at 23,800 feet; 603 mph at 35,000 feet; 560 mph at 46,650 feet
Cruising speed: 525 mph
Service ceiling at combat weight: 47,700 feet
Combat radius: 4,825 miles with 10,000 pound bomb load
Ferry range: 10,145 miles (Record flight, 12,532.28 miles)
Powerplant: Eight Pratt & Whitney TF33-P-3 turbofans (17,000 pounds of thrust each)
Appendix 2
Stratofortress Production by Model and Block Number
XB-52 (Boeing Model 464-67)
1 built in Seattle:
49-230 (XB-52-BO) c/n 16248
YB-52 (Boeing Model 464-67)
1 built in Seattle:
49-231 (YB-52-BO) c/n 16249
B-52A (Boeing Model 464-201-0)
3 built in Seattle:
52-001 through 003 (B-52A-1-BO) c/n 16491 through 16493
B-52B (Boeing Model 464-201-4)
23 built in Seattle, in 3 blocks:
53-373 through 376 (B-52B-25-BO) c/n 16852 through 16855
53-380 through 387 (B-52B-30-BO) c/n 16859 through 16866
53-388 through 398 (B-52B-35-BO) c/n 16867 through 16877
RB-52B (Boeing Model 464-201-3)
27 built in Seattle, 6 in blocks:
52-004 through 006 (RB-52B-5-BO) c/n 16494 through 16496
52-007 through 013 (RB-52B-10-BO) c/n 16497 through 16503
52-8710 through 715 (RB-52B-15-BO) c/n 16838 through 16843
52-8716 (RB-52B-20-BO) c/n 16844
53-366 through 372 (RB-52B-25-BO) c/n 16845 through 16851
53-377 through 379 (RB-52B-30-BO) c/n 16856 through 16858
B-52C (Boeing Model 464-201-6)
35 built in Seattle, in 3 blocks:
53-0399 through 0408 (B-52C-40-BO) c/n 16878 through 16887
54-2664 through 2675 (B-52C-45-BO) c/n 17159 through 17170
54-2676 through 2688 (B-52C-50-BO) c/n 17171 through 17183
B-52D (Boeing Model 464-201-7)
69 built in Wichita, in 10 blocks:
55-0049 through 0051 (B-52D-1-BW) c/n 464001 through 464003
55-0052 through 0054 (B-52D-5-BW) c/n 464004 through 046006
55-0055 through 0060 (B-52D-10-BW) c/n 464007 through 464012
55-0061 through 0064 (B-52D-15-BW) c/n 464013 through 464016
55-0065 through 0067 (B-52D-20-BW) c/n 464017 through 464019
55-0673 through 0675 (B-52D-20-BW) c/n 464020 through 464022
55-0676 through 0680 (B-52D-25-BW) c/n 464023 through 464027
56-0657 through 0668 (B-52D-30-BW) c/n 464028 through 464039
56-0669 through 0680 (B-52D-35-BW) c/n 464040 through 464051
56-0681 through 0698 (B-52D-40-BW) c/n 464052 through 464069
101 built in Seattle, in 6 blocks:
55-0068 through 0088 (B-52D-55-BO) c/n 17184 through 17204
55-0089 through 0104 (B-52D-60-BO) c/n 17205 through 17220
55-0105 through 0117 (B-52D-65-BO) c/n 17221 through 17233
56-0580 through 0590 (B-52D-70-BO) c/n 17263 through 17273
56-0591 through 0610 (B-52D-75-BO) c/n 17274 through 17293
56-0611 through 0630 (B-52D-80-BO) c/n 17294 through 17313
B-52E 59 (Boeing Model 464-259)
58 built in Wichita, in 4 blocks:
56-0699 through 0712 (B-52E-45-BW) c/n 464070 through 464083
57-0095 through 0109 (B-52E-50-BW) c/n 464084 through 464098
57-0110 through 0130 (B-52E-55-BW) c/n 464099 through 464119
57-0131 through 0138 (B-52E-60-BW) c/n 464120 through 464127
42 built in Seattle, in 4 blocks:
56-0631 through 0649 (B-52E-85-BO) c/n 17314 through 17332
56-0650 through 0656 (B-52E-90-BO) c/n 17333 through 17339
57-0014 through 0022 (B-52E-90-BO) c/n 17408 through 17416
57-0023 through 0029 (B-52E-95-BO) c/n 17417 through 17423
B-52F (Boeing Model 464-260)
45 built in Wichita, in 2 blocks:
57-139 through 154 (B-52F-65-BW) c/n 464128 through 464143
57-155 through 183 (B-52F-70-BW) c/n 464144 through 464172
57-184 through 228 (B-52F-BW) (Cancelled)
44 built in Seattle, in 3 blocks:
57-030 through 037 (B-52F-100-BO) c/n 17424 through 17431
57-038 through 052 (B-52F-105-BO) c/n 17432 through 17446
57-053 through 073 (B-52F-110-BO) c/n 17447 through 17467
57-074 through 094 (B-52F-BO) (Cancelled)
B-52G (Boeing Model 464-253)
193 built in Wichita, in 12 blocks:
57-6468 through 6475 (B-52G-75-BW) c/n 464173 through 464180
57-6476 through 6485 (B-52G-80-BW) c/n 464181 through 464190
57-6486 through 6499 (B-52G-85-BW) c/n 464191 through 464204
57-6500 through 6520 (B-52G-90-BW) c/n 464205 through 464225
58-0158 through 0187 (B-52G-95-BW) c/n 464226 through 464255
58-0188 through 0211 (B-52G-100-BW) c/n 4642256 through 464279
58-0212 through 0232 (B-52G-105-BW) c/n 464280 through 464300
58-0233 through 0246 (B-52G-110-BW) c/n 464301 through 464314
58-0247 through 0258 (B-52G-115-BW) c/n 464315 through 464326
59-2564 through 2575 (B-52G-120-BW) c/n 464327 through 464338
59-2576 through 2587 (B-52G-125-BW) c/n 464339 through 464350
59-2588 through 2602 (B-52G-130-BW) c/n 464351 through 464365
(Note: Some sources list 59-2564 through 59-2602 as all being part of Block 120.)
B-52H (Boeing Model 464-261)
102 built in Wichita, in 9 blocks:
60-0001 through 0013 (B-52H-135-BW) c/n 464366 through 464378
60-0014 through 0021 (B-52H-140-BW) c/n 464379 through 464386
60-0022 through 0033 (B-52H-145-BW) c/n 464387 through 464398
60-0034 through 0045 (B-52H-150-BW) c/n 464399 through 464410
60-0046 through 0057 (B-52H-155-BW) c/n 464411 through 464422
60-0058 through 0062 (B-52H-160-BW) c/n 464423 through 464427
61-0001 through 0013 (B-52H-165-BW) c/n 464428 through 464440
61-0014 through 0026 (B-52H-170-BW) c/n 464441 through 464453
61-0027 through 0040 (B-52H-175-BW) c/n 464454 through 464467
B-52J
0 (to date)
The designation may be applied to B-52Hs retrofitted with high-bypass turbofan engines.
Selected Modifications Resulting in Redesignations
EB-52H (designation provisionally considered for an ECM aircraft)
JB-52B (one aircraft, 52-0004, formerly RB-52B)
JB-52C (two aircraft, 53-0399 and 54-2676, formerly B-52C)
JB-52G (several aircraft temporarily redesignated, including 57-6470, 57-6473, 57-6477, 58-0159, 58-0182, formerly B-52G)
JB-52H (several aircraft temporarily redesignated, including 60-0003, 60-0004, 60-0005, 60-0023, formerly B-52H)
NB-52A (one aircraft, 52-0003, formerly B-52A)
NB-52B (one aircraft, 52-0008, formerly B-52B)
NB-52E (one aircraft, 56-0631, formerly B-52E)
NB-52H (one aircraft, 61-0025, formerly B-52H)
Appendix 3
Stratofortress Combat Wings and Assigned Squadrons (1955–Present)
Notes:
(1) At press time, the three active, permanent Stratofortress wings in the U.S. Air Force were the 2nd Bombardment Wing at Barksdale AFB, Louisiana (tail code LA); the 5th Bombardment Wing at Minot AFB, North Dakota (tail code MT); and the 307th Bombardment Wing (Air Force Reserve Command) at Barksdale AFB, Louisiana (tail code BD).
(2) In 1960–1961, in order to disburse the Stratofortress fleet as broadly as possible for fear of enemy air attack, the SAC established a large number of provisional strategic wings designated with four-digit numbers beginning with 4. These were deactivated on February 1, 1963, and their aircraft reassigned to other units as noted below.
2nd Bombardment Wing (Heavy)
(Superseded 4238th Strategic Wing)
Barksdale AFB, Louisiana
B-52F, 1963–1965; B-52G, 1965–1992; B-52H, 1992–present
11th Bombardment Squadron (B-52H)
20th Bombardment Squadron (B-52F/H)
62nd Bombardment Squadron (B-52G)
96th Bombardment Squadron (B-52H)
596th Bombardment Squadron (B-52G)
5th Bombardment Wing (Heavy)
Travis AFB, California (1959–1968)
Minot AFB, North Dakota, (1968–present)
B-52B, 1959; B-52G, 1959-1968; B-52H, 1968-present
23rd Bombardment Squadron
31st Bombardment Squadron
72nd Bombardment Squadron (B-52H)
6th Bombardment (later Strategic Aerospace) Wing
Walker AFB, New Mexico
B-52E, 1957–1967
24th Bombardment Squadron
39th Bombardment Squadron
40th Bombardment Squadron
4129th Combat Crew Training Squadron (1959–1963)
7th Bombardment Wing (Heavy)
Carswell AFB, Texas
B-52F, 1958–1969; B-52D, 1969–1983; B-52H, 1982–1992
9th Bombardment Squadron
20th Bombardment Squadron (to 2nd BW 12/92)
11th Bombardment (later Strategic Aerospace) Wing
Altus AFB, Oklahoma
B-52E, 1958–1968
26th Bombardment Squadron
42nd Bombardment Squadron
17th Bombardment Wing (Heavy)
Wright-Patterson AFB, Ohio (1963-1975)
Beale AFB, California, (1975-1976)
(Superseded 4043rd Strategic Wing)
B-52E, 1963–1968; B-52H, 1968–1975; B-52G, 1975–1976
34th Bombardment Squadron
19th Bombardment Wing (Heavy)
Homestead AFB, Florida (1962–1968)
Robins AFB, Georgia (1968–1983)
B-52H, 1962–1968; B-52G, 1968–1983
28th Bombardment Squadron
22nd Bombardment Wing (Heavy)
March AFB, California
B-52B, 1963–1966; B-52D, 1966–1982
2nd Bombardment Squadron
486th Bombardment Squadron
28th Bombardment Wing (Heavy)
Ellsworth AFB, South Dakota
B-52D, 1957–1971; B-52G, 1971–1985
77th Bombardment Squadron
717th Bombardment Squadron
718th Bombardment Squadron
39th Bombardment Wing (Heavy)
Eglin AFB, Florida
(Superseded 4135th Strategic Wing)
B-52G, 1963-1965
62nd Bombardment Squadron
40th Air Expeditionary Wing
Diego Garcia, British Indian Ocean Territory
B-52H, 2001–c.2006
40th Expeditionary Bombardment Squadron
42nd Bombardment Wing (Heavy)
Loring AFB, Maine
B-52C, 1956–1957; B-52D, 1957–1959; B-52G, 1959–1994
69th Bombardment Squadron
70th Bombardment Squadron
75th Bombardment Squadron
43rd Strategic Wing
Andersen AFB, Guam
B-52D, 1972–1983; B-52G, 1983–1990
60th Bombardment Squadron
63rd Bombardment Squadron (Provisional), 1972–1973
68th Bombardment Wing (Heavy)
Seymour Johnson AFB, NC
(Superseded 4241st Strategic Wing)
B-52G, 1963–1982
51st Bombardment Squadron
70th Bombardment Wing (Heavy)
Clinton-Sherman AFB, Oklahoma
(Superseded 4123rd Strategic Wing)
B-52E, 1963–1968; B-52D, 1968–1969
6th Bombardment Squadron
72nd Bombardment Wing (Heavy)
Ramey AFB, Puerto Rico (1959–1971)
Andersen AFB, Guam (Provisional wing 1972–1973)
B-52G, 1959–1971, 1972–1973
60th Bombardment Squadron
91st Bombardment Wing (Heavy)
Glasgow AFB, Montana
(Superseded 4141st Strategic Wing)
B-52D, 1963–1968
322nd Bombardment Squadron
92nd Bombardment (later Strategic Aerospace) Wing
Fairchild AFB, Washington
B-52D, 1957–1971; B-52G, 1970–1986; B-52H, 1986–1994
325th Bombardment Squadron
326th Bombardment Squadron (B-52D)
327th Bombardment Squadron (B-52D)
Castle AFB, California
B-52B, 1955–1965; B-52D, 1956–1958; B-52E, 1957–1958, 1967–1970; B-52F, 1958–1974; B-52G, 1966–1967, 1974–1994; B-52H, 1974–1993
328th Bombardment Squadron
329th Bombardment Squadron
330th Bombardment Squadron (1955–1963) (1998–1991)
4017th Combat Crew Training Squadron (1955–1956)
95th Bombardment Wing (Heavy)
Biggs AFB, Texas
B-52B, 1959–1966
334th Bombardment Squadron (1959–1966)
96th Strategic Aerospace Wing
Dyess AFB, Texas
B-52E, 1963–1970; B-52D, 1969–1972; B-52H, 1982-1993
337th Bombardment Squadron
97th Bombardment Wing (Heavy)
Eaker AFB, Arkansas
B-52G, 1960–1992
340th Bombardm
ent Squadron
99th Bombardment Wing (Heavy)
Westover AFB, Massachusetts
B-52C, 1956–1966; B-52B, 1958–1959; B-52D, 1957–1961, 1966–1974
346th Bombardment Squadron
347th Bombardment Squadron
348th Bombardment Squadron
306th Bombardment Wing (Heavy)
McCoy AFB, Florida
(Superseded 4047th Strategic Wing)
B-52D, 1963–1973
367th Bombardment Squadron
307th Strategic Wing
U-Tapao RTNAF, Thailand
B-52D, 1973–1975
364th Bombardment Squadron (Provisional)
365th Bombardment Squadron (Provisional)
307th Bombardment Wing (Air Force Reserve Command)
Barksdale AFB, Louisiana
B-52H, 1993–present
93rd Bombardment Squadron
343rd Bombardment Squadron
319th Bombardment Wing (Heavy)
Grand Forks AFB, North Dakota
(Superseded 4133rd Strategic Wing)
B-52H, 1963–1982; B-52G, 1982–1987
46th Bombardment Squadron
320th Bombardment Wing (Heavy)
Mather AFB, California
(Superseded 4134th Strategic Wing)
B-52F, 1963–1968; B-52G, 1968–1989
441st Bombardment Squadron
340th Bombardment Wing (Heavy)
Bergstrom AFB, Texas
(Superseded 4130th Strategic Wing)
B-52D, 1963–1966
486th Bombardment Squadron
366th Wing
(Headquartered at Mountain Home AFB, Idaho; aircraft located at Castle AFB, California)
B-52G, 1992–1994
34th Bombardment Squadron
376th Strategic Wing
Kadena AB, Okinawa
4180th Bombardment Squadron (Provisional) (never operational)
379th Bombardment Wing (Heavy)
Wurtsmith AFB, Michigan
B-52H, 1961–1977; B-52G, 1977–1992
524th Bombardment Squadron
380th Strategic Aerospace Wing
Plattsburgh AFB, New York
B-52G, 1966–1971
528th Bombardment Squadron
397th Bombardment Wing (Heavy)
Dow AFB, Maine
(Superseded 4038th Strategic Wing)
B-52G, 1963–1968
596th Bombardment Squadron
410th Bombardment Wing (Heavy)
K. I. Sawyer AFB, Michigan
(Superseded 4042nd Strategic Wing)
B-52H, 1963–1994
644th Bombardment Squadron
416th Bombardment Wing (Heavy)
Griffiss AFB, New York
(Superseded 4039th Strategic Wing)
B-52G, 1963–1992; B-52H, 1992–1995
668th Bombardment Squadron
449th Bombardment Wing (Heavy)