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CONTACT CITY STAFFB-52
Aircraft at the Joe Davies Heritage Airpark at Palmdale Plant 42
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Click for larger photo
| A/C SN | 57-0038 |
| Date Acquired: | November 2006 |
| Acquired From: | USAF, Loan |
| Displayed: | April 30, 2009 |
History
Manufactured by Boeing Aircraft, Seattle WA and delivered to the USAF on Aug. 22, 1958.
Records indicate that the aircraft went to the Air Force proving ground at Eglin AFB in Florida where it was modified to a JB-52F. The designation letter "J" stands for Temporary Special Test. This craft was used to test Hound Dog missiles over the Gulf Test Range.
The Airpark's B-52 does not have a combat record, but it is special for two reasons:
- The aircraft is the only preserved and surviving B-52F in existence.
- It was a special test bird for the Hound Dog.
On January 26, 1970, the B-52 was flown for the last time from Eglin AFB to Tinker AFB, Oklahoma, where it underwent extensive stress tests. After determining the aircraft was not flyable, it was donated to the state of Oklahoma in 1973 and put on display at the state fairgrounds. In 2007, the aircraft was disassembled and moved to Joe Davies Heritage Airpark.
| Aug 1958 | To 4238th Strategic Wing (Strategic Air Command), Barksdale AFB LA |
| Oct 1961 | To San Antonio Air Logistics Area, Kelly AFB TX |
| Feb 1962 | To Boeing Aircraft, Wichita KS |
| Dec 1963 | To AF Proving Ground Center (AF Systems Command), Eglin AFB FL |
| Oct 1967 | To B-52F |
| Nov 1968 | To AF Armament Test Center (AFSC), Eglin AFB |
| Jan 1970 | To Oklahoma City Air Logistics Area, Tinker AFB OK (Last flight) |
| Jul 1973 | Dropped from inventory by transfer to museum status |
| 1973 | Retired from active service |
| 1974 | Was placed on pylons at Oak City Fairgrounds |
| 2006/07 | Acquired and relocated to Joe Davies Heritage Park, Palmdale, CA |
Air Park Chronology
| First Parts (Engine Pylons, External Fuel Tanks) arrived via truck | April 11, 2007 |
| Fuselage arrived | June 01, 2007 |
| Wings arrive | June 20, 2007 |
| Last parts arrive | July 29, 2007 |
| Began re-assembly | December 8, 2007 |
| Completed re-assembly | January 2, 2008 |
| Began Restoration | January 3, 2008 |
| Completed Restoration | To be announced |
| Placed on Display | April 30, 2009 |
Specifications
| Span: | 185 ft. 0 in. |
| Length: | 156 ft. 7 in. |
| Height: | 48 ft. 4 in. |
| Armament: | Four .50-cal. M-3 machine guns in the tail barbette and up to 60,000 lbs. of bombs |
| Engines: | Eight Pratt & Whitney J57-P-43W turbojets of 11,200 lbs. thrust each (dry), 13,750 lbs. thrust each wet (water injection) |
| Crew: | Six (pilot, copilot, electronic warfare officer, navigator, radar navigator-bombardier, tail gunner) |
Performance
| Maximum speed: | 638 mph/551 knots at 20,000 ft. |
| Cruising speed: | 526 mph |
| Range: | 3,305 nautical miles combat radius at combat weight of 293,100 lbs. (without in-flight refueling); 8,338 miles maximum ferry range |
| Service ceiling: | 46,200 ft. at combat weight of 293,100 lbs. |
