Even if there was a time when people believed such a thing is impossible, it’s common knowledge nowadays that heavier-than-air vehicles can fly. This has been our reality ever since the Wright Flyer took off at Kitty Hawk, North Carolina, in 1903. But when one sees a massive bird like the B-52 Stratofortress taking to the sky, eyes have problems believing the sight.
The B-52 is one huge machine. With a wingspan of 185 feet (56 meters) and a length of 159 feet (48.5 meters), the airplane is not only large, it is also heavy. By itself, it tips the scale at 185,000 lbs (83,250 kg), but when fully loaded with cargo and fuel, it ends up weighing 488,000 lbs (219,600 kg), and can still take off without a problem.
Generally, the cargo of the Stratofortress is made up of bombs. The airplane was introduced by Boeing about 70 years ago as a strategic bomber, and it can carry 70,000 lbs (31,500 kg) of bombs, smart weapons, mines, and missiles.
The airplane gets all the lifting power from no less than eight Pratt & Whitney turbofan engines, each capable of providing the B-52 with 17,000 lbs of thrust. The massive fuel tanks, which can hold 312,197 lbs of fuel, are large enough to ensure it a range of 8,800 miles (14,100 km), and it can cover them at speeds as high as 650 mph (1,046 kph).
All of the above are just numbers on the screen though, and don’t really tell the story of what the B-5 is capable of. For that, you can check out the video below, shot by Staff Sergeant Brandi Hansen and Senior Airman Josh Strickland and posted online by Military in Action.
It shows B-52s taking off and landing at the Minot Air Force Base in North Dakota, but be warned: it might make you doubt physics.
Daniel loves writing (or so he claims), and he uses this skill to offer readers a "behind the scenes" look at the automotive industry. He also enjoys talking about space exploration and robots, because in his view the only way forward for humanity is away from this planet, in metal bodies. Full profile
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