B-52 ASR Idea

[Cobra]

Hey Guys, Tell me what you think of This:What If the B-52 were used as an ASR(Air Sea Rescue) Heavy Response Aircraft? by Heavy Response, i mean if an Airliner Went Down @ Sea, the BUFF could be Scrambled to Drop Rescue Rafts & Other Supplies until Flying Boats, Etc. could make the scene! what do you think? think it could be Done with Models of the B-52 currently on the Market? thanks for looking. Dan

[upnorth]

Theoretically, I don't see why not.

The B-52 certainly has the low altitude performance for the job and you could load her up pretty well with droppable survival gear and rafts.

The only drawback is that when an aircraft the size of an airliner goes down in the ocean, the chances of survivors is relativley remote, certainly not high enough for an aircraft the size of the BUFF to be required for the job.

However, if you really wanted to go all out, you could try converting a B-52 in to a flying boat for the purpose of ASR. Get the engines on top of the wings, rig up a boat hull and convert the wingtip fuel tanks to outrigger floats.

[anthonyp]

I've thought about this concept, but I'm going one step shorter.  I'm turning mine into some sort of SB-52G long range ASW bomber.

Might turn a B-47 into a flying boat, though...  dammit, brain, I'm not ready for that kind of financial commitment!!!