B-52 Stratofortress

[Captain Canada]

Yes they do look good. Funny how there's simple stuff like this that you never think about....folk would miss the smoke tho if they did change the engines tho !

[scooter]

Yes they do look good. Funny how there's simple stuff like this that you never think about....folk would miss the smoke tho if they did change the engines tho !

And the knucklebusters and supply guys would be grateful for it.  Think of how expensive it is to keep TF33 parts in stock.

[jcf]

No, repeat, no engine change, P&W are just going to upgrade the TF33s.
Just have to wait and see what that means.

[NARSES2]

So the USAF plan to operate them until 2060 ?

Very much doubt if I will see that  but will this be the first aircraft to reach it's centenary in military service ? I can't think of anything else that could/might but it never ceases to amaze me what is out there and what you lot know 

[sandiego89]

but will this be the first aircraft to reach it's centenary in military service ?

My dubious math has the C-47 at 74 years right now....still with a few air arms....

[NARSES2]

Yup the Dakota is the obvious one. I knew it was still flying in a civilian guise but thought all the military ones had been retired, albeit only a year or so ago ?

[sandiego89]

Yup the Dakota is the obvious one. I knew it was still flying in a civilian guise but thought all the military ones had been retired, albeit only a year or so ago ?

Not sure.  The Basler site list a few air arms that recived the turbo-daks, but not sure if it is current. It can be tough to find how operational some aircraft are with some of these air arms. http://www.baslerturbo.com/bt-67-worldwide.html  

If the Dak or BUFF does not make 100 years, my second bet to make 100 years would be the C-130.  First flew in August 1954 & still rolling off the line....so 39 more years to make 100.  Entirely possible.  

Although a few years behind the BUFF (1952 ff) and C-130 (1954), the UH-1 should also have a pretty long run, with the first flying in October 1956....  

[lenny100]

its the bbmf dak still a operational aircraft, it strictly not part of the flight but provides transport and large tail wheel flight training for the lanc

[McColm]

I thought the An-2 Colt was the oldest aircraft flying and I think it's still in production, fitted with a turboprop.

[Captain Canada]

The Herc will live on forever if you ask me !

[scooter]

I thought the An-2 Colt was the oldest aircraft flying and I think it's still in production, fitted with a turboprop.

Colts were a post-war bird.  Introduced in 1946.

[Logan Hartke]

Here's an odd one ripped from the headlines:



Flightglobal: USAF flaunts 'arsenal plane' concept at Air Warfare Symposium

The love child of a C-130 and a B-52, it reminds me a lot of the old C-123A, just sixty years on!



Cheers,

Logan

[KJ_Lesnick]

JCF

Croswell said that while the F117 may be logical, in the past there were issues with control authority of the plane that could have required a re-wing to mount the more powerful engines. That problem has been solved, he said, and the company has offerings that can keep the eight-engine configuration."

I thought they were going to go with the RB-211, but nonetheless I figure an American design would be better for an American plane

As for engine-engine options, I'd say the F-404 or F-414 would be good candidates for the engine-engine configuration

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Pratt_%26_Whitney_PW2000
[/quote]

[AS.12]

Snippet from Aviation Week in May 1955.  From Assistant Secretary of Defense for Systems Application Frank Newbury:

It was recommended that the KC-135 be discontinued and replaced by converted B-36 and B-52 aircraft until such time as the characteristics of a special jet tanker could be more permanently delineated.

Eventually his office's recommendation was over-ruled by Defense Seretary Charles Wilson but there's a point of divergence for you all to create a Buff with a Boom

[sandiego89]

Now it looks like on-and-off re-engining replacement will now focus on a 8 for 8 engine replacement, not the earlier mused 4 for 8, which had better WHIF potential. 

https://www.flightglobal.com/news/articles/usaf-details-scope-and-schedule-for-b-52-re-engining-444327/

Regardless an order for around 600 bizjet engines sounds like a pretty good contract for someone....