All white B-52 and B-58

[famvburg]

Just a thought. All 3 of England's V-bomber types were painted all white at one time. The B-1 and XB-70 were too. In modern times, even the Tu-160 is all white. I realize some B-52s had white bellies but I got to wondering why B-52s never went all white. Can you imagine?! Had the B-58 remained in service, do you suppose it would have gone all white? Maybe in contrast to the oft rumored SEA camo scheme.

[McColm]

The only B-52 painted white was flown by NASA. Interesting question.

[Dizzyfugu]

Painting an aircraft is costly and adds weight. The white paint was intended to reflect the nuclear flash, and that would have exclusively come from below for the early B-52s. So there was no point in adding more paint from above.

[famvburg]

Would it not be exclusively from below for the XB-70 and B-1A as well? And the V-Bombers too?

[famvburg]

Come to think of it, the B-58 never even received a white underside did it?

[sandiego89]

Come to think of it, the B-58 never even received a white underside did it?

No they did not.  I imagine white overall would have been maintainence intensive on the B-58, and perhaps the MACH 2+, high altitude, pod drop profile negated the need for anti-flash?  (she would well outrun the high temp of the blast).   Of the heavies, the B-36 perhaps needed anti-flash undersides the most as she was pretty slow (but high) and was flinging big megaton stores.  Many nuclear drop and effects test  B-36's, B-52's, B-50's and the Valiants suffered some thermal and pressure damage.  Some quite heavy with oil canning/dents and thermal stress.   

White is a heavy color.  It could add many hundreds of pounds to a large aircraft.  Even a few hundred pounds can make a surprising reduction in max altutude.     

I wonder if the XB-70 was white more due to heat dissapation properties at high altitudes (like the Concorde) rahter than for it's anti-flash purposes?       

[kerick]

I thought black dissipated heat better than white. At least in my physics class.

[sandiego89]

Sorry perhaps heat reflecting?.  I believe white is better at reflecting.  I know my white car is much more comfortable on a hot day than a dark one, but I don't mean to, or want to, start a physics debate.  I preferred history  

[NARSES2]

I'd forgotten some early Vietnam B-52's had natural metal uppers and black unders until I saw a photo in a mag the other day