I've seen a couple of news articles lately about the Air Force wanting to replace the old engines on the B52's. Pratt and Whitney has offered the new engines they are putting in bizjets which seem kind of small to me. Why cant the B52 be adapted to use the big turbofans that are used on the newer jets like the 777 and others? Use 4 instead of 8? Turbofans not able to cruise high enough?

I'm gonna guess they need engines that can fit the existing nacelles, clear the ground with a safety margin, and give necessary thrust with fuel economy. If you look at pics of a B-52 on the ground you notice there is significant wing droop to the point they require bogey wheels on the wing tips. Big turbofans wouldn't work. I watched a promo video and it was stated the engines would not require an overhaul over the entire anticipated remaining 30 year service life of the aircraft!

Yep, it all makes sense, but it seems that I remember seeing a photo somewhere of a B-52 flying with 1 turbofan engine. I think it was an engine test where they were evaluating the modification. Guess it didn't work.

Here are the photos, although it looks like photoshop may have been at work on a couple.
https://foxtrotalpha.jalopnik....s-b-52-fl-1685747978

I read somewhere that if it had 4 engines, the vertical stabilizer could not handle the lateral load of an asymmetrical thrust situation if thrust was lost in 1 engine. Plus it is already plumbed and wired for 8 engines.

quote:

Originally posted by clowdis:
Yep, it all makes sense, but it seems that I remember seeing a photo somewhere of a B-52 flying with 1 turbofan engine. I think it was an engine test where they were evaluating the modification. Guess it didn't work.

Boeing rented a B52 to test the engines for the then new 747

One engine replaced 2.

13 foot wing tip rise at takeoff for a normal flight.

Would it be feasible to use larger engines to replace the two pairs inboard while acknowledging wing droop to replace the two outboard pairs with somewhat smaller replacements? If replacement engines are in mass use by commercial aircraft, perhaps having two types of engines installed would not be a significant handicap?

Just a thought.

Radar cross section of a big high bypass fan......

quote:

Originally posted by Redstone:
Radar cross section of a big high bypass fan......

RCS of a B-52 is already as big as a Mack truck flying sideways.

quote:

Originally posted by Cougarz:
RCS of a B-52 is already as big as a Mack truck flying sideways.

Believe it or not; due to the big fans, the A-10 has a bigger square meter radar signature than the B-52
- Mike (Warthog pilot way back when it was factory new )

quote:

Originally posted by Redstone:

quote:

Originally posted by Cougarz:
RCS of a B-52 is already as big as a Mack truck flying sideways.

Believe it or not; due to the big fans, the A-10 has a bigger square meter radar signature than the B-52
- Mike (Warthog pilot way back when it was factory new )

Thanks for the info, I never knew that.

- Roger ( Retired maintenance instructor for composite structures on the F-22 Raptor and some "other" stuff).