Legacy airframe and modern technology CONECT (B-52 Still has 8 Engines?)

USAF ^ | July 26, 2013 | Airman 1st Class Joseph Raatz

[ImJustAnotherOkie]

Can anyone answer why they kept the 8 engine configuration. EMF Hardening?

[Cletus.D.Yokel]

Air Porn!

[Prospero]

These airframes aren't fifty years old. They're sixty years old.

Redundancy and fuel efficiency - range and altitude flexibility over deep targets, survivability - credibility in the eyes of a potential enemy.

A strategic bomber that just happened to be nearly perfect as a long-range cruise missile platform.

I love these aircraft.

[Psalm 73]

Eight engine configuration is a proven design for the B-52, have not heard of a rational reason (or plan) for changing it.

That said, I thought this was interesting:
"...equipping a B-52H with CONECT requires nearly 7,000 man-hours to complete, or approximately nine months per aircraft."

7K man-hours sounds like a near-complete aircraft rewire.

[Blood of Tyrants]

Probably the difficulty and expense of reconfiguring the aircraft electrical and hydraulic and fuel systems to do four engines instead of eight.

[Bidimus1]

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Flight_of_the_Old_Dog

Fact follows fiction ;)

[null and void]

I enjoyed that book.

[WildHighlander57]

That’s the first thing I thought of when I saw the headline.... just now scrolled down to your post.... GMTA.

[Elsiejay]

Dumb question: Was there a 16-engine experimental heavy assembled ca. 1950?

[JimRed]

BUFF!

Big Ugly Fat ......!

[driftdiver]

Wikipedia has an explanation for staying with the 8 engine config. http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Boeing_B-52_Stratofortress#Engines

Basically cost to do the upgrade and upgrade the tools, training, and so forth in the supply chain.

One of their arguments is it will reduce global warming so they must be grasping at straws.

[NormsRevenge]

Ya lose six engines, ya still got two to get ya home. :)

[mad_as_he$$]

Still it is better than the original BUFF’s that were coal powered.

[justlurking]

I couldn't find the actual report: what was the projected lifetime of the B-52H after the proposed engine upgrade?

The reason I ask: if the B-52 was expected to be retired by now, replacing the engines back then would have been a questionable effort. But, latest extension would have resulted in a major cost savings, especially given the increases in the price of jet fuel.

The proposed engine was used in the 747, 757, and 767. So, it would still be in the supply chain.

[matthew fuller]

I read that book. I thought it was great, and have since read more from Brown. He is very good.

[ImJustAnotherOkie]

It just seems pretty penny wise and pound foolish.

8 17k engines versus 4 74k very reliable low maintenance.

I guess that’s the hallmark of today’s military.

[ImJustAnotherOkie]

The new engines made from single crystal blades are even better odds than the 8 engines.

One thing I didn’t consider is ground clearance.

[John Valentine]

You could not merely replace the 8 engines with two (or 4), you would need to completely replace the wings. Entirely different load profile, dontcha know.