After more than 45 years of service, the US Air Force has retired its first B-52H on July 24 seen here departing for Tinker AFB on its final flight. Built in 1961, this BUFF, tail number LA1023, served with the 2nd Bomb Wing at Barksdale AFB but was temporarily residing at Minot AFB due to parking limitations at Barksdale. This is the first of 18 retirements set to take place every two weeks and alternating between wings at Barksdale and Minot, the only remaining B-52 bases. The move will reduce the Air Force's fleet of Stratofortesses from 94 to 76 in an attempt to shave off maintenance and operational expenses. "It is easier and cheaper to modify and maintain 76 planes, than to keep all 94 up and running," said Master Sgt. Curtis Jensen, 5th Aircraft Maintenance Squadron production superintendent. The 18 chosen to head for the retirement home are considered the "least airworthy" of the fleet. Instead of heading for the boneyard at AMARC, adjacent to Davis-Monthan AFB in Arizona, the retired B-52s will be preserved in an airworthy status within an empty hangar at Tinker. I sure hope they have a hangar big enough for 18 B-52s. The H-series were the last B-52s to roll off the production line and the only series remaining in service today. NGB, anyone?
(U.S. Air Force photo/Senior Airman Cassandra Jones)
(Air Force Link)
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Thursday, July 31, 2008
First H-Series BUFF gets retired
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I was stationed at Tinker, and the only place I could think they could store those 18 old BUFFs is in some of the AFALC hangars where they refurbish planes. Those buildings are a few miles long, VERY big.
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