(Download a higher resolution picture by clicking on any
picture below.) 
Boeing B-52H Stratofortress 60-0050 has existed for more than half of the history of airplanes. It has been assigned to the 412th Test Wing based a Edwards Air Force Base for decades. It has performed at the Edwards Air Force Base Open House on many occasions. A couple of decades ago it was named Dragons Inferno.
B-52H 60-0050 hasn't quite made contact with NKC-135A 55-3128 at the November 9, 1986 Edwards AFB Open House. It still sports the classic SIOP camouflage and a single AGM-86 cruise missile pylon on the left wing.
Boeing B-52H Stratofortress 60-0050 at the Edwards Air Force Base open house on November 9, 1986.
B-52H 60-0050 made its fly-by of the November 8, 1987 Edwards AFB Open House wearing its cruise missile pylon on the right side.
B-52H 60-0050 trails behind NKC-135A 55-3128 at the October 23, 1988 Edwards AFB Open House.
Water is sprayed onto B-52H 60-0050 as it trails behind NKC-135A 55-3128 at the October 23, 1988 Edwards AFB Open House. An international orange external fuel tank on the right wing of 60-0050 complements the SIOP camouflage. On 55-3128 the boom normally used for refuelling was equipped with a spray nozzle for icing research. At high altitudes, the water would freeze and ice would accumulate on the trailing aircraft. 55-3128 was retired, citing costs of operation versus the low number of icing research tests conducted each year, although there is no
alternative aircraft equipped for the purpose. The spray nozzle system was removed and placed into storage at Edwards AFB and the Stratotanker went to the Aircraft Management and Regeneration Center (AMARC) at Davis-Monthan AFB. Photographer: Brian Lockett.
B-52H 60-0050 makes a "bomb pass" at the Edwards
AFB Open House on October 23, 1988.
B-52H 60-0050, now in low visiblity camouflage, flies formation with NKC-135E 55-3135 at the October 6, 1990 Edwards AFB Open House. 60-0050 also carries the ED of the 6512TS on its vertical stabilizer.
The landing gear on B-52H Boeing B-52H Stratofortress 60-0050 has just started to retract during a flyby at the Edwards AFB Open House display on October 3, 1998. Note how the left gear struts retract toward the nose and the right gear struts retract toward the tail.
Boeing B-52H Stratofortress 60-0050 has been a fixture at Edwards AFB for a number of years. It has made several appearances at the Open House. It is seen here at the at the Edwards AFB Open House display on October 9, 1999.
Boeing B-52H Stratofortress 60-0050 is carrying Wind Corrected Munition Dispensers (WCMD), which are CBUs with an INS and steerable fins, on the inboard pylons at the Edwards AFB Open House display on October 9, 1999.
Boeing B-52H Stratofortress 60-0050 Dragons Inferno of the 412th Test Wing at the Edwards AFB Open House display on October 21 2000.
Boeing B-52H Stratofortress 60-0050 Dragons Inferno of the 412th Test Wing at the Edwards Air Force Base open house on October 26, 2002.
The 412th Test Wing at Edwards AFB sent Boeing B-52H Stratofortress 60-0050 Dragons Inferno to the October 6, 2004 Inyokern Airshow for a low-speed, dirty pass and then a high-speed pass.
Boeing B-52H Stratofortress 60-0050 Dragons Inferno of the 412th Test Wing at Inyokern on October 6, 2004.
Boeing B-52H Stratofortress 60-0050 Dragons Inferno of the 412th Test Wing at Inyokern on October 6, 2004.
Boeing B-52H Stratofortress 60-0050 Dragons Inferno of the 412th Test Wing at Inyokern on October 6, 2004.
Boeing B-52H Stratofortress 60-0050 Dragons Inferno of the 412th Test Wing with its bomb bay doors open at Inyokern on October 6, 2004.
Boeing B-52H Stratofortress 60-0050 Dragons Inferno of the 412th Test Wing at Inyokern on October 6, 2004.
Boeing B-52H Stratofortress 60-0050 Dragons Inferno of the 412th Test Wing at Inyokern on October 6, 2004.
Boeing B-52H Stratofortress 60-0050 Dragons Inferno of the 412th Test Wing taxis from the south base facility at mid-field at Edwards Air Force Base on October 21, 2005.
Smoke billows from the eight TF-33 low-bypass, turbo-fan engines of B-52H Stratofortress 60-0050 Dragons Inferno as it starts its take-off roll at Edwards Air Force Base on October 21, 2005.
B-52H Stratofortress 60-0050 Dragons Inferno takes off from Runway 22 at Edwards Air Force Base on October 21, 2005.
B-52H Stratofortress 60-0050 Dragons Inferno retracts its landing gear at Edwards Air Force Base on October 21, 2005.
B-52H Stratofortress 60-0050 Dragons Inferno makes a pass along the fly-by line at Edwards Air Force Base on October 21, 2005.
Boeing B-52H Stratofortress 60-0050 Dragons Inferno of the 412th Test Wing at Edwards Air Force Base on October 22, 2005.
B-52H Stratofortress 60-0050 Dragons Inferno at Edwards Air Force Base on October 22, 2005.
B-52H Stratofortress 60-0050 Dragons Inferno at Edwards Air Force Base on October 22, 2005.
B-52H Stratofortress 60-0050 Dragons Inferno at Edwards Air Force Base on October 22, 2005.
B-52H Stratofortress 60-0050 Dragons Inferno at Edwards Air Force Base on October 22, 2005.
Boeing B-52H Stratofortress 60-0050 Dragons Inferno of the 412th Test Wing at Edwards Air Force Base on October 29, 2006.
Nose art of B-52H 60-0050 Dragons Inferno at Edwards Air Force Base on October 28, 2006.
Boeing B-52H Stratofortress 60-0050 Dragons Inferno takes off at Edwards AFB on October 16, 2009.
B-52H 60-0050 Dragons Inferno at Edwards AFB on October 16, 2009.
B-52H 60-0050 Dragons Inferno at Edwards AFB on October 16, 2009.
B-52H 60-0050 Dragons Inferno and B-2A 82-1068 Spirit of New York at Edwards AFB on October 16, 2009.
Boeing B-52H Stratofortress 60-0050 Dragons Inferno at Edwards AFB on October 17, 2009. It has been assigned to the 412th Test Wing for many years.
B-52H 60-0050 Dragons Inferno at Edwards AFB on October 17, 2009.
B-52H 60-0050 Dragons Inferno , B-1B 85-0068, and B-2A 82-106 Spirit of New York at Edwards AFB on October 17, 2009.
Boeing B-52 Stratofortresses displays.
Giant Jet Airplanes |
||||||
| First Flight | Wing Span | Length | Wing Area (ft2) | Gross Weight (lbs) | Engines | |
| Boeing 777-9 | 2018 |
235ft 5in |
251ft 9in |
5,025 |
775,000 |
2 × 105,000 lb General Electric GE9X-105B1A |
| Scaled Composites Model 351 Stratolaunch | 2018 |
385ft |
238ft |
? |
1,300,000 |
6 × 56,750 lb Pratt & Whitney PW4056 |
| Boeing 747-8 Jumbo Jet | 2010 |
224ft,07in |
250ft,02in |
5,960 |
975,000 |
4 x 66,500 GEnx-2B67 |
| Boeing 787-9 Dreamliner | 2009 |
197ft, 03in |
206ft |
3,501 |
545,000 |
2 x 71,000 lb General Electric GEnx or Rolls-Royce Trent 1000 |
| Boeing 787-8 Dreamliner | 2009 |
197ft, 03in |
186ft |
3,501 |
502,500 |
2 x 64,000 lb General Electric GEnx or Rolls-Royce Trent 1000 |
| Airbus A380 | 2005 |
261ft,10in |
239ft,06in |
9,100 |
1,235,000 |
4 x 84,000 lb RR Trent 900 or Engine Alliance GP-7200 |
| Boeing 777-300ER | 2003 |
212ft,07in |
242ft,04in |
4,700 |
775,000 |
2 x 115,300 lb GE90-115B |
| Airbus A340-600 | 2001 |
208ft,02in |
247ft,01in |
4,729 |
811,300 |
4 x 56,000 lb RR Trent 556 |
| Boeing 777-200 | 1994 |
209ft,01in |
199ft,11in |
4,605 |
545,000 |
2 x 74,000 lb PW4074, GE90-75B, or RR Trent 875 |
| Airbus A330-300 | 1992 |
197ft,10in |
208ft,10in |
3,892 |
507,000 |
2 x 51,590 lb GE CF6-80E, PW4000, or RR Trent 700 |
| Boeing 747-400 Jumbo Jet | 1988 |
211ft,05in |
231ft,10in |
5,650 |
833,000 |
4 x 45,000 PW4062 or GE CF6-80C2B1F |
| Antonov An-225 Mryia | 1988 |
290ft,00in |
275ft,07in |
10,280 |
1,300,000 |
6 x 51,590 lb DT-18T |
| Antonov An-124 Ruslan | 1984 |
240ft,00in |
227ft,00in |
6,760 |
890,000 |
4 x 51,590 lb DT-18T |
| Tupolev 160 Blackjack | 1981 | 182ft, 09in | 177ft, 06in | 3,660 | 606,000 | 4 x 50,900 lb NK-321 |
| Lockheed C-5A Galaxy | 1968 |
222ft,08in |
247ft,10in |
6,200 |
769,000 |
4 x 50,000 lb GE TF-39 |
| Boeing 747-100 Jumbo Jet | 1968 |
195ft,08in |
231ft,04in |
5,500 |
850,000 |
4 x 50,000 lb P&W JT9D |
| Antonov An-22 Antheus | 1965 |
211ft,04in |
189ft,07in |
3,713 |
550,000 |
4 x 15,000 shp Kuznetsov NK-12MV |
| North American XB-70A Valkyrie | 1964 |
105ft,00in |
189ft,00in |
6,297 |
530,000 |
6 x 33,000,lb J-93 |
| Boeing B-52 Stratofortress | 1952 |
185ft,00in |
157ft,07in |
4,000 |
450,000 |
8 x 8,000 lb J-57 |
| Convair YB-60 | 1952 |
206ft,05in |
175ft,02in |
5,239 |
410,000 |
8 x 8,000 lb J-57 |
The B-52 Stratofortress Association is dedicated
to preserving the history and heritage of this magnificent
airplane and the men and women who designed, tested, built,
maintained and flew her in three wars - two hot, one cold.
You can buy a 2020 calendar featuring my photographs of Boeing B-52 Stratofortresses.
A dozen photos of Boeing B-52 Stratofortresses in flight.
Stratofortresses pictured include:
B-52D 56-0612, March Air Force Base, February 23, 1978;
B-52H 60-0050, Edwards Air Force Base, November 9, 1986, October 9, 1999, September 16, 2009;
B-52G 58-0183, Saline Valley, October 25, 1989;
B-52G 57-6519, Edwards Air Force Base, October 29, 1989;
B-52G 59-2565, Castle Air Force Base, September 17, 1992;
B-52H 60-0008, Nellis Air Force Base, April 25, 1997;
B-52H 61-0023, Nellis Air Force Base, February 1, 2002;
NASA NB-52B 52-0008/X-43A Hyper-X, Edwards Air Force Base, November 16, 2004;
B-52H 60-0026, Naval Air Station Pt Mugu, March 29, 2007;
and Rockwell B-1B Lancer 85-0068, Edwards Air Force Base, October 9, 1999
Put a copy of the Boeing B-52 Stratofortress: 2020 calendar in your Lulu.com shopping cart for $14.95.
You can buy a 2020 calendar featuring my photographs of Boeing B-52G Stratofortresses of the 93rd Bomb Wing at Castle Air Force Base.
A dozen photos of Boeing B-52G Stratofortresses of the 93rd Bomb Wing flying at Castle Air Force Base in 1992 and 1993. Stratofortresses pictured include:
B-52G 57-6473
B-52G 58-0214
B-52G 58-0258
B-52G 59-2565
B-52G 59-5888
Put a copy of the Boeing B-52G Stratofortresses of the 93rd Bomb Wing at Castle Air Force Base: 2020 calendar in your Lulu.com shopping cart for $14.95.
You can buy a 2020 calendar featuring photographs of the Boeing NB-52B Stratofortress Mothership that launched the X-15s in the 1960s and continued launching research vehicles until 2004.
It has been asserted that the Boeing NB-52B Stratofortress, carrying Air Force serial 52-0008, can lay claim to being the airplane that has seen and participated in more history than any other single airplane. This calendar features a dozen pictures of the NB-52B carrying some of the research vehicles that it launched over the years. Photo sources: Air Force, NASA, Richard Lockett, Brian Lockett:
North American X-15-1, 1960
North American X-15-3, 1963
North American X-15A-2, 1967
Northrop HL-10, 1969
Martin-Mariettta X-24A, 1970
Northrop M2-F3, 1972
Martin-Mariettta X-24B, 1973
Orbital Sciences Pegasus, 1989
Supersonic Supercruise, 1995
X-38 V-131R, 2000
X-43A Hyper-X, 2004
Put a copy of the Balls Eight: Boeing NB-52B Stratofortress Mothership: 2020 calendar in your Lulu.com shopping cart for $14.95.
Books about
B-52 Stratofortresses available from 
Boeing B-52 Stratofortress by Tony Thornborough
B-52 Stratofortress : Boeing's Cold War Warrior
by Robert F. Dorr, Lindsay Peacock
B-52 Stratofortress in Action by Larry Davis
B-52 Walk Around by Lou Drendel
Boeing B-47, B-52 and the Avro Vulcan by Stewart Wilson (Legends of the Air Series Vol 5)
Boeing B-52 : A Documentary History by Walter J. Boyne
Usaf Plus Fifteen : A Photo History 1947-62 by
Menard. Full color photos of Air Force aircraft from 1947 to
1962.
Books about
the Strategic Air Command available from 
America's Shield : The Story of the Strategic Air
Command and Its People
Big Bombers : Strategic Air Command's B-52S, Swingwings, and Stealth by Robert F. Dorr, Jim Benson
Peace Was Their Profession : SAC : A Tribute by
Mike Hill, John M. Campbell, Donna Campbell
SAC, the Strategic Air Command by Richard Gibson Hubler
Send a message to Brian.