B-52 finally gets new engines

[mack7.62]

We got our money out of those air frames, finally they are getting new engines.

https://www.thedrive.com/the-war-zon...rgoing-testing

Now that testing has begun, Rolls-Royce has provided first looks at the F130 turbofan engines in their dual-pod configuration that will replace the outdated TF33 engines currently equipping the U.S. Air Force’s B-52H Stratofortress fleet. Rolls-Royce has offered this imagery as part of an update on the years-long effort to re-engine and modernize the service’s bombers. In fact, the fight to get the B-52 new engines is a saga that dates back decades.

[Diamondback]

Long overdue, shoulda been done decades ago. Back in college a retired fighter-jock prof and I did a design study on a rewinged, re-engined BUFF powered by four big GE90s with enough power to deadlift itself straight up at gross weight... granted, we wanted to do a total teardown and overhaul to make Dale Brown's "Old Dog" hotrod look like the 1940s prototypes by comparison.

[mack7.62]

I don't quite understand why they are sticking with 8 engines but maybe it makes sense from a plumbing/wiring standpoint.

[Diamondback]

Redundancy, it's harder to knock out eight small engines than four big ones.

[Pacific5th]

I don't quite understand why they are sticking with 8 engines but maybe it makes sense from a plumbing/wiring standpoint.

I’ve read somewhere that going to 4 would be an issue cause everything is wired and built for 8 and it would be an electrical nightmare to make everything work.

[454308]

I’ve read somewhere that going to 4 would be an issue cause everything is wired and built for 8 and it would be an electrical nightmare to make everything work.

Exactly, wiring, structure is all designed for eight. Then they added the heavy storage beam adapters(underwing pylons) to carry smart bombs and even more electrical.

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[Ruark]

Redundancy, it's harder to knock out eight small engines than four big ones.

Just wondering, if anybody knows: how many engines - or what combination of engines - can keep one of these in the air?

[Averageman]

Just wondering, if anybody knows: how many engines - or what combination of engines - can keep one of these in the air?

I've heard once you're at altitude one alone will do.

[mack7.62]

Just wondering, if anybody knows: how many engines - or what combination of engines - can keep one of these in the air?

I think that will depend on before or after weapons drop and fuel burn off plus while they did a lot of high altitude work during the GWOT as part of the nuclear triad they will do low level penetrations.

[Grand58742]

The Buff has already outlived it's designers and very likely a lot or most of the original A model crews.

It'll probably outlive all the D model crews that served over Vietnam.

The H model will probably outlive the crews that sat with them on SAC alert during the Cold War.

Sometimes you get a design right from the start and don't screw with it except to upgrade engines, electronics, etc. Kinda like the A-10 and F-15...