Boeing XB-52 Stratofortress

Boeing · United States · first flew 1952 · bomber

The XB-52 Stratofortress was the first flying prototype of Boeing's giant swept-wing strategic bomber, testing the configuration that would serve the USAF for over seven decades.

Recognition (WEFT)

W — Wings	High-mounted, swept
E — Engines	8 × turbojet, wing-mounted
F — Fuselage	46.543 m fuselage
T — Tail	Conventional

WEFT is AircraftIQ's four-point recognition method — how it works.

Spot it by:

shoulder-mounted swept wings with drooping tips
eight turbojets slung in four underwing pods
tandem bicycle-type main landing gear with wingtip outriggers

Shares the shoulder-mounted swept, drooping wings, four underwing engine pods housing eight turbojets, and tall single fin common to all early B-52s.

Specifications

The Boeing XB-52 Stratofortress has a length of 46.543 m (153 ft).
It has a wingspan of 56.388 m (185 ft).
Typical crew: 5-6.

Figures are for the representative variant described above; marks differ. See how AircraftIQ sources figures.

History

Ordered as a prototype alongside the YB-52, the XB-52 actually flew after its sister ship because a pneumatic system failure during a full-pressure ground test damaged the wing trailing edge and forced lengthy repairs, making its first flight in October 1952 and validating the eight-engine, swept-wing design later built as the production B-52.

Variants

Only one XB-52 was built, distinct from the near-identical YB-52 prototype and the subsequent B-52A production standard.

Where you'll see it

The XB-52 was used purely for flight testing and was retired without entering operational service, its lineage continuing in the B-52 fleet still flying today.

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