Boeing YB-52 Stratofortress
Boeing · United States · first flew 1952 · bomber
The YB-52 Stratofortress was the second Stratofortress prototype, and — despite its designation — the first of the pair to actually fly.
Recognition (WEFT)
| W — Wings | High-mounted, swept |
|---|---|
| E — Engines | 8 × turbojet, wing-mounted |
| F — Fuselage | 46.533 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 YB-52 Stratofortress has a length of 46.533 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
Converted from what was originally intended as a static test airframe, the YB-52 beat its sister XB-52 into the air, first flying on 15 April 1952 and proving the swept-wing, eight-engine bomber configuration months before the aircraft officially designated 'X' got airborne.
Variants
Essentially identical to the XB-52 apart from its origin as a converted static-test article; both prototypes preceded the production B-52A.
Where you'll see it
Used solely for flight test duties, the YB-52 never entered squadron service but paved the way for the B-52 fleet that followed.
Related aircraft
- Boeing B-52 Stratofortress
- Boeing XB-52 Stratofortress
- Boeing 367-80 (Dash 80)
- Boeing B-52D Stratofortress
- Avro Vulcan
- Avro Vulcan B.1
- Convair YB-60
- Douglas A-3 Skywarrior
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