BSR-71

[Valkpilot]

Not trying to be critical, but the B52 was not in any way a scaled up B47. Firstly, the B47 was a much earlier design from Lockheed, while the B52 came off Boeing's drawing boards. One failing of the B47 was that operated very close to it's "coffin corner" between a high speed stall and it's low speed stall, making it like flying on a tightrope, similar to the U2 at it's extreme altitude limits.

What was the Lockheed designation? I know that Martin did the XB-48 which was a straight-wing with the engines in a box. And I still contend that the B-52 was ultimately derived from the B-47 right down to the two prototypes having the "fighter" style tandem cockpit. Here's what Wikipedia says:

On Thursday, 21 October 1948, Boeing engineers George S. Schairer, Art Carlsen and Vaughn Blumenthal presented the design of a four-engine turboprop bomber to the chief of bomber development, Colonel Pete Warden. Warden was disappointed by the projected aircraft and asked if the Boeing team could come up with a proposal for a four-engine turbojet bomber. Joined by Ed Wells, Boeing vice president of engineering, the engineers worked that night in The Hotel Van Cleve in Dayton, Ohio, redesigning Boeing's proposal as a four-engine turbojet bomber. On Friday, Colonel Warden looked over the information and asked for a better design. Returning to the hotel, the Boeing team was joined by Bob Withington and Maynard Pennell, two top Boeing engineers who were in town on other business.^[41]

By late Friday night, they had laid out what was essentially a new airplane. The new design (464–49) built upon the basic layout of the B-47 Stratojet with 35-degree swept wings, eight engines paired in four underwing pods, and bicycle landing gear with wingtip outrigger wheels.^[42] A notable feature of the landing gear was the ability to pivot the main landing gear up to 20° from the aircraft centerline to increase safety during crosswind landings.^[43] After a trip to a hobby shop for supplies, Schairer set to work building a model. The rest of the team focused on weight and performance data. Wells, who was also a skilled artist, completed the aircraft drawings. On Sunday, a stenographer was hired to type a clean copy of the proposal. On Monday, Schairer presented Colonel Warden with a neatly bound 33-page proposal and a 14-inch scale model.^[41] The aircraft was projected to exceed all design specifications.^[44]

[VOODOO]

What was the Lockheed designation? I know that Martin did the XB-48 which was a straight-wing with the engines in a box. And I still contend that the B-52 was ultimately derived from the B-47 right down to the two prototypes having the "fighter" style tandem cockpit. Here's what Wikipedia says:

On Thursday, 21 October 1948, Boeing engineers George S. Schairer, Art Carlsen and Vaughn Blumenthal presented the design of a four-engine turboprop bomber to the chief of bomber development, Colonel Pete Warden. Warden was disappointed by the projected aircraft and asked if the Boeing team could come up with a proposal for a four-engine turbojet bomber. Joined by Ed Wells, Boeing vice president of engineering, the engineers worked that night in The Hotel Van Cleve in Dayton, Ohio, redesigning Boeing's proposal as a four-engine turbojet bomber. On Friday, Colonel Warden looked over the information and asked for a better design. Returning to the hotel, the Boeing team was joined by Bob Withington and Maynard Pennell, two top Boeing engineers who were in town on other business.^[41]

By late Friday night, they had laid out what was essentially a new airplane. The new design (464–49) built upon the basic layout of the B-47 Stratojet with 35-degree swept wings, eight engines paired in four underwing pods, and bicycle landing gear with wingtip outrigger wheels.^[42] A notable feature of the landing gear was the ability to pivot the main landing gear up to 20° from the aircraft centerline to increase safety during crosswind landings.^[43] After a trip to a hobby shop for supplies, Schairer set to work building a model. The rest of the team focused on weight and performance data. Wells, who was also a skilled artist, completed the aircraft drawings. On Sunday, a stenographer was hired to type a clean copy of the proposal. On Monday, Schairer presented Colonel Warden with a neatly bound 33-page proposal and a 14-inch scale model.^[41] The aircraft was projected to exceed all design specifications.^[44]

You are correct that Boeing originated the B47 design, but I grew up in Atlanta, not far from Lockheed's Marietta plant and all the locals called the B47 Lockheed because they were built locally under license and designated Lockheed B47s. I watched them fly around the area for years, sometimes towing a huge drag chute behind. Over 300 were built by Lockheed. I do still maintain that the B52 was actually a new design, not a derivative of the B47, just as the Douglas DC8 was not a derivative of the 707, although both had similar configurations.

[Hoomi]

Whatever Lockheed's designation was, I guarantee it wasn't the nickname given the B-52 by its crews - BUFF. :)

[VOODOO]

The astounding thing is that the B52 was given this nickname before any of the crews flying it today were even born!

[Valkpilot]

The astounding thing is that the B52 was given this nickname before any of the crews flying it today were even born!

Speaking of the BUFF's age:

https://www.military.com/daily-news/2019/05/17/b-52-bomber-removed-boneyard-return-service.html

[Hoomi]

The astounding thing is that the B52 was given this nickname before any of the crews flying it today were even born!

My Dad worked on BUFFs before I was born.

And, if the USAF sticks to the schedule they've been discussing, BUFFs will still be flying when my kids reach my age.