The B-52 Is Not a Morning Person

The B-52 bomber is not a morning person. When it has to leave in a hurry, ground crews start it with gunpowder: a cartridge in two of its eight engines, a cloud of black smoke, and the jet is moving in under 10 minutes. Here is why the Air Force built a bomber you can start with a bang.

Sources:
U.S. Air Force, “Cart-Starts make a quick launch for B-52s” (Andersen AFB, 30 Dec 2008): a small controlled explosive is inserted into two of the eight engines.
DVIDS image 998566 (Minot AFB, 15 Aug 2013): about four pounds of gunpowder per cartridge; start-up in less than 10 minutes.
DVIDS image 8036380 (Minot AFB, 10 Aug 2023): maintainers wear protective masks; the remaining engines start while the jet taxis.
Air Force Global Strike Command, “SAC Alert Operations”: Cold War alert bombers ready to take off within 15 minutes.
U.S. Air Force B-52H fact sheet: maximum takeoff weight 488,000 lb.
Task & Purpose (Nov 2022): normal start-up can take more than an hour (maintainer and 2008 Air Force release).

Footage: U.S. Air Force via DVIDS (672435, 717892, 717230, 717227, 767315, 767360, 986527, 368068; image 8036380). The appearance of U.S. Department of Defense (DoD) visual information does not imply or constitute DoD endorsement.

#B52 #USAF #AirForce #MilitaryAviation #Shorts

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