B-47 Stratojet- Revolutionary design or flying coffin?

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This video digs into the origins of the B-47 bomber, the primary SAC bomber through most of the 1950s. It was a revolution in large plane design, but was also plagued by issues that resulted in over 200 crashes and 464 crew killed during its service life.

Пікірлер: 1 000

@theatomiccafe8996 3 жыл бұрын

Hey guys, just posting this up to tell everyone about the new Atomic Cafe Facebook group, "AtomicChitChat". So if you have a Facebook account, go check it out and post up something you find interesting or any strange military stories you may have personal information about. It's an open group and anyone can post there. Thanks! facebook.com/109267741270611/posts/109285774602141/?sfnsn=mo

@ThatBoomerDude56 3 жыл бұрын

2:10 *LEARN* to pronounce *CONVAIR.* It's important. *Convair* was a *major American aircraft manufacturer.* Responsible for nearly half of the bombers produced during World War II and dozens of important experimental, record-breaking jet fighters and interceptors. "Corvair" was a car.

@spaceman081447 3 жыл бұрын

@The Atomic Cafe At 9:51 . . . "was the during the time of its (the B-47) final design and first production, the Supreme Air Command . . ." It's actually the Strategic Air Command (SAC).

@daverooneyca Жыл бұрын

@@spaceman081447 maybe he was channeling Curtis LeMay 😀

@kolgy1 4 жыл бұрын

My Father was a B-47 pilot and DCM at Lincoln AFB from 1954 to 63. There was a crash on take off in about 1960 and three crew members were killed. The stress level among pilots in SAC was very high. My Father retired from the Airforce while in Lincoln in 1963 after 23 years. He suffered two heart attacks , one of which was while flying a B- 47. He lived to age 70 and was a great pilot and Father.

@pgwilli54 4 жыл бұрын

I grew up in a tiny town just outside of Lincoln and had two B-47 pilots as neighbors. In addition, my father's job took him to the Lincoln AFB on a daily basis until it was closed in 1966 as part of McNamara's rationalization of the military. I have only the most fond memories of visiting the base and watching the B-47s take-off and land. I also remember a Sunday evening sometime in the early 1960s when I saw a fireball erupt off the end of the runway as a B-47 crashed on take-off. I believe that the pilot and co-pilot survived but the navigator perished. If my memory is correct, navigator's were in serious trouble if the accident occurred on take-off and landing, since their seat ejected downward.

@donaldgrant9067 4 жыл бұрын

I believe I remember that crash at Lincoln. My father was also in the AF as a navigator. I was only about 4 years old, but what I remember was the tail sticking out of the ground and it was black. I seem also to remember the sound of the crash, we lived on base. I don't know if my father was a navigator on B-47, but I do know he was a navigator on the B-52. The next place I remember was Shepard AFB in Wichita Falls TX. And then the last place he was stationed was Pease AFB in Portsmouth NH. He retired after serving in Vietnam in discuss over the way we were fighting it. Went on to work at LTV.

@johnmacnabb7562 4 жыл бұрын

@@pgwilli54 SAD....

@johnmacnabb7562 4 жыл бұрын

how did he compare it to an F-104 A or C ?

@mohawkdriver4155 4 жыл бұрын

Was the B47 really a death trap?

@kathywachsmuth7261 4 жыл бұрын

Flew the bird for several years (late 59 to Jan of 65) our wing lost three aircraft in that period but in each case improper flight technique was responsible. I mean like there are no aircraft designed to survive a mid-air collision, this the reason for two of the losses. 5 years about 1500 hours in the bird and still look fondly on the experience. C.W. Wachsmuth Lt. Col. USAF (Ret)

@747thunder 4 жыл бұрын

Friend of mine was a test pilot on this acft. AL

@porkorosso7885 4 жыл бұрын

C W Wachsmuth thanks for your service and for keeping us safe!

@karlstoff285 4 жыл бұрын

I have your excellent book on the B-36. I agree that the B-47 has a reasonable safety record compared to many fighter aircraft. Greetings from Canada

@adrienroy9310 4 жыл бұрын

It was my uncle John's favorite aircraft.

@AudieHolland 4 жыл бұрын

No aircraft designed to survive mid-air collision? Disappointed...

@jonathanhansen3709 4 жыл бұрын

My father in law, Frank Casto, liked flying it. After piloting B-29’s during Korea (he also flew a B-17F during WW2) he qualified in 1952 on it. Flew it all thru the rest of the 1950’s till 1959 when he transitioned to the B-52. Volunteered to go back to the B-47 in 1963 thru 1966 when he retired, flying out of McClellan AFB in California. The last B-47 squadron he flew in was a weather recon, so the problems itemized here were not an issue, they flew high altitude, straight and level, the plane was designed for. Saw a plaque he received in 1966, on retiring from USAF, presented by Boeing, stating he had 5000 hours on that bird. Quite a lot!

@socalsteve5460 4 жыл бұрын

Give this guy a break. He's showing good footage and he's not a robot voice. This makes him better than most military videos by default. Also, I appreciate his plain talk.

@twizz420 2 жыл бұрын

fuelsage, fuelsilage, fuselsage, fuelslage

@maximillianvermontsuperbik2624 Жыл бұрын

@@twizz420 Yeah, so what, like you're perfect ?

@davidcisneros1429 3 жыл бұрын

My grandfather died in a RATO accident at Lincoln flying the 47. His name was Major Paul R. Ecelbarger. Long may he be remembered.

@dehoedisc7247 2 жыл бұрын

I recognize your grandfather's name as being a professional associate with my father in flying B-47's at Lincoln AFB. I am sorry for your loss. My dad's first name was also Paul.

@lawiley Жыл бұрын

There were 2 types of RATO bottles. One had a nozzle at 45 degrees and one had a nozzle at 30 degrees. If my mind serves me correctly there was a B-47 accident was fitted with 45 degree nozzle bottles on one side and 30 degree nozzle bottles on the other on the other. I do not remember if the crash was fatal.

@doncoker6737 2 жыл бұрын

I am an 88-year-old USAF veteran who helped keep these monsters in the air and not on the ground. Here’s a story about these beasts nobody knew about but the ground crews. The flight crew never heard it because they were safe inside. Now get this picture: When they would land after a mission, there would be a line of them coming down the taxi-way, one behind the other, spaced far enough apart to dodge the rocks from the ones in front. Those six J-47 engines wanted to drag that Pterodactyl faster than it wanted to go, so the pilot had to ride the brakes to curb its enthusiasm. But the brake linings squealed like a prehistoric monster, so there would be this line of them, their necks craned into the air, all squealing their displeasure! What a sight! What a terrifying sound! The pilots drove them into their particular parking bays as near as possible, but some of them had to be towed into place. The bombay doors were then opened and safety-pinned in place. Hanging from the ceiling would be this atomic egg, straight from the stratosphere, still covered with frost. I ran my hand over these icy packages of American freedom and hoped they would never hatch.

@donaldparlettjr3295 4 жыл бұрын

Hey, I'll take his reading over a computer voice any day. Keep it up kid your doing fine.

@TheHienax 4 жыл бұрын

He is doing a great job..check the history guy and his hi pitch voice.. I prefer Atomic !!!

@josemustang65 4 жыл бұрын

yesss

@emitindustries8304 4 жыл бұрын

Not really. He's got to learn how to read, or at least pronounce the the words he's written. That's "fuselage", not "fuelselage. Not just once, but everytime. "Convair", not " Corvair". I couldn't take it anymore, and gave up 4 minutes in. Too bad, because it's a great subject.

@laserleftfootttt7683 4 жыл бұрын

@@emitindustries8304 oh ya? Mark Felton's narrations make me want to heave! And he's better than most other YT vids that chatter about nothing

@Darndiddlyarn 3 жыл бұрын

@@emitindustries8304 pretty sad aye, that not everyone speaks your particular dialect, unacceptable.

@ssgtslick 4 жыл бұрын

Brilliant step forward or flawed design? The answer is "Yes".

@warrensmith2902 4 жыл бұрын

That was a big transnational period of time as designes started to move to jet powder. There were all kinds things we needed to learn with many of the designs of that period. The British Comet had a tendency to suffer catastrophic air frame failures. Several of the early F100 aircraft had significant low speed crashes. F-102's could not go beyond the speed of sound as organically designed, F-104's were also known as a difficult aircraft to master.. The B-36 had its problems as well. Finally, the B-58 also had deployment problems too, which was a contemporary to the B-47 for many years. As our experience with those aircraft grew, so did our SOP's for them. Those experiences have helped us understand and engineer the better aircraft we have today. Going back to that period of time, I would have loved to flown the F-104, B-58 and and the B-47. Well, maybe throw in Kelly's A-12, and the F-86 just for fun. So I agree with ssgtslick the answer is "YES". Please go back and reframe you conclusion in the context of its time and other contemporary designs as well.

@ManuelGarcia-ww7gj 4 жыл бұрын

Or as an alternaitve, "Both."

@simonm1447 4 жыл бұрын

Similar to the F-104, which was incredible fast for the time (fast even for today) , but had also issues.

@ManuelGarcia-ww7gj 4 жыл бұрын

@@simonm1447 The F-104 is what you get when you ask an otherwise brilliant engineer to design something for you while he stares into your rear view mirror. Was the airframe fast? Of course it was. It was also highly maneuverable which made it a difficult thing to operate and a great many good pilots met their end in it. The USAF never actually had that much love for it, but the West German Air Force did and they paid for it in gallon after gallon of blood.

@zigman8550 4 жыл бұрын

@@warrensmith2902 The British Comet air frame failures were caused by square windows where the aluminum would develope stress cracks in the corners.

@edwardgodec7079 4 жыл бұрын

Having spent 4 years in one of these (B-47-E 53-2139 at Lincoln, AFB) and remembering the loss of a number of these aircraft, I always felt the machine was trying to kill me. It was not a fun airplane to fly. Vastly underpowered with difficult aerodynamics and a tricky center of gravity management situation, I did not eagerly look forward to each flight. Added to my previously mentioned comments was the fact that the co-pilot's forward visibility was nil making landings from that pilot position very difficult. I had no trouble transitioning into it (from B-25 multengine program) even tho I had less than 300 hours total time. BTW, Jimmy Stewart actually got some stick time in the B-47. He flew out of Lincoln AFB to March AFB with a B-47 Instructor Pilot who let him fly from the front seat and rumor among fellow pilots was that he did a pretty good job. The instructor pilot was from our squadron.

@horacerumphole8501 4 жыл бұрын

Thank God that the B-47 wasn't tasked to provide the continuous air time in a loiter pattern with nuclear weapons that was the B-52 mission. Not many "Broken Arrows" would happened before it was removed from that mission.

@jfan4reva 4 жыл бұрын

We may have seen each other. I was a kid on the county road at the south end of the runway, sitting on a bicycle, watching the jets take off and land (hands over my ears.) I can remember watching multiple B-47s taking off only seconds apart on training missions. The sound was awesome (even with my hands over my ears!) It kept me coming back. Hope you went on to more even tempered, better flying aircraft.

@pgwilli54 4 жыл бұрын

What years were you stationed there? I had a neighbor who was a B-47 pilot in the early 1960s. His name was Paul (PJ) Wright. I believe that he was a Captain. I think that he transitioned to the B-57 after they closed the base. I believe that he ended up doing recon work over Vietnam in the B-57.

@edwardgodec7079 4 жыл бұрын

@@pgwilli54 I was there from 1955 til 1960 and I don't recall that name. I was assigned to 370th and 424th BS both of the 307th BW.

@pgwilli54 4 жыл бұрын

@@edwardgodec7079 Based on my limited memory, he probably got there in '63 or '64. Had another neighbor that was a co-pilot, but I don't remember his name. They were both good guys that treated the neighbor kids very kindly. We were pretty much in awe of them. I wouldn't trade growing up near the Lincoln AFB for anything. Always made me proud.

@Tim_Tomorrow 4 жыл бұрын

Hey man, don't let these people get you down. You're doing good. I used to work in the radio industry, recording people doing commercials. They all try to do it in one take. Slow down, read it twenty times before you committed to tape. But most importantly, don't stop. You sound like you're having a lot of fun and I want you to keep doing this. You will stumble over your words and you will fall down trying to get it perfect, but you'll get better every single time you do it. Keep making videos. I'll keep watching.

@cefb8923 Жыл бұрын

This

@johncurcio3621 4 жыл бұрын

No criticism from me on the narration. Maybe not broadcast quality in terms of redo's but that makes me like it more. I enjoyed it, well done.

@joewaldroff8298 4 жыл бұрын

I flew the B-47 from MacDill AFB, then Hunter AFB, and finally at Plattsburg AFB where the Command began phasing out the B-47. I went on to fly the B-52. I guess I took it all in stride and flew the bird for more than 2,000 hours. It was, indeed, a very dangerous aircraft to fly. A few minutes of inattention could get the plane's center of balance beyond it stated limits. Drop tanks could fail on one side, thus making one wing very heavy for landing. Poor performance from the engines could get you in trouble, especially on takeoff. If using JATO for takeoff, a bottle could break loose and rotate such that it would burn a hole through the fuselage and AFT main tank, thus causing a magnificent fireball from which the crew was highly unlikely to survive despite 0 ft. ejection capabilities for the pilots. Aerial refueling could be hazardous since the B-47 had to extend 20% flaps to refuel behind the KC-97 tanker and even then the 97 was not likely to be able to fly designated speed. So the pilots in the B-47 had to learn to fly in a partial stall, near 100% power in order to accomplish a refueling. The list goes on, but I didn't encounter a pilot who said he hated flying the plane. It was very responsive to control input unless you were flying near one of its flight limits.

@davidcarter4247 3 жыл бұрын

A little known and minor fact in the B-47 story is that it was offered to the Australian air force (RAAF) as a stop gap if it ordered the F-111 as a Canberra replacement. One was sent to Australia about 1963 for the RAAF to inspect. Saw it with its approach chute streaming from my classroom as it approached Sydney airpor . There was really little prospect of the RAAF taking such a complex aircraft to replace one as simple as the Canberra. Crewing problems, maintenance problems with what have been tired old aircraft and the airfield needs of the B-47 counted against it. The Canberras were to soldier on but with the F-111 facing ever longer delays, 24 F-4s were eventually leased to fill the void. The F-111 did arrive and ended up providing near 40 years of sterling service. Super Hornets now fulfill the role.

@jimfling2128 4 жыл бұрын

I flew many hours in a B-47. A very pretty aircraft but sort of a slug. The J-47's were not up to the task. It was a very uncomfortable aircraft. and missions were long. Most Americans don't know how SAC saved their asses. The men and women (not many in the 1950's) made those years non war years. The B-36 was called the Peacemaker and the name is appropriate. SAC kept peace in the world (more or less) Many people flew, crewed, serviced, refueled, and maintained these plane in sometimes horrible conditions and many miles from home. Long hours in bad places and the knowledge of a job of keeping ready to destroy the Soviets any time and also knowing the base you left may not be there if you return. LaMay and SAC kept the Soviets shaking in their boots and kept the peace. Many times our mission was just to show just how powerful and capable we were of destroying and aggressor.

@hertzair1186 4 жыл бұрын

Jim Fling : agree...the movie “Strategic Air Command” did help Americans realize what it was all about...

@javiergilvidal1558 4 жыл бұрын

Men ... and WOMEN????? Cut it up with the PC non-sense! You won´t get laid with that crap, gals don´t care and don´t appreciate grovelling!

@tomryan914 4 жыл бұрын

@@javiergilvidal1558 ditto

@benhudman7911 4 жыл бұрын

Amen brother.

@javiergilvidal1558 4 жыл бұрын

@Mister Sturm Quite right, my mistake and my apologies. The mistake is not wholly unwarranted, though: I´ve grown fed up, for the last decade or so, of reading and hearing stupid nods to PC whereby merits, achievements and sacrifices almost exclusively by MEN (WHITE MEN, for that matter) have been distorted and attributed to "men and women". An especially insulting case is WWI, where the utter horror of the trenches on the Western Front (whose brunt was carried almost in whole by White Men) is blithely laid on the shoulders of "men and women of all races". I´ve got no patience for such bullshit any more, and in this case I was carried away by that attitude. Mr. Fling is most probably in his late eighties or early nineties, and my "get laid" comment is completely misplaced. I apologise again. But, at the same time, I must lament that Mr. Fling should have buckled under the pressure of PC and acknowledged the absolutely trifling and inessential "contributions" of women to SAC, and not only in the ´50´s.

@user-sz8tp4zu3n 4 жыл бұрын

Problems considered I still think that the B-47 is one of the most beautiful airplanes ever designed.

@ManuelGarcia-ww7gj 4 жыл бұрын

I would point out that the coral snakes is beautiful as well, but it is still deadly.

@seymourscagnetti1413 4 жыл бұрын

NOT SURE OF IT'S SAFETY RECORD, BUT ONE OF THE MOST BEAUTIFUL AIR FRAMES TO EVER BE PRODUCED WOULD HAVE TO BE THE CONVAIR B-58 HUSTLER. B-58 CHAMPION OF CHAMPIONS (PART ONE OF THREE) VIDEO: kzfaq.info/get/bejne/apx7nrGfps67pIU.html

@ManuelGarcia-ww7gj 4 жыл бұрын

@@seymourscagnetti1413 Okay, I am going to reveal my age here. The B-58 was being operated when I was a preteen. I still remember them practicing their low level flying over our house. It did not last long. Beautiful? Yes. Easily operated? No. It may have well been different had we had the computing ability we have today, but the B-58, in addition to being difficult to fly, also had its envelop eliminated by the ICBM.

@seymourscagnetti1413 4 жыл бұрын

@@ManuelGarcia-ww7gj YOU BRING UP SOME INTERESTING POINTS. SPEAKING OF AGE. THE B-58 MAIDEN FLIGHT WAS ON VETERANS DAY 11 NOV 1956. I WOULD BE BORN 3 MONTHS LATER, FEB. 1957. ANOTHER FAVORITE BOMBER OF MINE WOULD BE THE ROCKWELL "BONE" OR B-1 LANCER. WHICH WOULD EVENTUALLY BE RENDERED OBSOLETE BY THE HIGH COST AND THE INTRODUCTION OF THE AGM-86 CRUISE MISSILE. LASTLY, ANOTHER FAVORITE BOMBER WOULD BE THE NORTH AMERICAN XB-70 VALKYRIE. ABOUT 15 YEARS AGO AT THE VAN NUYS AIRPORT - CALIF. STATIC AIR SHOW I WAS LUCKY ENOUGH TO TAKE A TOUR OF THE B-1 LANCER. IN A WORD, IMPRESSIVE!........CHEERS!

@roughman998 4 жыл бұрын

That and the Lockheed Constellation.

@ericteneyck8691 4 жыл бұрын

I'll take the mispronunciations over a computer voice any day. Although a little practice and research of names of things wouldn't hurt. Otherwise great video.

@doylerhill 4 жыл бұрын

Fair point. The computer generated voices I’ve heard are like fingernails to a blackboard

@coptertim 4 жыл бұрын

You mean it doesn't have a fuel solodge???

@billwellford376 4 жыл бұрын

@@coptertim 😂

@coptertim 4 жыл бұрын

@@billwellford376 Actually, I shouldn't pick on the guy. He may struggle with the narrations at times but his videos have been accurate in there description of the aircraft and he has posted a few videos I've never seen before. As we used to say, I'll give him an "E" for effort..... I hope he keeps going, some good stuff.

@coptertim 4 жыл бұрын

@Joe Guitar Mixed up my there's and they're 's... My to, two and too's....... Damn spellchker😟

@carsonmartin4435 4 жыл бұрын

Am I the only one who caught him say “Supreme Air Command” instead of “Strategic Air Command” Other than that I learned something I never knew about the old stratojet

@stephenbritton9297 4 жыл бұрын

If Curtis LeMay had his way, that would have been the name!

@737MaxPilot 4 жыл бұрын

Yep, I caught it too

@chrisgermo1956 4 жыл бұрын

..........but of course.......the Supreme Air Command had Jimmy Stewart as its CG, with Wayne Morris and Ted Williams as Group Commanders of their attached fighters wings......headquarters were at the Bob Hope Airport, which became the Hollywood Burbank Airport........

@carsonmartin4435 4 жыл бұрын

Otis Cribblecoblis What are you trying to say? If you’re taking about the 1955 film “Strategic Air Command” starring Jimmy Stewart and June Allyson. And Frank Lovejoy as the SAC Commander (Portraying General Curtis LeMay) and James Millican as the base commander of Carswell AFB, “Group Commander” is a term used in AFJROTC, that’s not a term used for commanders in the Air Force.

@chrisgermo1956 4 жыл бұрын

@@carsonmartin4435 .....just a silly joke and a tribute to the men mentioned...... Jimmy Stewart did fly B-24s in WW2, and became a Brigadier General in the USAF.......Wayne Morris was a Hollywood actor before and after becoming a USN carrier pilot with 7 kills flying an F6F......and as for Ted Williams, he entered USN flight training in 1942, flew throughout the war, and was recalled to fly F9Fs in Korea......as well as being the greatest hitter in MLB history......could you possibly see a popular Hollywood actor or a famous professional athlete being patriotic enough to willingly fight for the USA today????

@butchs.4239 4 жыл бұрын

All of the first generation jet aircraft had issues, and the B-47 was no exception. The lessons of how to design them, how to build them, how to maintain them, and how to fly them all had to be learned.

@paulfrantizek102 4 жыл бұрын

Agree. Given the issues with early jet engines a certain degree of unreliability and - ahem - touchiness regarding handling was baked into the cake.

@MartinCHorowitz 4 жыл бұрын

In hindsight he real mistake was the life span they planned for the aircraft. The B47 was a learning tool and a stop gap, the technology was advancing rapidly.

@doncoker6737 2 жыл бұрын

Right on! Read my comments.

@dragonmeddler2152 4 жыл бұрын

The RB-47 was a common sight over my hometown in the 1950s and early '60's and I spent many hours as a kid watching these beautiful birds flying in and out of Forbes AFB. It was the height of the Cold War and our guys regularly flew to the border of the Soviet Union. Twice, our '47's were brought down in Russia by enemy fire. Crews bailed and we got most of them back home, eventually. It was a serious and dangerous mission out at the Base. In town and in my neighborhood, we got to enjoy our freedom and safety like the Cleavers did on the iconic TV sitcom popular then.

@stuckinmygarage6220 6 ай бұрын

Disclaimer: I'm just a brat. We knew little of my dad's missions, except he was always gone. On his last three days of life (carcinoid syndrome in the 90s - ring a bell, anyone??) , he requested a flight (My mom actually did the imploring, as Dad was unable to speak anymore.) from another part of the world to Stateside. The "rule" was that you were to be interred in the closest memorial cemetery at the time. (My parents were overseas and Dad unable to do most anything.) The commander/top dog of nearest base requested the next C plane crew (two pilots + two nurses) heading "home" to go over to the hospital and inspect my father's condition. If Dad could make it more than 50% of the long journey, his request would be granted. The next morning, two days left with us mortals, 00:dark, these fine looking crew members (I don't remember branch/group.) didn't have much to say as they looked at Dad. :( However, one pilot looked at my dad's record (I found out among other things that he was traded pilot for pilot with Soviets - from a Soviet hospital - while bird dogging over Vladivostok.) and whispered quietly to his co-pilot, "This man deserves a ride home." Later that morning, a military ambulance showed up and I waved him off, my sister and mom on their way with him to the airfield. Two/three hours later, I recorded a C-141 heading home, his last flight. He passed on US soil. We will never be able to thank the crew. I was never more proud of my dad's service, as tough as it was on the family. I'm just another human and fortunate to pay respects at his gravesite as often as I want. I'm sorry for the families that can't.

@MrEnvirocat 4 жыл бұрын

My Dad was in the AF in the early 50s and was an aircraft mechanic assigned to a B-47 Squadron. He told me of a demonstration class where they showed the new anti locking brake system for the plane. He told everyone that this was the future for automobiles, but everyone scoffed at him.

@dehoedisc7247 2 жыл бұрын

There are basically 3 different types of "anti-lock braking systems" : 1) fully mechanical control 2) mechanical control w/ electric assist 3) electronic control w/ electric and mechanical assist.

@nan16cd 4 жыл бұрын

Good video. I learned a lot. I never knew that so many men were lost flying it.

@cliffdixon6422 4 жыл бұрын

Progressing from piston engined to jet bombers was always going to have problems with regards to both pilot training and pushing the boundaries of what was available technologically at the time. It could be argued that the transition of the British from the Mosquito/Hornet to Canberra was not so drastic as some of the more advanced features such as swept wings were not in evidence. However, Canberra not only had a fantastic reliability record but the performance for the time was superb, so much so that the Americans built it under license and it served in Vietnam after the scrapping of the B47's

@acelargent9507 4 жыл бұрын

Right? My stepfather went from P-51D's to these. Said he didn't miss having to place both feet on (I forget which) rudder pedal to prevent it from flipping on take off roll! What a time in our aviation history!

@danielmarso7242 Жыл бұрын

They were flying when I was in the US Marines , I knew of them when I was a teenager ,and it was popular model for kids to build , I never knew they had so many accidents, glad I never got near them , it seemed a bit safer in the MARINE INFANTRY,!

@johnb7757 4 жыл бұрын

When my dad graduated from training, he was given the choice of the -47 or the -52. Remembering advice to choose the more challenging path, he picked the -47 and loved it. Flew out of Pease from '60 to '64 with the 509th. Closed out a 29-year career directing the B1B test program. Not bad for a navigator/bombadier.

@halareus1361 4 жыл бұрын

We have This plane parked alongside a FB 111 at what was the entrance to the former Plattsburgh Air Force Base, Plattsburgh New York. A few years ago a group of volunteers did a real nice job cleaning these two planes up and making some well overdue repairs.

@mikeknowles8017 4 жыл бұрын

Dad was a Radar/Navigator/Bombardier on B-47's in (I think) the 380th bomber group out of Plattsburgh and we lived on base in the early 60's. Two sisters and a brother were born there. The Air Force moved us in 1965 and I've never been back. I would not mind visiting some time. I remember boating out on Lake Champlain.

@markcantemail8018 4 жыл бұрын

Hal Areus In the Mid 80s I went to Plattsburg for a wedding . I arrived early and drove around to see the Town . I ended up turning into a Base entrance by mistake and turned around . The B47 was there and I walked over to look at it . Such a Unique Plane . I think there was a Burger king across the road by the Gate .

@bluevalkyrie2517 4 жыл бұрын

8:38 The 2nd of the two XB-47 's that were made is now on display at The Octave Chanute Aerospace Museum. Illinois. [ not chopped up ]

@halareus1361 4 жыл бұрын

Axel Ahlberg, I would guess that was Clinton county airport you flew into, about 10 miles northwest of Plattsburgh Air Force Base. you might be interested to know after the base closure the county airport moved its operation to the former Air Force Base and now utilizes The massive 12,000-foot runway. thanks for the interesting story.

@rustykilt 4 жыл бұрын

Considering this aircraft was being designed in the 40s, it was always going to be an unknown quantity as it was pushing technology and engineering beyond what was understood. The V bombers of Great Britain were also testing unknown territory. The Vickers Valiant also suffered metal fatigue. The men who flew these aircraft were a breed apart.

@rafman016 4 жыл бұрын

Rusty Kilt I was thinking the same, Rusty. The Valiant was a lovely looking aircraft, but ... you pointed out the problem with fatigue! I must say that the B47 was a lovely looking airframe as well - all those curves!

@rustykilt 4 жыл бұрын

@@rafman016 The VULCAN, still my favourite for Sexy aircraft..

@mattbowden4996 4 жыл бұрын

@@rafman016 But the Valiant only started to suffer from severe metal fatigue after it was pushed into a low altitude flight regime it had not been designed for. The B-47 wasn't strong enough for the flight regime it had been designed for. Big difference. The situation with the B-47 is much more like that with the De Havilland Comet.

@jayreiter268 4 жыл бұрын

Never worked on one. One of the guys that did told me toss bombing killed the airplane. It was not designed for it and could only handle a hundred or so sorties. Reply

@rustykilt 4 жыл бұрын

@@jayreiter268 Again, another case of using an aircraft for what it was not designed...did the same with Vickers Valiant and F104 STARFIGHTER

@lindacolaprete7324 4 жыл бұрын

I served as a ground crewman in SAC at Mtn. Home AFB, in Idaho from 1964 to 1966. we had a lot of B-47s when I got there. Never lost one in the time I was there, except a few that aged out and went to the bone yard. It was a great plane

@timtetiva1747 4 жыл бұрын

My Dad piloted 47s out of March AFB 1952-54. At the time we were gung ho Air Force families with LeMay leading the charge. The cold war was heating up and there was a palpable fear of nuclear war. Sadly this led to a high tolerance for flight safety issues in the 47. It is easy to look back 60 years later and see that this aircraft should have been retired much earlier. RIP you brave cold warriors who kept the world safe for all of us at great cost.

@charlesmills6621 4 жыл бұрын

Watching this was a learning experience for me. I learned a new word; 'fuelselage.'

@robertmarks2218 2 жыл бұрын

My Dad was a pilot of a B-47 at Pease AFB from 60-61. I used to watch them take off at the end of the runway by the golf course. Amazing sight to see!

@charlescouncill Жыл бұрын

Your Dad and mine must have been friends; he was stationed at Pease those same years. He would tell me stories about “his B-47”; he said it was the most fun plane he had ever flown. I still remember him letting me wear his flight helmet. #BSBD

@robertmarks2218 Жыл бұрын

@@charlescouncill do you still sky dive? I jumped 5 or 6 times back in the early 70’s. What part of the country do you live?

@marknelson5929 4 жыл бұрын

Fascinating video! Thanks! I've learnt more about this aircraft than ever before. I visited the B-47 at Atwater 18 months ago from Australia. It was kind of strange to walk around these silent sentinels of US airpower sitting under a hot California sun. I was the only person there which added to the profound 'silence' amongst these once great aircraft. Loved the visit.

@bluevalkyrie2517 4 жыл бұрын

8:38 The 2nd of the two XB-47 's that were made is now on display at The Octave Chanute Aerospace Museum. Illinois. [ not chopped up ]

@marknelson5929 4 жыл бұрын

Thanks for the reply, loved my visit. I hope to go back to the US one day soon, and of course visit more of your fine aviation museums.

@chrissmith1011 2 жыл бұрын

My father was a bombing and navigational radar technician on the B-47. Coffin or not, I honor him for serving aboard this aircraft.

@jimbo2900 4 жыл бұрын

My father flew on B-25, B-29, B-36, B-47, and the B-52. He loved the 25, 29, and the 52. He didn't like the 36, and the 47.

@jimbo2900 4 жыл бұрын

@Chris_Wooden_Eye He enlisted in 1944, lied about his age, after that he stayed in and was transferred to the air force.Flew in three wars. He had a good career.

@stuckinmygarage6220 4 жыл бұрын

Many pilots would visit bases and try to fly something they hadn't, yet. My dad flew '47s, mostly, and occasionally tested '52s. He said the '47 was more fun. Unfortunately, he lost some friends. Once, he was scheduled for test and his car had a flat. They sent another commander. My mom almost lost it. She was pals with the.widowed wife.

@jimbo2900 4 жыл бұрын

@@stuckinmygarage6220 exactly!

@jg3000 4 жыл бұрын

But the B 36 had 10 engines. 😂😂😂

@stuckinmygarage6220 4 жыл бұрын

@@jg3000 can u imagine the sound of a formation??

@ssbn6175 4 жыл бұрын

My dad was an instrument guy. Whenever he'd do a compass R&R he would ride the bird to run calibration, ie 'swing the compass'. He actively disliked the 47; engine failures were a good deal more prevalent then at takeoff, the pilot and copilot could eject in a proper upward direction. The B/N slot had to ride the rails downward...

@vernonlambert8373 2 жыл бұрын

Thanks I flew the B47 for 7 years. SAC added equipment which added weight over the original planned weight Therefore it was under powered. Still it was a good aircraft. I enjoyed it a lot

@socaljarhead7670 Жыл бұрын

I’ve read it was a physically exhausting aircraft to fly.

@marks1638 3 жыл бұрын

There was a B-47 stuck on the end of the runway at Wright-Patterson for years in the 1960's. I remember my Dad (Air Police) talking about it. It was used as a rally point during training exercises.

@adamfrazer5150 3 жыл бұрын

I had no idea the sheer volume of lost planes and crews ! I mean, for peace time......insane ! Thanks for your efforts man, definitely an eye opener 👍😎

@JAGRAFX 3 жыл бұрын

Thanks for a really interesting presentation. The old B-47 guys I've known told us that the co-pilot and navigator officers in the crew would many times take the train whilst a maintenance chief and one to three aircraft mechanics [in the two jump seats and the nose] would accompany the pilot when flying from station to station in order to provide immediate and needed support. One minor item: --- It was actually CONVAIR that produced the XB-46 and not CORVAIR which was a GM car of the 1960's. CONVAIR was an amalgamation of Consolidated and Vultee Aircraft each of which produced aircraft for World War II. Note: the very word "CONVAIR" shows up on modern spell-check on most systems as a an error; a workplace for many thousands of Americans now sadly dropped from the American lexicon.

@stephenbritton9297 4 жыл бұрын

For one thing, it was never designed to fly low level penetration and deliver ordinance "over the shoulder." They did a lot of tests to prove it could be done, but I don't think they understood metal fatigue as well back then...

@mbryson2899 Жыл бұрын

My son and I visited the Castle AFB museum in the 90s and saw their B-47. We also saw a B-36, pre-restoration. All in all it's definitely worth checking out, I recommend it.

@mr.pavone9719 4 жыл бұрын

There was a B-47 parked on display outside the main gate at PAFB. They had a giant fiberglass Santa they'd put on the plane, straddling the fuselage just behind the cockpit. I miss seeing that Santa every Christmas.

@ralphfrasier2079 4 жыл бұрын

As a young contractor at NWC China lake in 1985, I got to "check out" the last B-47 inside and out before it was restored to flight worthy condition and flown to it's final home. It was parked by the side of a road in the middle of the desert. It was a very cool aircraft. In the early 80's NWC also had a row of B-29's stored on the range for targets. Many were salvaged and now reside in museums across the country.

@dukeofearl4117 4 жыл бұрын

RALPH FRASIER I was there at NWC too. I saw a B29 fly out and the B47 mentioned. I was with Grumman when the B47 flew out.

@dmutant2635 4 жыл бұрын

If I'm not mistaken your particular B-47E is parked up at Castle Air Museum... It was flown there in '86 from...China Lake. They have a good museum there in Atwater.

@davidgold5961 Жыл бұрын

In 1981 I was stationed at Subic Bay, Philippines as a US Marine. I saw a B-47 take off directly over me and recognized the twin inner engine & single outer engine layout - I was trained in aircraft recognition and had already been an aviation buff for years before. At that moment I realized I would never see that exact sight again! I am not sure why a B-47 was there at that moment in time but it definitely was, even though it had been “officially” retired years before 1981.

@chrismartin3197 Жыл бұрын

@@davidgold5961the Navy flew EB-47Es. Found a picture from 1977 - so one of them?

@davidgold5961 Жыл бұрын

@@chrismartin3197 Yes, that is the most logical answer. Thanks!

@tdrewman 4 жыл бұрын

11:08 You look at that picture of all the planes and you can spot 3 planes that are still in service.... The B-52 , C-130 and the KC-135

@rone7104 4 жыл бұрын

You missed two, the B-57 and cessna t-37/a-37. NASA still uses the B-57 airframe and I think the T37/A37 are still in service in some countries.

@rone7104 4 жыл бұрын

There is also the Grumman Mallard in front of the C130, they are widely used by civilian operators.

@georgewest4255 4 жыл бұрын

I flew KC 135s out of Plattsburgh AFB. 82 combat missions in Viet Nam. IMO, the best tanker ever.

@Allan_aka_RocKITEman 4 жыл бұрын

The C-130 is STILL in production.

@davezehrung7750 4 жыл бұрын

@@georgewest4255 they still fill the skies around Spokane, Fairchild AFB. Will for at least 20 more years.

@rossswenson532 4 жыл бұрын

20/20 hindsight shows the path they should have taken. At the time, metal and pilot fatigue was not really understood. The pressures of the cold war resulted in something we wouldn't accept now. So yes, brilliant and flawed.

@sportflyer4716 4 жыл бұрын

Both, one of my original flight instructors was a ex B47 pilot before transitioning to the B52. He was an amazing pilot. You have had to be to have survived flying the B47.

@Paughco 4 жыл бұрын

Hey - that was the first model airplane that my father and I built together. Don't run it down, man. Great shots of all those contemporary USAF and USN aircraft, thank you for that. OK, here's my comment: The B-47 was a point along the way. Nothing more, nothing less.

@Teknophreak 4 жыл бұрын

Drink everytime he mispronounces fuselage.

@williamwallace9826 4 жыл бұрын

And "turret"

@AngryHatter 4 жыл бұрын

Or calls SAC "Supreme Air Command."

@axeman3d 4 жыл бұрын

I'd be dead from alcohol poisoning!

@brucefisher4025 4 жыл бұрын

I tried...passed out and awoke with a killer hangover... What IS a fuel sulaj....??

@benhudman7911 4 жыл бұрын

You cant enter thumbs up but once.

@dukeofearl4117 4 жыл бұрын

I was at China Lake Naval Weapons Center and saw the B47 take off. I talked to the electricians who worked on the aircraft. Electric motors had deteriorated and had to be rewound by hand. I was fortunate enough to see two historic aircraft take off when at NWC China Lake. The B29 and later a B47. I was in the navy as an avionics tech when the B29 flew and was an engineer for Grumman when the B47 flew. I worked black projects while there.

@daviddunsmore103 4 жыл бұрын

Please tell us more...

@johnhenson8237 4 жыл бұрын

I was stationed at Pease AFB in 1956 - 1957. Nothing equals the B 47 coming down the runway and lifting off. I still get chills. Best I ever did was a 172 with CAP. Life goes on.

@RX552VBK 4 жыл бұрын

First time I saw picture of the B 47 was in an old book about Aircraft. This was around '72--I was six I believe; the book itself was considerably older printed in '63. I don't know where my family got it from but it was part of our library for years. I didn't think it was a real thing until years later, when I was returning from school, on the 4:30 movie was the film Strategic Air Command starring Jimmy Stewart (who was an actually bomber pilot during WW2) and June Allison as his wife. Later in the film, I sitting on the living floor doing my homework, eating glance up and there it was! Jimmy was the command pilot! I said: Yo, that thing was real? Dayum! lol I'm shocked how bad a service record it had.

@ovk-ih1zp 4 жыл бұрын

Much like the B-58 Hustler, the B-47 was a flawed "Hot Rod" of an aircraft that while had problems, led to hundreds of technological breakthroughs that are still relevant today. It's designers were GIANTS of the aeronautical industry upon whom's shoulders the modern day designers stand. Don't misunderstand, the designers at MIG & the other Soviet/Russian design bureau's were just as talented, but their political, economic & industrial systems knee-capped them badly compared to the West. But ALL the designers from that era have my undying respect.

@TheDustysix 4 жыл бұрын

If only the Brits at Rolls Royce were better pool players.

@philipbeekley7504 4 жыл бұрын

Very nice video! I lived that history. My dad was in SAC, our neighbors in Peru NY (Plattsburgh AFB) were B-47 crew. One pilot, living next door, disappeared with his aircraft and two crew members somewhere near Greenland, e/r to UK. No trace ever found. I eventually ended up with SAC, too, flying on RC-135s (200 combat missions).

@kevinweinberger8446 3 жыл бұрын

I served at Castle AFB, working on the B-52 G & H models. The B-47 was pushed into service to quickly and should have been grounded!

@mikehillsgrove1612 4 жыл бұрын

The plane served for more than a decade. A good aircraft but an early design. The B-52 was a worthy successor.

@davidchorney8740 4 жыл бұрын

"The B-52 was a worthy successor. " No B-47, no B-52.

@josephstevens9888 3 жыл бұрын

The Air Force has plans to retire the B-1 and B-2 to free up funds for the procurement and fielding of the B-21. The B-52, however, is planned to solider on. In fact, there is a competition to re-engine the B-52. Any design engine submitted must fit into the existing nacelles. I guess the old BUFF has a lot of life in that machine!

@misterjag 4 жыл бұрын

Captain John S. Lappo flew a B-47 under the Mackinac Bridge in 1959.

@aaronvanalstine4287 3 жыл бұрын

I rode over Big Mac hundreds of times as a kid.

@williamc.1198 3 жыл бұрын

As an Air Force brat, I remember the B-47s. Beautiful but dangerous aircraft. When I was ten years old, a good friend of mine's Father was killed in a B-47 crash.

@assessor1276 4 жыл бұрын

Good little video - thanks for sharing! Three corrections: - its fuselage and not fuelselage - it’s Convair and not Corvair. The Corvair was a small rear-engined air-cooled Chevrolet car built between 1960 and 1968 and was not related to the Consolidated Vultee Aircraft company (Convair). - it’s Strategic Air Command and not Supreme Air Command In my view, the problem was a pretty complex airplane with many new systems and a big increase in performance coupled with aircrew who simply were not trained on these new technologies.

@cnfuzz 4 жыл бұрын

There was a Carvair as well modified dc4

@whalesong999 4 жыл бұрын

I recall four B-47s fell to earth near Wichita during the '50s which was a bit alarming. I lived in the suburbs to the east and it was a regular circuit for them to pass near my school in Andover. Two of them went down from a mid-air north east of Wichita still on that common flight path, one slid across highway 54 about 8 miles east of Wichita, and one fell a few miles north of Rose Hill, Ks, east/southeast of Wichita. Many. many people moved to the area to work at Boeing in the late '40s into the '60s and many children of those folks were in classes close to mine. Airworthiness seemed not to be the cause of those crashes, some other issues. It was a challenging transition from piston power era designs, I recall many companies were having teething problems with the new designs for the Air Force. As a youngster, it was exciting to contemplate these sleek machines but news of test crashes was fairly common, didn't seem to dampen spirits much.

@TedBronson1918 4 жыл бұрын

When moving into a totally new and faster category of aircraft, you're bound to have losses - sometimes high under the right circumstances. This was one of those situations. They basically had to relearn the effects of flght on materials at speeds only imagined before and stresses that would break earlier planes. That's a tall order. They were all very early generation designs so of course there were hundreds of things that needed to be fixed or improved, and they kept at it. The newer aircraft resolved the problems slowly or sometimes even completely. (reading back, I see I didn't express myself well, but I think I got my meaning across. I guess it's time for me to catch some Z's. Good Night)

@AudieHolland 4 жыл бұрын

As soon as the metallurgy issue was mentioned, because the plane was designed before the jet era really began, I thought that the plane was flawed. Metal fatigue. That brings the British DeHavilland Comet into mind. In hindsight, one might say that the B-47 was a giant test program from which the airplane manufacturers learned valid but very hard lessons. The aircraft was pushed into production to stay ahead of the Soviet Union. Well, they certainly kept ahead in the number of planes and aircrews lost.

@tesmith47 4 жыл бұрын

Airplane mfg. Got FREE EASY lessons , we paid the price literally and figuretvly

@robertruark8797 3 жыл бұрын

I love the look of this. I built a model of it when I was a kid and in my imagination flew it all over the world.

@mostlynew 2 жыл бұрын

One of the most beautiful aircraft ever built

@thomrobitaille3942 4 жыл бұрын

The narrator sounds like he'd doing his first read of the script. Outside of that, I found the video interesting. I suggest rehearsing the voice over before committing to a recording.

@butchs.4239 4 жыл бұрын

Still better than listening to a robo-voice.

@thomrobitaille3942 4 жыл бұрын

@@butchs.4239 Much. It's the reason I stuck it out.

@wingmanjim6 4 жыл бұрын

Spot on constructive criticism. Still an interesting video.

@joebuchanan3808 4 жыл бұрын

The narrator has several of these F--k Up's in several different videos. He should really hire some one else to do the honors. I'd prefer a nice female voice that wouldn't sound so stumble bum as this poor guy.

@bassmith448bassist5 4 жыл бұрын

He keeps saying fuelselage it's fuselage.

@Mitch24magic 4 жыл бұрын

The B-47 was a beautiful aircraft. Thanks for some B-47 knowledge dude.

@bluevalkyrie2517 4 жыл бұрын

8:38 The 2nd of the two XB-47 's that were made is now on display at The Octave Chanute Aerospace Museum. Illinois. [ not chopped up ]

@allenvaughan1 3 жыл бұрын

My Dad, a McDonnell engineer did not have kind things to say about the B-47. Of course--a little competitive spirit against Boeing, for sure! But Dad earned his spurs. He was the lead capsule engineer on both of Gus Grissom's flight in Mercury snd Gemini, and in 67-68 worked on the new fire control system on the Phantom II. And then was pulled off that to work secret, on the Eagle's fire system. Dad said he got every wish item built into the F-15's firing systems. But, back to the B-47.... it is a shame so many crews were lost. But just consider the alternative: crews of young Communists, flying under the red star over America! Thank you, General Curtis Lemay!

@renegadecyclekarts 4 жыл бұрын

I remember in the early 60’s a plane flying over our house dragging a parachute and then jettisoning it. Begged my mom to get in the car and try and find it. Took years for me to figure out it had to be a B-47 with its approach chute out.

@2uiator325 4 жыл бұрын

My dad was a SAC warrior and flew the B-47 as a copilot and aircraft commander before transitioning to the B-52. The B-47 was, hands down, his favorite aircraft. Much of your information was cited from an Air Force Times article which discusses the 47’s high accident rate. The Immelmann maneuver you describe was designed to lob a nuclear weapon and enable the bomber to escape the target area; the stresses eventually formed fatigue cracks in the wing roots, leading to the crash of a large portion of those accidents. It was a new tactic which wasn’t possible by other bombers prior to the 47. This, along with new tactics, techniques and procedures, such as air to air refueling, long duration Reflex missions, air to air refueling, flying at all hours in all weather conditions, coupled with an advanced design, are what caused the high accident rates you discussed. However, the key of your entire video was the statement “the Soviets were terrified of the B-47”....in the mission of nuclear deterrence, this alone makes the B-47 a successful design, despite its safety record. Last point: Great footage and interesting to watch, however, “SAC” is “Strategic Air Command”, NOT “Supreme Air Command”...the history of the B-47, SAC and the Cold War are so intertwined to the point that this one single mistake compromises your entire video. It’s a huge mistake that hopefully you’ll avoid next time.

@SvenTviking 3 жыл бұрын

When you see that “Laydownl bombing manoeuvre, where the plane comes in low, pulls up sharply into a steep climb and Immelmann and released the bomb on the way up, so the nuke is flying up in one direction, the bomber diving down for the deck in the other. The stress on those long thin wings must have been immense.

@jeffwalther3935 Жыл бұрын

Immense? Quite so, but the roll maneuver in the Immelmann is only 1-2 G's IF done right, which is the ONLY reason such a crazy maneuver could ever be considered for a bomber the weight and size of a modern jet airliner. Amazingly, in dribs and drabs over the years, I've learned that most of the frontline SAC and TAC trained to deliver nukes with such a revolutionary and entirely unimaginable maneuver as delivering a hydrogen bomb intercontinentally in such a way BUT it was the only way after BIKINI atoll's surprising size was revealed colossal beyond expectation, too big to deliver conventionally and realistically hope to outrun the blast unless goin' 180 degrees the other way at full throttles ASAP. My Dad, Sr. Command Pilot, and family lived in Warrensburg Mo., at Whiteman AFB during the Cuban missile crisis.

@dragonmeddler2152 Жыл бұрын

I thought that type of bomb release was called a "toss" or OTS (over the shoulder). It's how the nukes were launched in my Navy squadron flying the A-4 Skyhawk and I was absolutely floored when I learned the USAF practiced the same bombing technique in their sizable B-47 aircraft.

@jeffwalther3935 Жыл бұрын

@@dragonmeddler2152 Quite so. I found out my Dad was doing this routinely, as a way of life, a career - about 8 years after he had died accidentally. Here he was doin' stuff daily that'd scare the wits out of most everyone - just and only to protect us all AND put food on the table for his children. I never knew the extent of his selfless devotion to me and us, nor even had a clue about what that meant in the '50's-60's USAF. It is, at first, unbelievable, and magnificent.

@jeffwalther3935 Жыл бұрын

@@dragonmeddler2152 Roger on the A-4 as THE greatest carrier attack/fighter of it's day. (Longtime fan) The Skyhawk is just about as perfect a thing for it's role AND splendid to fly right as can be, I'm sure. The Blue Angels COULD fly A-4's indefinitely as far as I'm concerned. It's "just" an "Immelmann" that involves releasing a bomb at the point where the maneuver will send it on the it's way in the last 30-45 seconds before detonation, those few seconds being escape time for the aircraft goin full throttle 180 degrees opposite heading (in all weather, intercontinentally anywhere, 24/7/365 at a moment's notice, without explanation). (Whew!)

@stevenbass732 4 жыл бұрын

The B47 was a technological leap forward. Unfortunately, the crews were still in the prop era. I read about a pilot whose favorite tactic with a B24 was to come rushing into formation and do the"cobra" move. Unfortunately, the B47 was far sleeker and more powerful and when he popped up, the B47 just climbed into another aircraft. From what else I've read, pilot error was the primary cause of the crashes.

@Crais000 Жыл бұрын

Like he implied, the design was ahead of its time. They were using 1930s-40s metallurgy on a 1950’s aircraft. It was very pretty though😢

@jamesberwick2210 4 жыл бұрын

If you look back on all the early jet aircraft, that period of transition from prop to jet, they all had problems, it was just that first few years of learning what jets were like and what their requirements were over prop aircraft.

@ziggy2shus624 3 жыл бұрын

I knew an engineer that worked on the B-47 design. To save weight Boeing exes ordered the fillet weld sizes in the wings to be reduced by 50%. The engineer said he would never fly in one of those planes. But, this was at the very beginning of the jet age and mistakes were made in both airframe and engine design.

@SctyGrpPowers 3 жыл бұрын

my mother worked in the base historian's office at March AFB in Perris, CA I was fortunate to be the recipient of many 9x12 glossy black and whites of air planes. The B-47 was the most beautiful plane I had ever seen. I would watch them take off and land for hours on the weekends. Loved those planes!

@petesheppard1709 4 жыл бұрын

The principles and rules that make modern aircraft so safe were written through these early aircraft accidents.

@gsmith4679 4 жыл бұрын

Great footage. I always liked the looks of this aircraft and it goes to show that what looks right is not always right.

@doncoker6737 2 жыл бұрын

How right you are! Why? See my comments.

@teknoman117 4 жыл бұрын

I've seen the one at Castle air museum! It's a cool place if you're ever in the area. Other notable planes in their collection are the B-36, the B-50, the B-58, and the Avro Vulcan.

@michaelandcolinspop 3 жыл бұрын

Excellent video. It was both ahead of its time and dangerous, two properties of cutting-edge aircraft that often go hand-in-hand. The truly advanced aluminum alloys which mixed strength, light weight, and fatigue and stress-corrosion cracking resistance hadn’t arrived on-scene yet, and the design was optimized for mission performance vs. structural robustness and material longevity, particularly at those weights, speeds, and maneuvering envelopes. The B-47 was a remarkable aircraft that lived and learned as it went along, just like so many others that came before it or have come along since. The B-52 was ultimately the benefactor of Boeing’s lessons-learned.

@h4l414 3 жыл бұрын

Always a mistake to judge things from the past on what we know or believe today. The plane was the most advanced for its time and allowed us to move forward with a B-52 that is amazingly still rolling strong today. Thank you for the episode.

@doncoker6737 2 жыл бұрын

About misjudging the past, how true. See my comments.