Well... I didn't know that (B-52 stuff)

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Ok-Resolve4550@reddit

Yeah, I always take what people say with a grain of salt. We all can use more critical thinking skills🤪

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CySnark@reddit

It's for ducking under the enemy radar.

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CharacterUse@reddit

Not lile it needed it anyway https://i0.wp.com/theaviationist.com/wp-content/uploads/2014/01/B-52-no-tail.jpg?fit=768%2C605&ssl=1

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shah_reza@reddit

Is there a story to that bird? Bringing her in must have been a real bitch, lacking a rudder and all.

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Yes, it lost the tail in turbulence on a test flight (that's why it has the odd [paint scheme](https://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/4/4d/61-023_B-52_Stratofortress.jpg)) over New Mexico, but they brought it back. https://theaviationist.com/2021/01/11/that-time-a-b-52h-stratofortress-bomber-lost-its-tail-over-new-mexico-but-managed-to-land-6-hours-later/

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shah_reza@reddit

Cheers!

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oalfonso@reddit

This paves the way for a carrier based B-52

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Due-Satisfaction7022@reddit

The fuselage folds in half too when the deck is full. That’s not commonly known as well.

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Notanidiot67@reddit

It can't. They never could find a way to mount the Shuttle SRBs to the side and fit it on the deck. /s in case not obvious.

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NaiveChoiceMaker@reddit

From the article: >As explained by Scott Lowther in his book Boeing B-47 Stratojet & B-52 Stratofortress Origins and Evolution, the fin was, at least until the G-model, a vast structure; too tall by far to allow the B-52 to fit within standard hangars. So, it could fold over 90-degrees, greatly reducing the effective height of the aircraft. Unlike naval aircraft with wings that fold to fit in the limited space on board aircraft carriers, the fielding fin is not a self-contained system — an external crane is needed to lay it over and raise it back up again.

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hazcan@reddit

KC-135 tail folded too.

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Beaver_Sauce@reddit

E-3's too. Seen a bunch folded in the phase dock. Although never done because of hangar clearance.

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Jayhawker32@reddit

Depot level maintenance though, not something done regularly

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Nattyice94@reddit

Not true. Happens in phase every so often

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hazcan@reddit

Yeah, I’ve seen them dropped on our ramp every once in a while.

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Jayhawker32@reddit

Fair enough. Thought we had to get a waiver for the tail pin change to do it local instead of sending it off.

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Nattyice94@reddit

I’d rather see MXS do it than depot. The special Olympics beats depot out in any type of MX.

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Jayhawker32@reddit

I don’t disagree there; our jets usually spend about a month in the hangar getting cleaned out after coming back.

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O4EWO@reddit

Not really a folding tail. The feature makes repairs and replacement easier. Maintenance has to perform the task, the flight crew cannot.

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ThorsFather@reddit

"Not really a folding tail"? I am definitely seeing it fold, external help or not

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jeb_hoge@reddit

Wow. I learned something new today.

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ManInTheDarkSuit@reddit (OP)

Me also. As a Brit, the majority of the time I see them is in photos, airborne. Tail standing proudly upright.

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KinksAreForKeds@reddit

I love how the solution to holding the tail when it's folded is a couple of wooden pallets and 2x4's.

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roman5588@reddit

Line item cost for those 2x4’s is still probably a 5 digit number

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NSYK@reddit

Everyone is saying this in the past tense. Does that mean they don’t on the H model? I know it said up until the G model but it also says they do this to change the rudder. How do you change the rudder now?

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TChallaX09@reddit

H model vertical tails fold also. Still need to be able to change the rudder.

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Forsaken-Ad-7502@reddit

I think they meant they didn’t have the folding tail until the G model, which like the H, has a shorter vertical stabilizer (tail) than the previous models, A through F, the tall tails.

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NSYK@reddit

So the g and h fold?

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Shadowrend01@reddit

Gantries, scaffolding and cranes

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Ok-Resolve4550@reddit

When I was in USAF couple decades ago, I was on a HOPS flight sitting next to a former BUFF navigator who claimed that during SALT 1 treaty, the USAF to comply with the treaty, had some special teams to remove the vertical tail assy, place on ground next to the plane for the USSR satellite overflights to witness and once the satellite was out of range, reinstall the vertical tail assy and make the BUFF mission capable again. I poked around on the web years ago but never found any supporting evidence. I questioned the guy and he swore it was true. Has anyone else ever seen/heard of this or is it complete BS?

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Moose135A@reddit

I never heard that, but they cut up a large number of B-52s to comply with the 1991 Strategic Arms Reduction Treaty. The cut-up bombers were left on the ground so they could be verified by satellite. http://www.amarcexperience.com/ui/index.php?option=com\_content&view=article&id=14&catid=9

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Historical_Gur_3054@reddit

This is why there are wing walk stripes on one side of the tail.

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AmputatorBot@reddit

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Well... I didn't know that (B-52 stuff)

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35 Comments

Ok-Resolve4550@reddit

CySnark@reddit

ManInTheDarkSuit@reddit (OP)

CharacterUse@reddit

shah_reza@reddit

CharacterUse@reddit

shah_reza@reddit

oalfonso@reddit

Due-Satisfaction7022@reddit

Notanidiot67@reddit

NaiveChoiceMaker@reddit

hazcan@reddit

Beaver_Sauce@reddit

Jayhawker32@reddit

Nattyice94@reddit

hazcan@reddit

Jayhawker32@reddit

Nattyice94@reddit

Jayhawker32@reddit

O4EWO@reddit

ThorsFather@reddit

jeb_hoge@reddit

ManInTheDarkSuit@reddit (OP)

KinksAreForKeds@reddit

roman5588@reddit

NSYK@reddit

TChallaX09@reddit

Forsaken-Ad-7502@reddit

NSYK@reddit

Shadowrend01@reddit

Ok-Resolve4550@reddit

Moose135A@reddit

Historical_Gur_3054@reddit

AmputatorBot@reddit

ManInTheDarkSuit@reddit (OP)