B-52 To Make Command Appearance At EAA AirVenture Oshkosh 2015

OSHKOSH, WIS. – The majestic B-52 Stratofortress, the backbone of the U.S. Air Force bomber fleet since 1955, will dominate Boeing Plaza at EAA AirVenture Oshkosh 2015, July 20-26. EAA is recognizing the aircraft’s 60th anniversary of active military service.

This will mark the first time a B-52 will be displayed on the ground during the AirVenture, although similar aircraft have done fly-bys on several occasions.

At press time, special preparations were underway to relocate a building near the flight line to accommodate the aircraft’s 185 ft. wingspan.

The B-52 has received regular upgrades to modernize its flight equipment and capabilities, with the B-52H models still active at air bases in Barksdale, Louisiana, and Minot, North Dakota.

“EAA AirVenture creates unmatched opportunities for people to see aircraft in one place that they cannot see anywhere else in the world,” said Rick Larsen, EAA’s vice president of communities and member services, who coordinates AirVenture features and attractions. “It’s only fitting that on the B-52’s 60th anniversary of active military service that it comes to Oshkosh and, for the first time, will be on ground display for the world’s aviation enthusiasts to see up-close.”

Aerial refueling allows the B-52 to fly a range limited only by crew endurance. In 1996, the airplane flew a 34-hour, 16,000-mile combat mission from Louisiana to Iraq. Without refueling, the aircraft has a range in excess of 8,800 miles with a five-person crew. The aircraft is capable of flying at high subsonic speeds at altitudes up to 50,000 feet.

The 307th Bomb Wing flies and maintains 20 B-52H Stratofortress aircraft, and oversees three squadrons, including the 93rd Bomb Squardon.

The wing has a long and distinguished history, as it was founded as the 307th Bombardment Group with the Army Air Corps in 1942 and saw its first service in the Pacific Theater during World War II. The 307th flew B-17s, B-24s, B-29s, and B-47s prior to flying B-52s.

The 93rd Bomb Group has an even longer history, having been founded in 1917 as the 93rd Aero Squadron that saw service in World War I. In 2009, it became a formal B-52 training unit. The 93rd Bomb Group has also received the Air Force’s Curtis LeMay Award as the nation’s top bomber squadron twice in the past four years.

For more information on EAA AirVenture Oshkosh, including advance purchase for admission, camping, and parking, visit the AirVenture section of the EAA website: http://www.eaa.org/en/airventure.

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