Boeing’s B-52 Stratofortress was originally conceived in the 1940s as a straight-wing heavy bomber with six piston engines. However, the chief of USAF bomber development had other ideas, and told Boeing to re-design the plane as an all-jet bomber. During a weekend session in a Dayton, Ohio hotel room, Boeing engineers made radical changes to their initial design. The B-52 lost its propellers, and was reborn as a swept-wing bomber with eight jet engines. The USAF’s Air Materiel Command approved the design, and designated the Stratofortress as the next intercontinental bomber.
The first B-52A flew in 1954. 1961 marked the first flight of the final variant, the B-52H, which is still in service today.
B-52s saw active duty in bombing campaigns over Vietnam. They were also used in the Persian Gulf War in 1991, and over Afghanistan in 2001.
“On the Grid” (Operation Chrome Dome)
“On The Grid” is a 36X12 inch fine art print that features Boeing B-52 Stratofortresses of the 494th Bombardment Wing at Sheppard AFB, Texas, flying the northern route of their “Operation Chrome Dome” mission profile. You can purchase my artwork at Fine Art America, or you can order a limited edition print from my store. Click on the buttons to learn more.
I created an alternate version of “On The Grid” with the Strategic Air Command and 494th Bombardment Wing crests in the print’s lower margin. This fine art print is available at Fine Art America.
“First Off the Line”
First Off The Line” features s/n 55-0059, the first B-52D Stratofortress built at Boeing’s Wichita, Kansas aircraft plant. She’s depicted flying over the Wichita metropolitan area, with McConnell AFB in the distance. 55-0049 was one of 69 D-model Stratofortresses that were built in Wichita. The first B-52D was flown on May 14, 1956, and was a Wichita-built plane. Both versions of this fine art print of my artwork are available at Fine Art America.
First Wichita Built Boeing B-52D Profile
This aircraft profile features Boeing B-52 Stratofortress 55-0049. The background of the profile features the Strategic Air Command crest and banner, and 0049’s commemorative “1st Wichita Built B-52D Stratofortress” markings. I created this profile a companion piece to “First off the Line.”
494th Bombardment Wing Boeing B-52 Profile
This profile of B-52 56-665 is a companion to “On The Grid.” This profile print features the 494th Bombardment Wing crest, and a map of the northern “Operation Chrome Dome” route flown by B-52s operated from Sheppard AFB.
“Morning Launch”
“Morning Launch” is a 36X12 inch fine art print that features 17th Bombardment Wing Stratofortresses from Carswell AFB, Texas, climbing through a brilliant morning sky. I’ve always been fond of the natural metal finishes of USAF aircraft in the 50s and 60s. The bare metal on these B-52s wonderfully reflects the warmth and gentle glow of the sunrise environment, adding to the atmosphere of the scene. You can order either version at Fine Art America. Or, you can order a special signed and numbered limited edition.
If you’re interested in the B-52, you’ll also want to look at my artwork featuring its predecessor, the Boeing B-47 Stratojet.
