I was surprised to read in the latest FlyPast that the last B47 flew in 1986, does anyone know why this aircraft remained serviceable for so long? Are there any photographs of this last flight?
Also, does anyone know what happened to the two B47 stored at Davis-Manthon? I was under the impression these were on the USAF Museum reserve list?
I would love to see one of these flying again, but after reading the excellent article in Flypast, I doubt if very much if we’ll ever see one flying, unless anyone from America knows different.
By: Peter - 11th December 2006 at 14:57
airworthy
Would be really great if they could have kept one airworthy
By: Shay - 11th December 2006 at 13:30
It was a ferrying flight. WIX has/had some good pictures of the actual flight in one of its threads. The B-47 was flown dirty (Landing gear down) just in case they would have been unable to lower the gear on approach. My understanding was that they had a retired B-47 pilot all ready to fly it when the USAF stepped in and a former B-47 pilot, now at that time a General took over the flight. I could be wrong about the specifics but I think that the jist of it.
This was the last B-47 on active duty serial 53-2280. It was used as testbed at WPAFB 1967-69 as JB-47E-111-BW. First USAF aircraft to have a fly-by-wire control system. Now on display at WPAFB Museum, OH. Well sort of on display. It was retired in the later half of 1969.
Shay
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Semper Fortis
By: Dave T' - 11th December 2006 at 12:53
I seem to recall it was already preserved, but needed moving from A to B, so they tinkered with it and flew it instead of pulling it apart.
You could try here…..http://www.b-47.com/
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December 11, 2006 at 12:50 pm