B-52H's, only ones still in use, have always had turbofans -- TF-33; 17000
lbs trust; low, of course, with other, modern engines producing 90 - 100
klbs, etc.
Wilton
----- Original Message -----
From: "Peter Frederick" <psf...@earthlink.net>
To: "Mercedes Discussion List" <mercedes@okiebenz.com>
Sent: Saturday, July 27, 2013 9:59 AM
Subject: Re: [MBZ] OT - Asiana
There were dozens of attempts to replace the KC-135, but somehow it never
happened, I suspect mainly because they were all new rather
overcomplicated designs and everyone kept wanting to refuel vast number
of supersonic bombers we had no use for. Just like the reason the B-52
still has 1950's turbojets instead of bypass engines (twice the power,
half the fuel use, etc) -- no one could ever make a decision.
My brother did quite a bit of design work on GE's military engines to
reduce failure rate and improve operations, and in the time he was there
not one single change was accepted "because it would interrupt supply
systems". I can see that to a certain point, but not to the point on
paralysis.
The main reason the DC-10 was selected over the L1011 or B747 as the new
tanker was GE -- they were pissed off that neither Boeing nor Lockheed
chose the CFM-6 for their widebodies (they wanted to put all the other
engine makers out of business and have a monopoly), and having way too
much political pull, nixed everything but the airframe they had an
exclusive engine supply for. Less than stellar engine for many years,
caused several crashes (some genius decided that since they "never made
bad parts" it was unnecessary to x-ray finished parts, with the result
that a large number of turbine disks had internal defects resulting in
engine explosions -- the rear engine on Ship one blew up and shed the
entire turbine assembly, luckily by flying out the rear without airframe
damage, on the initial test flight according to gossip). It's fine now,
I think, but they are all much better than the old jets.
The main problem is way too much money, just like the main problem with
the NSA getting all phone records -- the contractors are absorbing a vast
portion of the US economy for no reason at all except to get filthy rich.
Ah, politics!
Peter
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