The B-47 Stratojet
The B-47 Stratojet played a key role in the U.S. Air Force’s Strategic Air Command throughout the 1950s and into the early 1960s, serving as both a nuclear bomber and a reconnaissance aircraft. Developed to meet a 1944 request, the XB-47’s inaugural flight took place in December 1947, and the prototype significantly outperformed its rivals.
Starting in May 1951, the B-47 began to take over from the B-29 and B-50 propeller-driven bombers in SAC’s medium bomber squadrons. Although its bomb load was similar to that of earlier planes, the B-47 could fly more than 200 mph faster. However, because its range was shorter than that of SAC’s heavy bombers, such as the B-36 and B-52, B-47 crews were often temporarily stationed at overseas bases to extend their operational reach.
The RB-47
Besides its job as a nuclear bomber, the Stratojet’s speed and carrying capacity also made it well-suited for strategic reconnaissance missions in the form of the RB-47.
The National Museum of the US Air Force reports that more than 2,000 Stratojets were built by Boeing, Douglas, and Lockheed from 1947 to 1957. When usage peaked in 1958, the USAF had 28 B-47 bomber wings and four RB-47 reconnaissance wings in service, for a total of 1,357 B-47s and 175 RB-47s.
A milestone in aviation history
The Boeing B-47 Stratojet marked a turning point in aviation and revolutionized aircraft design. It featured several cutting-edge innovations for its era, such as swept-back wings, jet engines placed in pods beneath the wings, main landing gear built into the fuselage, and automated systems that allowed a reduced crew of just three.
The two featured videos make it easy to understand why B-47 pilots appreciated the aircraft’s excellent maneuverability and responsive handling.
B-47 Stratojet bombers doing Immelmann Turns and Barrel Rolls
In 1954, the US Air Force carried out a set of tests to highlight the B-47’s remarkable maneuverability. These exercises were aimed at evaluating its capacity for the “toss bombing” technique. During this maneuver, the B-47 would approach the target at low altitude and high speed, sharply pull up, open its bomb bay doors, hurl the bomb toward the target using momentum, and then finish a half-loop Immelmann turn to end up flying in the opposite direction at the top of the loop.
This maneuver enabled the bomber to release nuclear and conventional bombs at low altitudes, minimizing the risk of blast damage and avoiding the need to fly over well-defended targets. Watching the large, elegant B-47 perform this technique (along with barrel rolls) is truly unforgettable. Cameras placed throughout the aircraft provide unique perspectives during these test flights.
Lockheed LM-100J Super Hercules doing a loop
Nonetheless, this wasn’t the first instance of a large aircraft performing aerobatics. On July 17, 2018, at the Farnborough Airshow, test pilot Wayne Roberts demonstrated the impressive handling of the Lockheed LM-100J Super Hercules—including putting the aircraft through a complete loop. CLICK HERE to watch the video!
