D-M B-52D headed to the scrapper

[marine air]

As a taxpayer. I would like to see it retained, as a parts bird , if nothing else. Haven't there been aircraft. like the SKyraider that were withdrawn from combat because they ran out of spare parts?
Reminds me also of the A-10. One day they will be withdrawing the A-10, B-52H etc. not because of obsolescence but because they ran out of airframes, etc.

[JohnB]

As a taxpayer. I would like to see it retained, as a parts bird , if nothing else. Haven't there been aircraft. like the SKyraider that were withdrawn from combat because they ran out of spare parts?
Reminds me also of the A-10. One day they will be withdrawing the A-10, B-52H etc. not because of obsolescence but because they ran out of airframes, etc.

The D model doesn't have many...if any...parts that could be used to keep the Hs flying.

On old "war story": When I was a young lieutenant I had to attend the Wing Commander's daily "Stand up" briefing. We had Gs at the unit and one needed the "sailboats", small fairings on the engine pylons (they tend to crack with the vibrations caused by the engines...especially with water injections). The CC asked the maintenace officer if they could get any out of D-M, and the answer was no, the pylons were different.

[APG85]

Moving it is also cost prohibitive

I have nothing against the AF, In fact I kinda dig their job. but cost?? Pa-leasseee...
Thats about bogus...Lets see, the airmen and experianced NCOs get paid already, they are tasked to do a job...cost for contracting the "hired Help"? ummmm zero.
Cost of Equipment necessary to move the buff? ummmm I would imagine zero as well since they pretty much have everything they need in inventory to recover a bomber....
I would suspect an attempt to be politically correct, instead of just coming out and saying "we don't wanna maintain a grounded aircraft anymore so we're scrapping the b i t c h."

Gary,
The money for "extras" is gone. Manning cuts have taken their toll. Squadrons are focused strictly on their core missions and with today's tasking's, that's about all they can accomplish. That's the reality...

[RickH]

More than likely they contacted the civilian estimating office at AMARG about moving the aircraft back into the storage area and found the cost was prohibitive !

They charged the Collings Foundation over 6500.00 to tow the CF TA-4 from its parking spot to the fence !

I can only imagine what the estimate was for the B-52, no way the NMUSAF would pay for that, easier to scrap it !