MOF is putting their big birds under cover...

[sandiego89]

..except for the B-52, which they can't move.

...

As I recall it has to do with some nonsense about treaty ratification with the Soviets. It flew in there, but it can't fly out, and the only way they could get it down to Boeing Field is to (as you point out) disassemble it and move it down by truck. So for the forseable future it's going to sit in the grass at Paine Field.

Ahh, forgot about that. START was quite specific about what you could/could not do, even for museum displays with aircraft that were clearly no longer combat coded/capable. Would be nice of they could dissassemble it and show the wings off for a few months like they do at the boneyard (without using the crane dropped guillotine ) for open skies/satellite verification, then move her to the MOF.

[p51]

As I recall it has to do with some nonsense about treaty ratification with the Soviets. It flew in there, but it can't fly out, and the only way they could get it down to Boeing Field is to (as you point out) disassemble it and move it down by truck. So for the forseable future it's going to sit in the grass at Paine Field.

That treaty stuff would be a thread in itself, but it's an unholy nightmare to move something like that out of the designated area it's bene noted as.
Knowing the government as I do, I sadly don't see that BUFF moving off the field (either being trucked, flown as cargo or restored and flown off under its own power) ever.
But yeah, she sure looks good on the inside from those shots, huh?
Such a shame you can't even go check her out on the outside where she's sitting now. That really defeats the purpose of the 'longterm loan' to start with.
Anyone know why they didn't just fly her directly to Boeing Field for her final flight? I assume the museum didn't have the space for her at the time?
Any shots of her final flight?

[JimH]

I don't want to stir any pots here, but word around Paine, at least during our visit, was to scrap the 52 where it sat.

Jim

[p51]

I don't want to stir any pots here, but word around Paine, at least during our visit, was to scrap the 52 where it sat.

I've heard that a couple of times in the past 2 years from people at the museum as well.
Such a shame you couldn't somehow chop the nose off a complete BUFF which is due to be scrapped anyway, and make some manner of walk through display out of it, like what was done with the B-17 at Fantasy of Flight...

[Warbirdnerd]

They are unwrapping the B-29 today! Linked from the museum's Facebook page:

[StangStung]

I don't think I've ever been happier to see a gift unwrapped.

[Sasquatch]

There actually are plans for the B-52 that fit both the Museum of Flight's desires and the START treaty. Please see page 16 at the link below...

https://www.museumofflight.org/files/al ... _WEB_0.pdf

-Tom