> On Apr 20, 2016, at 2:22 PM, Peter H Brenton <xxxxxx@mit.edu> wrote:
>
> Military hardware is another matter (as exemplified by the B52s),

The B52 is more of a black swanicorn than the normal military hardware procurement.:-)

It was designed and made at a time when we were just transitioning to jets from prop bombers, and was (iirc) the first design that was meant to be jet propelled from the get-go (iirc the B-36 started life as an internal combustion prop design). Also, Boeing had a LOT of experience building tough, survivable aircraft, <http://www.daveswarbirds.com/b-17/fuselag2.htm> and I think they took that with them to the B52 design.

So it was pretty over-engineered to start with.

--
Bruce Johnson
University of Arizona
College of Pharmacy
Information Technology Group

Institutions do not have opinions, merely customs