NavList:

   

Reply

On 2018-06-19 15:15, John D. Howard wrote:
> On second look, they may be pix of a trainer or simulator of a B-52.

If it is, that's an extraordinarily realistic simulator. All the
controls and displays look absolutely real and fully functional, even
the most minor details.

Due the angle and framing of the photos I don't see how it's possible to
know the people are not sitting in ejection seats. Activity at the nav
station frequently has you leaning forward. In most if not all the shots
the people seem to be sitting that way, so it's not surprising the seats
aren't visible.

Regarding the headsets and no helmets, the practice goes way back. "The
use of the much more comfortable headset during 'noncritical phases of
flight' was an Arc Light gray area. Everybody used them in Southeast
Asia, and the brass looked the other way; whereas during Stateside
nuclear practice sorties, even during the Vietnam War, the custom was
not tolerated." (Robert O. Harder, "Flying from the Black Hole: the B-52
Navigator Bombardiers of Vietnam," chapter 11, footnote 2).

Note the fairly large tables in front of the navigators. For us
maintenance troops this was convenient since there was room to set up
your oscilloscope, voltmeter, synchro angle position indicator, etc., as
well as the ever present thick manuals and some tools. Back in the day
there was more space without those keyboards jutting out. There are
pyrotechnic actuators which retract the tables during the ejection
sequence. Similar devices disconnect and stow the pilot control columns
against the instrument panel during ejection.

Full web page:
https://szextant.blogspot.com/2014/06/102-boeing-b-52h-stratofortress-buff.html

A few pictures on that page:

"B-52H Navigator captain aviatrix"

https://3.bp.blogspot.com/-N__lEopMgo0/T8DeRacGxiI/AAAAAAAAAPY/Fy593rQaLLI/s1600/B-52-030404-F-7194F-003.jpg

The thing displayed on right edge of the monitor, partially visible at
extreme left of photo, is the scale for the radar altitude ribbon. Not
applicable at high altitude. From left to right, top to bottom, are
control panels for FLIR, computer system (program #4 is loaded in all
three processors), TV. On the doppler panel (orange digits) sea mode is
selected. Ground speed 374, drift 3.5. On the old fashioned round
instruments, TAS 440, altitude 34,900.

The left hand monitor in front of the navigator is the "modern" type
that appeared when the system went digital in the 1980s. On the right,
displaying a FLIR or TV image, is the old type monitor from the 1970s.
Scales for elevation and relative azimuth of the sensor are visible on
left and bottom.

Both types of monitor have a 9 inch tube and 875 line raster scan
format. They can display any color you want, as long as it's green.

This photo has a subtle clue that it wasn't taken in a sim. Note the two
identical air compressor control panels (one above the other) just left
of the navigator's nose. These keep radar equipment pressurized to
prevent electrical arcing at high altitude. The upper panel controls
radar waveguide pressure, which seems to be right on the arrow that
marks the nominal 50 inches Hg absolute.

Back in my day the other panel controlled the nominal 34.5 inches
absolute to the radar receiver transmitter and the doppler. Nowadays
this system appears to be deactivated, or the pressure set point is very
low. The switch guard is closed, which forces the switch to ON, yet the
gauge indicates only about 22 inches absolute. That happens to be the
cabin pressure of a B-52 flying at 8000 to 35000 feet (22 inches Hg =
8000 feet cabin altitude).

It's hard to believe any simulator would strive for that much fidelity
in this minor system. In fact, I doubt the pressure pump panels would be
present at all. Thus I believe the photo was taken in flight. Other
clues are the water bottle and gloves.

(The pressure gauge numbers are unreadable in the photo. I have the
advantage of a picture of the gauge in my old maintenance manual.)

"Bombardier & Navigators in working" (laptop comp on table)
https://2.bp.blogspot.com/-V43z_RMdcDk/VtwGE5FHRQI/AAAAAAAA83s/7RgPkgmNLkg/s1600/B-52-navigators.jpg

Note gloves hanging from ceiling.

"Bomber officer capt."

https://4.bp.blogspot.com/-AM40rmvb8jk/WhM28QclZaI/AAAAAAABmVU/e0V-U0-_Ti8VM6UN4X1zrh6RfyaIlO46wCLcBGAs/s1600/B-52-Stratofortress-035.jpg

Water bottle by right hand. Proportional dividers stowed at top edge of
keyboard?

"Bombing Officer during operation"

https://3.bp.blogspot.com/-CpDFDxT25EE/WmRghZbgbUI/AAAAAAABqtg/kT-IOyAVs4U7ytL_9rI8l6G-nUG7UYYOACLcBGAs/s1600/B-52-030404-F-7194F-005.jpg

Altitude 550 feet. Finger on power button for the offensive avionics
complex. Right of his finger are power buttons for the inertial nav
units #1 and #2.

Radar presentation control panel by his left wrist. At top left, coaxial
knobs for STC (sensitivity time control — reduces receiver gain after
each pulse is transmitted, then increases gain as the pulse proceeds
outward to equalize brightness of near and far returns) and BW
(beamwidth). Note button to select FREQ AGILE. Button for RCVR MODE
(linear or logarithmic). VIDEO GAIN in lower right. Range mark intensity
control at lower left.

STV (steerable TV) control panel on other side of his wrist. At lower
left is the BIT control which selects among several built-in tests. At
lower right is the OFF - STBY - OPR control. At top left is a knob to
manually control the camera gain. When active, the orange MAN light
comes on. Normally it's fully counterclockwise in the detent to select
auto gain. At top right, beneath a hinged transparent guard, is the
button to toggle between HI RES and HI GAIN modes. The latter gives more
light amplification at the cost of reduced resolution.

Above the man's finger is the small control panel for the doppler.

   

Reply