# XB-52 tandem cockpit question



## ivanotter (Apr 24, 2013)

All,

Herewith a question which I seem not to be able to get a view on anywhere.

The XB-52 had a rather nice looking tandem cockpit.

Production ended up with the airliner cockpit.

1) Was it planned to end up with airliner cockpit from the start?
2) Was the tandem cockpit just for the testing phases
3) Did the cockpit layout radically change?
4) Did the XB-52 have the same cockpit area (e.g rest area, etc)
5) Was the tandem cockpit OK for testing as the flight time might have been considerable shorter than actual deployment?

If anybody should have any lay-outs a la the B-36 cockpit layout (THANKS), please.

Anyone?

Thanks in advance

Ivan


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## michaelmaltby (Apr 24, 2013)

My understanding of the matter is that Boeing envisioned the cockpit as implemented in the XB-52 - following the B-47 concept.

SAC Commander Mr. Curtis LeMay did not like tandem configurations, believing that side-by-side was more appropriate for bomber control.

The XB-52 thus was "accepted" by the USAF as the B-52 that we all know and love today. 

MM


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## ivanotter (Apr 24, 2013)

Did the pilots strap in as in a fighter jet? Could they move around at all in the tandem cockpit?

What about the other crew members? Did they have more freedom of movement?

Ivan


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## davparlr (Apr 24, 2013)

ivanotter said:


> Did the pilots strap in as in a fighter jet? Could they move around at all in the tandem cockpit?
> 
> What about the other crew members? Did they have more freedom of movement?
> 
> Ivan


 
I suspect it was similar to the B-47. In the B-47, the crew could get up and move around although it was tight. I suspect the B-52 would have been somewhat easier.

Google Image Result for http://www.cybermodeler.com/aircraft/b-47/images/anderson_b-47_pit1.jpg


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## Matt308 (Apr 24, 2013)

The side by side arrangement allows for better cockpit cross checks prodecure monitoring between flightcrew. This is the basis for crew resource managment (CRM) fundamentals in modern parlance.


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