U.S. Air Force B-52 Bomber Blows Up Its Wings For Take-off

U.S. Air Force B-52 Bomber Blows Up Its Wings For Takeoff A new video released by the U.S. Air Force demonstrates the cartridge start, or “Cart Start” method. Airmen use small controlled explosive charges to get a bomber’s turbofan engines moving, allowing it get off the ground faster. The bombers of the U.S. Strategic Air Command were on constant alert during the Cold War, prepared to retaliate against surprise nuclear attack at a moment’s notice. The B-52 Stratofortress was a mainstay of SAC’s bomber force, which was prepared to take off from bases all over the United States and converge on enemy targets. The bombers had to move fast to escape being caught on the ground by enemy bombers and intercontinental ballistic missiles.