US Air Force B52 bomber burns fuel over Worcestershire as it prepares for emergency landing at RAF Fairford after engine failure over the Mediterranean
- The bomber suffered failure in one of its eight engines over the Mediterranean
- It notified British authorities and dumped fuel to make a landing at an RAF base
- Bomber’s flight path showed it circulating over Worcester and Gloucestershire
An American B-52 bomber is preparing for an emergency landing at RAF Fairford after burning fuel over Worcestershire following engine failure over the Mediterranean.
It is unclear where the bomber took off but it is thought to have completed a mission in the Mediterranean before suffering engine failure.
The plane is now burning fuel over the UK in order to make a landing at RAF Fairford by 6pm.
The bomber’s flight path shows the jet is still circling between Worcester and Gloucestershire at an altitude of about 14,000ft, according to flight data by ADS-B Exchange.
A B-52 bomber, callsign Cake11 made an emergency landing at RAF Fairford in Gloucestershire after suffering a suspected engine failure while flying over the Mediterranean having departed North Dakota overnight
The B-52 circled for several hours before safely landing following its in-flight emergency
The massive jet was one of a pair of B-52 H bombers that left Minot Airforce Base in North Dakota overnight
The US Air Force’s B-52 bomber is heading to RAF Fairford after dumping fuel over Worcestershire following an engine failure
The aircraft, callsign CAKE 11, spent several hours flying race tracks over the midlands
It is unclear if the jet has bombs onboard.
The massive bomber departed Minot AFB, North Dakota ahead of a long-range show of force over the Middle East when it lost one of its eight engines.
The aircraft has been forced to circle for more than three hours to reduce the amount of fuel on board so it can reduce weight to take stress off its landing gear.
A U2 spy plane had earlier landed at RAF Fairford in Gloucestershire.
A source told MailOnline that the bomber suffered a failure with one of its eight engines.
The long-range, subsonic, jet-powered strategic bomber has been operated by the United States Air Force since the 1950s.
Designed and built by the Seattle-based Boeing Company, the B-52 is a long-range strategic bomber that has been used by the Air Force since the 1950s.
It is capable of carrying up to 70,000 pounds of weapons while flying at a combat range of more than 8,800 miles without aerial refueling.
This heavy bomber is powered by 8 turbofan engines manufactured by Pratt & Whitney.
Each engine is capable of producing 17,000 pounds of thrust to propel the plane forward in the air.
The B-52 also boasts a wingspan of 185ft. Each aircraft has a length measuring 159ft4in.
The bomber’s flight path shows the jet is still circling between Worcester and Gloucestershire at an altitude of about 14,000ft, according to flight data by ADS-B Exchange
The plane stands at a height of 40ft8in.
The aircraft weighs approximately 185,000 pounds. It can take off at a maximum weight of 488,000 pounds.
To fly its long-range bombing missions, it needs fuel – a lot of it. Each B-52 has a fuel capacity of 312,197 pounds.
The plane is a subsonic aircraft that can reach speeds of 650mph. It can also fly at a top altitude of 50,000ft.
MailOnline has contacted the US Airforce for a comment.