Question for Anyone familiar with the Cabin of a B-52

Question

I re watched recently the old classic "Dr. Strangelove." Slim Pickens as Major Kong the B-52 pilot was my favorite character. Surely the cabin was a mockup. My question is how accurate is the depiction of the the cabin, instruments etc in the movie? Thanks.

Answer 1

They used a movie cover from a film that did have the Air Force's blessing and showed a partial view of the real panel and made up the rest based on that. A couple B-52 pilots were invited to the set, and were shocked by how accurate it was. The film makers were even investigated by the Department of Defense, after the film was made since it was so similar to the real interior. It's all in the special features of the DVD. Great  Film.

Answer 2

The gizmology was impressive... but you are correct, it was a total mockup. The layout of the cabin is inaccurate but did get the general idea of the cockpit and the fact that it was a two-tiered (upper/lower)affair, but the postions that sit sideways were wrong and would be more consistant with setups of the 727 and DC-8 of the period with the F/E sitting sidesaddle. The gunner and EWO sat facing aft.

The Buff was still classified at the time the movie was made, but the movie crew claims to have found a picture of the interior in a British magazine and based their mockup on that.  There are also claims that the mockup was good enough to warrant the FBI investigating to see if their had been a "leak."  They said the same thing about "TOPGUN" because they re-did the same missile launch so many ways, and angles, that the Navy department thought more missiles has been fired than alotted (which was ONE)

There are many "easter eggs" hidden in the meanings and nomenclature... the PLAYBOY magazine for instance did not have Buck's girlfriend in it.. that was a clever ruse that caused a LOT of filmgoers to order the back issue of Playboy to see her only to find out that they faked it for the movie.  CRM114 comes up in video games, other movies, and puzzles in GAMES magazine. (It was an outpost space station in STAR WARS)  and OPE was originally Obiliterate Planet Earth... and of course my favorite.. Col. "Bat" Guano which is... bat s**t

Answer 3

Pretty close to the B-52's in service at that time.

Regards,

Dan