5th MXG completes historic repair of B-52 Published May 14, 2009 By Tech. Sgt. Lee Osberry Minot Air Force Base Public Affairs MINOT AIR FORCE BASE, N.D. -- The 5th Maintenance Group here recently completed a historic accomplishment by finishing a manual, full-aircraft "jack and cradle" repair of a B-52H Stratofortress. A one-fourth inch crack was discovered on a B-52 while the aircraft was deployed to Guam as part of the Air Force's strategic bomber presence. The aircraft was able to sustain operations while deployed. When the bomber returned to Minot, it required five months of coordination for the repair. The 5th MXG quickly contacted Air Force Engineer Technical Service personnel from here, Barksdale AFB, La., Anderson Air Base, Guam, and the Oklahoma City Logistics Center. As part of the Air Force's preventative maintenance mindset, a Time Compliance Technical Order directed all B-52's in the Air Force inventory be inspected for cracks in the fuselage chamber. Within four weeks, the required parts were shipped from Oklahoma City, to Barksdale and then forwarded here. Upon receiving the parts, a total of 33 maintainers joined together and began the operation of lifting the 188,321-pound aircraft using the "jack and cradle" operation. The included fuselage cradles are the only two of their kind in the Air Force. "In my 18 years of working on the B-52, this is the first time I've seen a repair of this type," said Master Sgt. Sipin, 5th Maintenance Squadron repair and reclamation section chief. Using 21 jacks underneath, the crew manually lifted the plane 36 inches from the ground, which according to Sergeant Sipin, was very high for any repair. The crew had to skillfully raise each jack point in one-inch increments in order to ensure a level and safe raise. Crews from the 5th Aircraft Maintenance Squadron and 5th MXS spent approximately seven days working on this repair and successfully completed it May 11. After final inspections, the aircraft should be allowed back into service to continue, to bring the fight to the enemy.