Balls 8

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A closeup of NASA's NB-52B "Balls 8" showing mission markings.

The Balls Eight is a NASA NB-52B Mothership^[1], NASA tail number 52-008^[2]. It was retired from active service with NASA on 17 December 2004 after almost 50 years flying service.^[3] The Balls 8 was famous for dropping aerospace research vehicles for 106 flights of the X-15^[4]. Like its NB-52A predecessor, a pylon was fitted under the right wing between the fuselage and the inboard engines with a 6 feet x 8 feet (1.8 m x 2.4 m) section removed from the right wing flap to fit the X-15's tail. It flew a total of 159 captive-carry and launch missions in support of the X-15 program from June 1959 to October 1968. It also flew missions supporting the X-24, HiMAT, Lifting Body vehicles, X-43, and numerous others.

The Balls 8 was the oldest active B-52 at the time, having first flown on June 11, 1955, and entering service with NASA on 8 June 1959. It was modified at North American Aviation's Palmdale facility to allow it to carry the X-15 beneath its right wing. The modified bomber first was used to launch the X-15 on its fifth flight, 23 January 1960.

The Balls 8 was the last B-52 in service of any type other than the H model. It also had the lowest total air time of any operational B-52. It is now in non-flyable outside storage awaiting arrangements for planned permanent public display near the north gate of Edwards Air Force Base^[1].

It derives its nickname "Balls 8" from its tail number: leading zeroes plus the number 8.

[edit] See also

Balls 3, NB-52A s/n 52-003, is the other mothership that was used for X-15 flights. It is on display at the Pima Air & Space Museum in Tucson, AZ. (This Google Maps street view is zoomed in on the tail.)
Balls 5, another B-52B, serial number 52-005 can be seen at the Wings Over the Rockies Museum's B-52B "005"^[5], Denver, Colorado.