B-52 Stratofortress in Action

1130

Stratofortress in action

squadron/signal publications Aircraft Number 130

1

8-52 Stratofortress

in action

by Larry Davis Color by Don Greer & Tom Tullis Illustrated by Joe Sewell

"

Aircraft Number 130 ~ . squadron/signal publications

COI"'MIGII'rClI,"1 SQUAIlIlON/SIG:'o'AL l'UIlUCATlONS, INC. IllS CROWLEY DII.lV[ CARROLLTON. TEXAS 7~11·~IO All riahl> rexrwd. No P"" oI'rhis publlcarion may be reprodu<:ed.s~ In. relnc.... 1'Y'lem ...r lr.lIl1m'lled in any form by any munl c""'trkal. ",«hanieal or Olhcrwi..,. "'Uboul ,"-,incn po:rm;." tioon or rhe publish",

pIloIocr."',

n. .,_.

lr I'" ....t . . , or.M oI",.. ooWie.. o..ao,. of.., ..riGa, partlullrt)' ...111 _ _ ~ "y _ loM.n r ;..........1' ••u Soj fOIl/Sipar.......... aIIl1w _Ia.cltill"l ...t~,..wI.. 'M r.c Ml 1<1 . . wl ~ aowIllot ori~ ..l",,'.""'. ",. . . . ...11 .... fall) e.....'" rOf Ml' pllo&M -.I. Ptt_ ""... Ilot-. .,

plloco&r.,....,••

~PlIWn~I ...

IllS C ..... .." Dri....

C......._ TX 75(111-5010.

Acknowledgements Ai, Force MIiKUm

Tom B",,,u

Joe BNeh Robe" F Dorr Robert E!;pos,1O Tom Hildrelh

Candid AcI&File Simon N. J. Ed.."rds I. GlobsUld Miuq.. lsbm LCOL Barry Milkr. USAF Rrl

JEM A,"i.llOn Sh&s C. M. R~ Mid. Roth

lama 5.lnderson Did; 5{.rinch.k

Brian Rosen Jim R<Mramcl Wa~n Skonieczny US Air Fo<u

Dedication To .llihe Imn .nd ...'Oman ofStralCp; Air Comm:llnd. A speciallhanb toJoe Bruch and MN Srian IloFn for 1~ man)' houn (hey hil"c dc\uted 10 milkc Ihis proJCCII ~=a

*tII"

A B·52F of 1M ..54lh Bomb Wing -..... Anc*.... AIr 61.., Guam enrOUIIIO III VIal,",. AmI<tc:ll'1 "Big Slick" lor ~ thirty ~ t\n bHn 1M B·52. (Joe

'*'" during

"""", 2

Introduction The 8·52. known broolh ilsofficilll name.Slralofonress,and bylhe acronym BUFF, loosely mcaning Big Ugly "'")11 1'1,1 - uh l'ella. has bci:n the airbor~ leg of the: United States strategic triad for the past Ih inY-5C\'cn )'C/lr"I. Although designed as a high altitude. inlclUlntincnlal nuclear bomhC'r. the design miMiion of the 8-52 ....-as nCVC'T lested in actual combal- thaoHIIII),. BUllhe aircraft has secn combat in bolh ofAmerica's most ~nl 100'111"$. In Vietnam and the Perliian Gulf. 8-525 we!"C uJ;ed in boIh a Iadieal and stralC'gic role ..ilh con\'cntional munitions. When a U.S. President wanlS to ....idd his MOig Stick.Mhe di~ SAC 10 ·send in the 8_S2s!M The 8-52 iSlhe: produclofBocinSAircl1lflCompany. William E. Bocingfoundcd thc company in 1915. although it didn't bear his ollme uOlil26 April 1917. Located at late Union ncar Seattle, Washington. Boeing buill a number of successful Navy f\oatplan~ design5. FoIIOVling the ~nd of .h~ Firs. World War. Boeing lkense·buih a number of existing designs such as the Dc: Ila,il1and DH -4B and .he Thomas·Morx M B-3A. But in JUDe of 1923. Boeing un,'C'iled a new design; lhe PW·9.11 ..-.as Ihe lirsl successful "enture for the l1c:dslingcompanyand Boeingbuilt 166I'W-9and FB lighters for bolh the Army and Navy.

Boeing introduced the firsl monoplane bomber.lhe YI8-9...-hich could ou.ny mOSI oflhe ligiller aircraft oflhe era. Boeing ans..-c:red the ncc:d for a high performance fighler ..ilh the 1'-26 Pc:ashoolcr. Armed ..ilh a pair of.3Ocaliber machine guns. the 1'-26 had a speW of235 mph. Ihirt)-li,~ mph faster than contemporary fighters.

8oc:inS bcpn 10 build large aircrafl in 1933 ..ith Ihe inlroduclion of the MOlkl247 airliner. The 247 wn a monoplane: ..ith fully rc:Intelllble landing p:ar. dc:-icers on the ..inp and supercharged enpnes. The Modc:l 247 Ic:d dirttlly 10 the XB·15 and the 8-17 Fl)'inS Fonress. The 8-17 ....s the first four enpned bomber ..ith supercharged engines and the firsl tocarry ilS entire bomb lo-d inlCrnally. The 8-17 made: Boeing an induSlry panl and in June: of 1')oW. Ihe BoeinS planl at Seatt1c: ....s turning out sixtc:c:n 8·17Gs a day. Additionally. both Douslas and l..ockh~ license builllh~ bomber and a tOiaI of 12..731 8-17s "~I'C' builL Coindding ..ith Ihe dc:'-c:lopmenl oflhe B-17 was allOlher gianL the Boei"l MOlkI 314 Clipper fi)"inS boaL BoeinS buililweh'e Clippers. .. hich maled the XB-I 5 ..inS ..ith a nyingboat hul!.ln 1934 Boeingpurchased the Stearman AircrafiCorponllion and their plant in WichiUl.. Kansas. It ....s here thalo'-c:r 10.lXKl Kaydets ..~re builL I n Septemberof 1942. Boeing um'eiled a ne:w bomber that re,"OIutioniud mililary a,iation: the B-29 SuperfortRU 1lIc: 8-29 piona:.«1 ~ri7.edcmo. compaltJlXnu,dual turtJo.supc:rchalFfJ on each engine and remOlC controilurre!S. 8y the end of the .... r almost4.DOO 8-295 had 1:I«n built.

The 8·29 led to both .he 8-SO and the C-97 StralOfrc:ighter. Boeing also de'-c:lopc:d "'hat is regarded as the most importllnt d~,'C'lopme:nt of the posl-"llr en - infiight refueling. The Boeing-de,-c:loped flying boom pro"idc:d a direct pipeline from the Lanker 10 the rece;'·er. Beginning with the KB·29. Boeing buill a numberoftanters including the KB-SO. KC·97 and KC.135.liYing USAF bombers the ability 10 strike targets an)""-here in the ""Orld.

8-52 de\-c:lopme:nt began in Ihe early 1940s... hen the US and Great Brilain began several serious programs ai med at developi nl a truly intercontinenlal bomber that could leave bases in North America to bomb targets in Europe:. This goal was finally reached just after the Second World WQTwith the rolloutofth~ Northrop X8-35 Flying Wing and the Con\'air XB-36. which be<:ame the first operational intercontinental bomber.

Two eve nts took place in the mid·l940s thal direclly affected the dc:vdopment of the

B-52. The lirst W1'S the So.. iet t"tOO\'cr of Eastern Europe. The West now had a new an enemy wh05e industrial resources were scattered throughout the OI~t .."st nation on Earth _ soOleof.. hich layoutside the range of even the mighty B-36. Sc:oond. and equally as imporwnL ....lIS the dcwlopment ofthe gas turbinc enginc. CPplur«! Gcrm"n documents on both jet engi nc: research and high spc:c:d aircr,!ft designs led both Eastern and Western military leaders 10 the same conclusion: jet aircraft ""ere the future of military a ..iation.

By the end or 1945.jet fighter and bomber aircraft wen' being designed and built by "inually e"ery manufacturer on both sides of the Iron Cunain. The lirsl sua:c:ssful jet bomber was the North American A,'iation 8-45 Tornado. Bue ie wasn't until Nonh American de.-doped the swrpt ..ing for the XI'-86 lhat jet aircraft technology really came: of age:.

In JanUal')' 1946, the Army Air Force: issued a requirement forthe next generalion of int~rcontin~ntalbombers. The specification callc:d for a top spc:c:d in excessof4SO mph. a sc:oice ceiling o"er 40.(0) fc:c:t and a range of o,'er 5.lXKl milc:s (..ith 10.000 pounds of bombs). The ranxc: and bomb load also had to becarried at an a'-c:rage: spcc:d ofo''Cr 300 mph. The B-36 could me<'t the range: and bomb l~ requirements. but lIOlthe spcc:d.

Boeing entered the competition ..ith the model 462.. a de:\'e1opment of the B-29/B-SO seric:s.1t ..-.as mlKh larger. haYinl! a ..ingspan of221 fc:c:t. but the circular fuselage and lail assembly were direct dcscc:ndants of the B-29. ~ maine: teehnolot!:Y ..-.as in iu infancy and 8oci"l dccitkd 10 IJO""Cr the: DeVo'bombcr design ..ith six Wrighl TI5 turboprop engines. Although the model 462 met mOSlofthe speciflCalions. the Arm) fdl that a gll'at deal more: spcc:d ""O!Ild be needed in the nelll generation ofbombers. 8oc:ing continued de'-c:loprnc:nl of the IUrboprop design using more po..'C'rful engine:s and a modeM amount of s....' Up 10 Ihe ..ingleading edge:.. The modd46-4-35 used Wright TIS- W-3 turboprops dri,inS counter-mUlling propc:lkrs and. on 30 Sc:plember 1947. the AIr Force authorized a full scale mockup and t..-o prolOl)'pl: aircraft under the designauon B-52.

Thn:c: e'-c:nts chansed the course ofthe entire pn:JSTllm. First "-.as the dc:'-c:lopme:nt of the S..-c:pl ..inS Boeing XB-47 mediumjel bomber. The second ..-.as the continuing problems associated ..ith the de'-c:lopmc:nt ofehe IUrboprop pov.-er plane, and th~ Ihird ..1IS the dc:'-c:lopment of. ,'iable innight «,fueling method.

The )(8·52'••2301 on the rarrII) II BoeIng Fiaiddurlng late HIS1. The )(8-52 _ PGuoet eli by en~my.

elghta,700 tbal PnIt1' WhItney XJo57""""1haI gaye the bO""bet a lop ~ _ wtItla muIrnum bcwrb ~ of 25.000 poundl. (Marty Itham)

mph

-

4

-

eoo

With lhe success oflhe XII-47 and lhe problems "ilh lhe lUrboprops. Hoeing engineers w.mled 10 eha nge the XII-52 proposal. E\'en lhough conSlruction was alre••dy underway on lhe lurboprop powered XU-52 (model 464-35), Boeing "'as "illing to scrap lhe enlire projecl in f:lvor of a n all jel aircraft. In Oclober of 1949, BOI'i IIg engineers Ed Wells .LIld Georg.: Schain:r mel ";lh COL !'ele WllrTh:n. head ofbomber dcwlopment. The ellgineers ""lllled 10 discuss the problems lhey had eneounlered and how they proposed 10 soh'e lhem. COL Warden nO! only agreed ....ilh lhem. he also adviscd lhem of a ne"' power plant which should be considered for lhe XB-52: lhe !'mll and Whilney J57 engine. Hoeing engineers suggested using si~ oflhe new engines under a ....;ng swept back at 20 degrees.

COL Warden weill one slep further and suggesled lhe wing be s"'ept at 35 degrees - lhe s<lme as the F-86 and XIl-47.

That meeting was held on., Friday evening. and over lhe "'(,<,kend llocingengin('Cn> rc-designed lheir proposal wilh George Schairerconslructinga balsa model oflhe new proposul. On Monday nloming. 27 Octoller 1948. lhey showed COL Warden their proposal. COL Warden liked what he sal" and ordered lhe XH-52 contrael modified 10 aeeept aillhe changes shown 10 him on lhe model 464-49.

The model 464-49 had a willg span of 185 fe<:L a Ien~.1h of 143 feel and a heighl or 46 feel (almosl four slOries wll)! Powered by eighll'rall and Whilney YJ-57-1'·1 engines slung in dual engine pods under the "";ngs. lhe moJel464-49 was to weigh in at 152,JOO poLlndsempty, "'ith a design maximum "'eiglll ofJJO.OOO pounds. The model464-49 had four main la ndi ng gears mou nled in tandem under the fuselage wilh a pair of oUlri[!gU wh('Cls allhe ""i ngtips for bal anee. These difTered from lbe B-47 in th al all four were steerable for use i n beavy cross"'i nd conditions. Fuel capacity was 28.670 gallons iIItern"lIy. giving a projected co'nblll range of 5.270 miles al an a\'erage speed of 453 mph, Max· imum spt:ed was eSlimated to be 538 mph at 20.000 feel.

The model 464-49 would ha "e a erewoffive, "'ith lhe pilol and eopilOI under a bubble canopy. Below lhe cockpit would Ile lhe bombardier-navigator"s stalion with t.....o crew members. The tail gu liner would oper"le a t....i n .50 caliber machine gu 1I1urrel wilh 6.000 rounds per gun. Maximum bomb load was 25.000 pounds. eonsisling of one 25.000 pound nuclear "·eapon. or l"'elve 2.000 pound bombs. or twellly-fou r 1.000 pound bombs orforly 500 pound bombs in asingle bomb ba)·. A type K-I radarbomh sight was used 10 aim lhe \'ariousordnance p:Lcl:ages.ln M"n;h of 1949 Air Force "ulhorized a mockup alld 1.....0 protOlype XIJ-52s hased on lhe lIew proposal (model 464-(7). The -67 propos,L1

difTered from the pre,'ious proposal in lhal nine feel in length was added to lhe for.....ard fusclag;: and the gross weigh I rose 10300.000 pounds.

Cow red .....ith tarpaulins and Wilh lh" wrtieal fin folded nat loclearlhe hangar door. lhe XII-52 protot)·pe (49-230) was rolled oul on 19 NO"ember 1951. Iloeing Mmed lhe lIew bomber aircraft the Stratofon ress in keeping ....;Ih ilS B-I7IB-29/B-47 ancestl")'. The XH-52 protolype was powered by eight 8.700 Ihsl Prall & Whilney YH7·P·J turbojel engines.

The XB-52 began an eXlensi.'e ballcryofground teslS and during one of,he.se leSlS a h)'draulic explosion hlew out lhe trailing edge of the wing. delaying the aircraft's firsl flighl.ll .....ould be many mOlllhs before lhe Xll-52 "'ould again be ready for ilS first flight On 15 Mareh 1952. lhe second prOlOlype. design:LlCd HYII-52 sentice lest aircraft. rolled OUI of the Sellltle pIa nl. It .....o u Id be the Yn· 52 ,h at would milk" the first 11·52 fl ight on 15 April 1952, while lhe repaired XIl·52 made ilS firslllight on 2 October 1952.

Flighl leSlS of the fi rsl 11"0 prololypeS revealed good performance figures. plus lhe usu,,1 a mou III of bugs. TeS! pilols corn plai ned th al lhe ai rcrafl "handled Iike a lruck:' being wry hea vyon the conlrols. A few control adjUSlmelllS soon fixed the problem.Problems "side. lhe pi lots "nd the Air Foree liked "'hat they had. The Slr.Llofortress was \"Cry fast for an ,.irerafl ofilS size "nd on 4 Seplember 19S4.1he YB-52 a'"Craged 624 mph on iI record run from Seallie 10 D:oyton. Ohio. This was f:osler lhan lhe o\'eragc speed of lhe Hendix Troph)··winningSahres which had flown earlier thalsamc )'ear! The only major criticism C;Lme from lhe COnlmanderofSAC_ GEN Curlis leMay. GEN LeMay. an old 11-29 pilot. objecled to lhe tandem .seati ng am.ngcnlenl for the: pilot and co-pilot. I~ing engi ncers redesigned lhe enlire fON'ard fusc! age to bring the twO pilots togelher in a side· by-side eabi n. Afler th is eha nge lhe Air Force ordered the aircrafl 'IIlO production.

TIlelntlnd Ih. 11,1 ollh. Boeing .. Fort...... M.... TIl. VB·52 Slrllolortr... anar.. the B0lIng F1IId I1Imp wlth.n .1.·... rlSCu' SB·17G Ftylng Fortr.., dLl.lng 11153. (Marty IIlh.m)

,

-

Thl two B·52 protolyp's, thl XB·52 .nd VB·52,"V OVIr Edwlrds AFB during 1111 11152.

AIltlcMtgh eomplltld lour months Iltlr thl XB'52, Ih. YB'52141l-2311 wIsl"" fIroIl 01 thl MrIIs 10 tty whIT> t"" XB-52 sulflrld • hydraulk IXPIotIon during Ilround 1..11. (Arnold SwanMrll vii BrIlIn ROllIr'II

~~~

-

,

"

,

Development

-.

XS-52/Y8-52

•

o'

8-52G (Early)

.- .

•

-.

•

,

,

-, .

1-._ 10

B-52G (ACLM)

.

•

~

8-52C/D!E

•

6

•,

B·52G/Phase IV

R8-528

8-52F

•

-

-.

B-52H

_0 .

B-52H Phase IV

Fuselage Development

B-52A XB·52 The g·S2A "'liS eXlcnsivdy redesigned from the carlier XB·S2 and i'lI;orporalcd many ne .... fcalull:s"'hich would b«omc standard on moSI ofille follow"'!)n variants. The ~ndem Bubble bubble canopy on lOp afche fu~lago. \1111$ deleted Ind both pilots now $.lit silk by side canopy' - / inside the fON1lrd fusda~, .. hich s Icnll1hcned four (celiO make room for the new cockpit interior. Tht sbc of the crew ·IS also incrused ...;111 lhe addition of an flee· Ironic Warfarc: OfrlC¢r (fWO). The fWQ conlrolled alllllc c1<:(1ronic dd<,nsh-e systems and SIll on the up~r deck ..ilh the pill)l5. The lo"'Cr ded; oonlained the bombardier and adgnle navigator and the lail gunner "115 in his IUITeI in the fClr of the aircraft The B·SZA had a modif~d power plant ,,;111 wal.... injection. ghing the H7·P-9W engines 9.000 Ibs! ...ilh "'..ler inJ«'lion. The 8·5ZA also "liS oonfiguKd ...ith II pair of small doon in the up~r f"scl.1< behind the coctpit co''ering the inflighl !'efueling rectptxle. This m;'l:plack ....as for usc ..ith the Boemr-de>'eloped n)ing boom s)"Stem used on lhe Boeing KC-97 linter Inflight n:fllding mUnllhallhe 8-521\ now had a B·52A range limited on!)' by l;TeW endurance 1lle Iil'$l 8-5lA (52-001) roI1edOllI ohhe Seaule planl on 18 March 1954. mating its IiI'Sl f1ighl on 5 AuguS!. Although the Air Fon;econlraClcalkd for Ihineen B-52As. Boring buill only lhree. The n:mamder "'en: buill a5 8·5285. All three B-52As "-':!'e ~ by lhe Air r"O~ and then bailed bad (Ioanc:d) 10 Boeilll for conlinued f1ighltGlS. The 852M IloCked rompkk a'ion,csthal .._Id he found on lherombatoperatMmal aircT3ft. ~ Nor did lhry ha'-.: a bomb/na,igallonal s)"S'em.1lle aircraft did han: a TIe" .so""liw• four gun !'ear tllm:lthat used Ihe ".)/\ F,n: ConU'Ol S)'l;lCm

A(.,.

•

~

c:s: 0

1_

..... .....

Aadg .Ie

n_'.'.

TMB-S2A _ _. .lol_-*wltl'I ....by-tlde I lIo'llfor_....... _..cl I*lt. whIctl _ ~ caIlINI for on ~ from GlEN CurtIs ..-ay. ClnCSAC. TM B' S2A _ _ on 1 1 _ 1'S4..cl _ _ .......-d nn.d. ~lo,,-,"_

lRobert F. Dor7)

.,

..

•

I

-

-

'0'1'.'

The IllI1 of th.... B·52Aa {52-0031 modlflK 10 c.'ry and "unell lha Norttl ~ n X-15 rocl"tI·pow..-lId ._rclt aircraft. Named "The High And Mighty 0 ....,.. the 8·52A '0'1''' mod·

If'-d witt> S2A. (DUll

nl.Ol'l, CII...... Itatlona and vlsua' monltorlng portl.nd rldealgNlted II an Ne· Itll"''''')

None orlhe B·521u "'"ere evcr assigned to the Stralegic Ai.Command. "ven IIIou81l SAC pllots flew lhe aircraft. The lasl 1l-52A (SHlO3) was laler extensively modified and used as the launch aircraft in the X-IS rOl:kct progmm under Ihe designmion Nil·

52A. The IC·15 '0'1''' mIIt.cllo the NB·52A on. lpecllllty cM~ned Illunch "radlll/pylon ._mbly.

1M rnIsIlon ITI8rka on the fu"'lndIcIltl pa.... ed and ... "PO .... 1Id 1Ighta. (Tom er._l

'0'1' '

The trallillQ Itdge of tn. wing on Iha NB·52A nolet>ed to elN, Ihl ¥«flcal "n 01 the X·IS. Th. X-IS" pow..- plant "-d ov.. 5 7,000 Ib.t and II•• akcrln ItVlntullly llCtllevlld I top speed of 4,520 mph In 111117. from 8rew.,)

B-52B

Rear Turrets B-52AIB

Rolloutofthc liD! 8·528 occurred on 14JlIly 19S4. The 8·518 _'U the finlllUc pr0duction aircrafl and USAF ordered a loul oI'fifry. includinllcn aircraft left from the B· S2Aordcr. The B·S28diffcrro from the 8-52.\ in that ilWtiequipped ..ith the lo.OOOI~1 H7·P·19W cngillCll'll'th "'~lCr injeclion. The 8·528 could alsocany a pairof 1.000.1110" drop tanks under the outer 'II';ng panels. Thoc: 'anks brought the total fud capacily 10 31JfJS gallons (232.910 pounds). The finil night for a 8-528 lOOk place on 2S January

•

•

..........Four .50 c ntH "".. G.....

19S5.

The 11-5211 went opcr!'lional ..ith StrnteFf,; Air Command ..'hen K6-528 (52·8711) WIIS deliYered 10 tlu: 93.d Bomb WillI at Castle AFB. Californiu on 29 J II ne J955. Cusllc would become the major lrain;ng facility for u-52 night cn:ws in the )"CafS 10 come.

Ahhough the USAF accepted I COUll orliny B·S2Bs.twenl)"5e\'cn ..-ere not ~PUIl'~ bomber aircraft. The fi~1 len aircraft "'-en: actually the last len 8·S2A contract aircl'llft bmu,ht III" 10 8·S28 5landards and t...'CntY·Kvcn "''Cre blliltto include a I'CCOnnai55l1OCC miuion. IInder the dallnation R8·S28.

The R8-S2Il different from iUbombercou5in in a number of.....).... Onc:oflhe mlljor differenca ""35 lhatthe R8-S28 could un)' • fully preuurizcd I'CCOnnllluaOCC upsulc in lhe bomb Nythlll houKd the miuion I'CCOnnaiuaocc cquipmcnl (ClImn11s.. ElINT Jenson.. mappinll'lldars.. elc.) lind lWl'O cm.-.nc:n 10 monilor lho: cquipmcnl. s.c,''C1'll1 different upsulescould be ClIrricd dependin, on the miuion. The pholo I'CCOnnaiuance capsule included a multipleCllmcn in$lallation plus a rack in the rearoflhe bomb bay for t_nty-four M-I20 phOlO nash bombs. The weal her recon lind ELiNTcap5llies had elcctronic or ndar sensors specifICally designed for each mission type. The KCOnd major diffcrence bct"''Cen an RB-S28 and llle 1l·S28 was in llle defensive armament.

Wllere all bomber 6-S2s had a tailturrel mou ming four.SO caliber 11I1lclline guns ...·itll a II

RB·52B

•

NB-52B GunaRMlIO.ed ___ And F....d 0'1.,.

•

The 8·528 _ the lint Irve production ,,"nl wffil 1uI ••ionIc. and combal ClIpal)1llty. ThII 8·528 hid the bomb bfy ISOOn _ _ .I'd durin; • maximum or<Inoanc-looIcll..1.1 Eflln AfB In of 111~_ (Marty IIhImJ

•

A·JA fire comrol5y5lem. Ihe RII-5211 had 11 I""HI M2*"A·1 20M", cannon hmd ...·,Ih an M [)·5 fire conlrol system The IUfTel and fire oontrol5)"$lem "'115 th.. Umt' as Ihalu~on the 8-41.

Th.. ere'" ej«lion S)'slem on Ihc 8·52 "'":IS ufII'lue The pdOllllnd oopikl'l kx:aled in Ihe roroo...rd portion of the nblfl and lhe Eleeuonic Warfare orrw;c. (EWOI5C'lIlcd bch,nd Ihem(rllOngruno":lrd) hd up"":Ird ejcc'lion 5C'lIts Ihal fired Ihrough indmdual ha....,hcs mthe uPPC' fU5C'h"lC'_ Tho:- radar-bornb.adif:r and na'ig'llo' on the Io..... r 1e,...1ofth.. nbin hlld do...n"":Ird finng"JKhon 5C'al$ and .."ilt'd the aoreraft throup haleMS in 1M 10......' fU5C'IIIC'. Th.. tail gun ncr ..luted b) jeni$onins Ih.. lurn:1 and ~stcppinl OUI. ~ FoI\ovoinS eighteen months of "J.U'nsh"C opcrallonal and con'"Cmon lramln&- SAC "'<lnted 10 demonJitraU' the ClIpabilitlcs of its nc" bomber lO the ",hole "'mid.. and Ihe Sm,.. u in plinKula,. "'llh a record night. Operation POWI;R FLITI; 1001; pia.... on 16 Jan 1957 "'hen fi,"C9Jrd Bomb Wing U-52Bs 1001; on-rrom Ca.'iI1c A(oB for an around the world night (...·i.houllanding).l"'uorlhe 8-528s ""Cre 5pa,ellircraft.one or.. hich tool; Ihe pIa.... or one or.he mission uircran "'hen u mn:haniclll malfunclion fOKed il oul or Ihe ,n:o,d nighl. The sn:ond "spare~ len (he record nighl o\'e. Ih .. Allumie Ocean during Ih .. first kg ofth .. joullle)'. The Ih r.... remaining 1l·5211s.1..d b)' MG EN Arehi .. Old. Com· m:Lnder or 151h Air Fo•..:... returned 10 Mn.eh AI'Il. Cal irornia on 18 JunUlIry 1951. The)' had 110",n around Ihe .."O.ld. a tOlal of 24.J25 miles in 45 hours and 19 minulcs al an a\"Cr.l~ Jipcroof ..... n o\,e, ~ mph. Th.. 1l-528s .....rc rerueled b)' KC·97s Ii,... linlC$ during the record niShl. GEN Cunis leMa)' proudly announced 10 Ihe ""orld (and Ihe Soviets) thul Operalion POWI,R I·UTE .....lIS a demonSlrllllon orSAC"s eap"bilil) 10 stril;e an)' largel on the race or Ihe eanh' Thin)·-rou, )'ean lal ... 10 the day. SAC 8-521 "llUld demonStrale thiJi '"Cf) umc upabiht) 10 a dicl4lto, named Silddllm BUSICm. The 8-528s ,,'ere lIl1 .el"ed during l;lle 19M/uri) 1966. The '"Cry fi~ 8-52 de!l,'Cred to SAC. 8-528 (51-8711). "'":IS deh,'emi 10 Ihe Slntcpc i\crospacc MU5C'um al orrun AFD. N..braJiu "'here ,t remaIns on displa)

It fl3rd 110mb WIng R8·528 tIIk.. on IWI "om. SAC KC·fl1 !link.... "The KCofl1_1O Now _the 8-52 pIol: heel to Ioww' ........... 19 9M'" 10 ~ ..... B-521\'orn o•• ltlOOllt"' .......... "ulT~ 1"*

Bruehl

.... AS·528!n;lm the l13rd 8W on thee.tleAF8~ durtng 11151. "The R8·528. ",pl. CI d the .tandwd q,I t..-..1 wtth two :KlMIo QI.IOI ......:lthe loIJ-5 ~conlrol.~I_ the _ _ men! found on the 8-.,. R8-528. could carry. ~ p o M pod In the bomb bIIW lor Inlllli"._.nd r - m d.ltII pth«lng.lRoOerI EapoI/Iol

'_0'." _

-

...---.

-

The

RB-5M~r.c:g ......1

_

pocllafNdyforlclMlnglnlotheRB-528bomb

bay. The pod ccMd CWTY,",,"_~_andphoto IlaoatI bomba lot phoIo _ " ' _ II go,.,1l'lUftlpM III bCNIIc _lIOI'I, ECM ~ «_rn. r2. d'I ~ wtIIcti_ 7

,

opoatMecl br .... addition" two

~.

,.... Bructli

.....,_.3rd

MGEN ArchIe Old, eomm.ndw of 1Sih Ilk Fcltc.-, tuIa the ~Udy Ludr. IN In .. "'-d'l AF8 on 1• ..Iune 1851 holo , ... og .... wound the WOfIcIIlIgIlI during 0,* .tIooi POWER FUTE.. GEH CMd ltd 8W 8·529. on the _ d 24,325 .... 1lIgIl1, .......' og'" _ 500 mph.

TNt 8·5M 152-GOll1_ liiOdIIlecl biN I. -..ncIl ......... and 'ecl".,.lecl ..... NBThoI NB-S28 _ E.,...", AF8 - . _ of .... prototype PEGASUS -.u1lCh .12hlc11 , on ....

529. The_C1.PI aIhi onthel"llmPM Edw.d,AFBduring IN1 wltI'I the ~ Hl.·IOL.Jnlng Ulider "''11 pyton, The NB-S28 ~ ...

PEGASUS,. NASA doe'llgp __ II.IOHout4S,OOO 8ocI)I~""", I .Iogp:rton. TheHl.·IO_"~"I.I4A.~_odYr.'''' ...1 It _ launclMod 10 p"'NNI . .I. . . . ~ InIOOftlll. ThoI NB·S28 hid the tIilI ltIaf _ w . t y IeclIO both lhe StMllh fight.. and the $pKe ShIll1Ia. (Mlck RoIhl tUfTM tecl.nd I8lrId _.!Marty IIMmI

B-52C Th.. lit'$loClhIM)-fh"e B'52C~canxotTlhc Sunil' _mbl) lincon 7lX«m~r 1955.

111<' 8-52<: "'u the first 8-52 10 ha''e ,h.... nlln: ... nders,&: oftht ain;nfl pam.cd GIOS$ White 10 r.:nect nlKlclif radiallan and hnt. Th.. D-SlC also cankd 3.000 pilon ...ing tanks in place of,h.. 1.000 gallon lanks u~ on lh.. B-S28 model. This brough'lhctotal fud capacil)' 1041.385 gallons(2Sll.910 pounds). With Ih.. added "'~;ghl ofth.. 1.~T drop (links and thc Gloss Whit.. pain.. the gross weight ofthe n· S2C ro~ 10 450.000 pounds. To compconSHll.' for the additional ,,'dllin. thc R-SIC. "'cre po....... red by 10.000 Ibsl JS7-P· ~Wl\ turbojets wilh irnpro\'ed wall:r injn:tion.ln addi"on 10 these difTerences. ther..

"-ere II number of minor changes in the a\';oniCli and control systems. both ofTcnsivdy ulld dcfensi\d). Impron:mcnts included installation ofan 1\42G-ll aulopiloL the N-l rom(WIS5. plus impro\"ed ECM clpllbililies. Th~ 8-52C ......s capable of ClllT)'ing lh~ mulli-mission r«-onnaiuantt ca~uk in Ih~ bomb tNty. bUl il .....as n~\'~r d~Slgnatc'd as an RD. Th~ IiI"Sl. fl,ghl oflh~ B·52C too~ place on 9 March 19S6 and Ih~"2nd OW alloring AFB. MaiM becalM lhe .second opc'Talional B·52 ....lnlllO Ju ncof 19S6. Th~ B-52C5oflh~ 42nd OW lOOt pan In Optration QUICK KICK.. a record 13.000 mIle flllhiaround Ih~ pc:rimd~r of Ih.c: C<lnlinoenlal Umtc'd Slales in NO\l:mbcr of 19S6. Wilh ImprG\"'elMnlS .such as lh~ ANfAS(}4S bomb-na\ 5)·"~m.lh~ 0·52C .~5 \'lMually idcnucallolh~ laIn 0·52D. 0·52Cs ~f'\'ed in B·52D Iquadrons Ihal had alrcrafl C<lmmincd 10 C<lmhal in Soulh.-aSI Asia. Th.- 0·52C Tt"mlint"<! in S('f'\'itt unlil29 St"p'.-mbcr 1971 .... hen Ihe laSl airwafl was fenit"<! 10 Da\·is·Monlhan AFB in Arizona.

TM Iour1to 8-52C pert<.cl on 1M 8oelolll Sealtlot rwnpln No •• mblo of lise. TM 8·52C_ .... h!lO_trom ....*1... , palnl" wIIl'I GIou WhII. WlIHI. ." ~and _ h I ~ ....." to....., 3.,000 QIIlIon 1111011. Molll drop (Robert F. Dclwl

,

FJ./GNT CINTE

"

l:::~:=~--i---r':'~I:':'::'r::::':'l---~ir,.U·

12

1--"'1

A 8·52C of _ 7th Bomb WlOllII car.... AFB, Tn. . on thl ramp It McCoy AF9. FlorIda, In Novambar of 1170. TM I"craft v'-lIlOll McCoy lor !he SAC bomblOlleompelll1on kllOWn .. GIANT VOICE. W"h Ull Iat.. Iddllion of 11>1 AN/ASO·q bOmb-nav 1'I"1am, 1M B·52C ~ w.. I vlrluallwln 10 Ihl 8·520 and I numbel" 01 aquidronlllld bolh Iypel In M ...Ic:I. IKln 8ueh1nan)

w"

ThIl8-52C of 1M nth Bomb WInSIII waslover AF8 ........ lId In......a long II'lOUgh 10 ....-.....1 _ . nudaIr c:arnoutIage palnl ac:tlarna. TM B·52C __ rattr" trom......a In September of 1871. (Tom IIldlI!tlI

B-52D

bad 10 Gllam. follo....-cd by a rouple of hOlJI"I of dchriefiR" The missions themsel\~s "'-.:n: uSllalJr boring and (.juitc rQllline. ARC LlGIIT slrika "'"Cre carried 0111 ...ith Ihrel' aircraft formaliolU "no"'n as ~ocll.s.~ An ARC LIG lIT~ocll~could uturale an a~a 3.000 )'ards Ionfl and 1.(00) ards ...ldc ...ith 500 and 7SO pound bombs, en:ali ng. ..."hat ...-.scalled by photopaphk intelliSCI"lC\' anal)'$U doinZ bomb damallC uscssmenL a -sandbox. ~ In 196&.SAC had oommmed O\"Cr 5e'\"Cnl) 0·52lh to the ARC LlGUT prosram.ln March oll96&. follOVliRfllhe Tct OfTensh"C. 0·52 sonIC.. rose 10 1.&52 and, !"or the first ume. 852l>s \lien: used In dOK Sllppor! ofgrouRd u n,ts. Bombi nfl-juS( OIJuide the '''In:.-Ihe B52lh sa,-ed counlJas outposts. such as Kh~ Sanh. from being o,~""n.

ARC LlG UT Slnkcs OOIlllnUed almosl dally in supportofboth US and ARVN troops Ihrough 1971. ahhoup Ihls",1U dramalleally ehanged in the Sprinl of 1972. On JO Man.:h 1972. Nonh Vielnam lauRehed an all-OUl offeRsi"e againsl South Vietnam. SAC ans"ocred the allae" by oommiuing Ihe enure B·S2D Oel'L 110 aircrolft. 10 Ihe connict IIndcrOpcmti(ln RULLl::.SHor. !'milkm N'1;OIl ...ithdll:.... all operutionullimitalions and authorized 8-52 Slrikes iRside Nonh VietRllm, SAC also augmented Ihe B·520 force ...ilh Ihe com milmcnl oft...o th irds oflhe B-52G flloct, This broughtlhe total numbcrofBS2s aVllilable for A RC LlG lIT missions or for Ll N l:IJACK ER missions Ilglli nSI strulegic targets inside Nonh Victna m. to O"er 200 aircra!\. On 16 April 1972. Il-Sls struck rail aRd shipping largels in the Ilaiphongand Thang I'IIIa areas -Ihe filltlime Nonh Vielnam had been bombed since 1968. lind the first time 1J·525 had ranged dCl'p inlO Nonh Vielnam, These missions oontinlled th rough the Slimmer of 1972 in the \"Iiin hop:: of dri"ing thl' Nonh Vietnamese to Ihe 11'\101' table, Nonh Vielnam "'lIS Prcuinl its ad'lIntascs against theOlJlnu mbered AR VN foren Ihal _ld ha'"C broughl a mllilary rietor)' forthe CommuRist Nonh Finall). an euspt'ralcd 1'll:Sident Nixon ordered Operalion LlNl:8ACKER II. an ek'"Cn da) bombll1fl campaIgn apinsl e....." Slrlilcpc La'llC1 in Nonh Vietnam, On IS l:>ro=mber 1972. al 1451 loalltime. eighl)->c'~n 11-52s left AOlkrsen AI-8 on Guam.

In itsoriJinal !ilnlClic bomlxr fOl'm.lhe 8·120 ..~s \inuall) idcnlicallOlhc nrlkr B-SK:. The major dirrc~~ "-U the dcklion orlhe reconnaissance ~uiplMnl cap!iU1c and the ~nnaissancc miSSIOn. All S)~ms remalllw the salIX. as did the romb<lt ..~ilhL n,"~. and Jlo••a phmlS. Then: •.-as oncchallF. oo..-c:'n. In lhe k:lcalion oflhe producllon hnc. With Borings Snllle plant buildin, boIh the 8-52C Ind KC-IlS.in I.InUT. aloo,"-;Ih rompletion orllle production "In on boIh the 8-47 and the KC-97l1ln keT. the USAI' authorized the buildlll1 of 8-52 at the 8<lc11l1 plant in Wichita. Kansas. The first B-S2D came off the Wichita ancmbly lincon 7 ~mbcr '\lSS.lhe 5lI1ftC dale .hllthe first B·S2C camcoITthc xauk a5SC'mbly line. The first Oighlof. Wichitabuill B-SlD look place on 14 May 19S6. "-;lh the firsl aircraft bcinl dc'i'~n:d 10 Ihc9Jrd BW al ClIStk AFB one month lala. The firsll1ight of a Sf:anlc-built 8·520 took place on 28 Scplcmber 11lS6. ~inl!: built ~ 100ai of 170 lJ·520s: ~ al Wichita and WI al Sc::m.lc.

All 1)-52Ds wcre deliwred in the stundard SAC painl scheme of Nmural Metal uPPCllurfaces with Gloss While unti·flash painl on the undersurfllccs. This pllinl job a nd the stralcl!:ll: mission oflhe 11·521) lasted u ntilthe Vietnam War" hcn both Ihe pain! scheme and the mission "'ere drastically a nd fore'ocr aile red, Wilh the war in Southeast Asia healinl!: up rapidly follo...'in.lllheGulf of Tonkin lncitknL the llO'ocmment d«idcd looommil 8-52 bombers IOthe conflict. Not unlike the 1l-29 mission in the Korean War. lhe 11-525 ..oold be used in • tklinl role. earT)'inJ oom"Cnlion..l munilions.ln other wonIs. Ihq' ..oold dllmp IOns of bombs on Viet Conllr(l()fl OOl"lC\'ntrations and suppl) points. Dunng 1965. SAC COmmillcd 1J-52Fs 10 Ihe conflict IIOlkr Operation ARC LlGUT With 8-52Fsoperalinzin SEA. SAC made thedoecision Jo modifylhe n-521) neet for theoon'ocntional misMon.llusdccision ...-as based on the fact th..tlhen: 'Ilocn:O\ocr t"'1« :all many 8-52lh a,~ilabk for SCOloCC than 8-S2Fs. SAC .IItOOm.ed modification olthe enun: B-521) f1«t 10 m«llhe 81G 8ELLY prognIm specIfications. The BIG IlELLY Jbmmy'll ng.1Ot on 1M rwnp 1M BoeIr\g I'IeIcl ck.ft>g 11154. The 8·520 . . . 1M flrIl of 1M modirtcation "'1U Il()( .. n incn:a:lC 1I1 lhe size ol the bomb bay. either internall) orc"ter- _ _ be b<MI 1M both 1M 8oeiolSJ S.lnliI and 8oIIlnltWld\b ~IL TOIOIfIIY'll ng.1Ot_ nally. bul rathu .. modifintion oflhe oon'"Cntional bomb rotek allachmenl poinl$ SO Ihal ""Mid In two ......... 1..1. of 1M I+bomb. tAFMl Ihe aircraft could lise Ihe ne.... ~high dcnsily~ bomb racb. also kno....n as -clips. ~ Each ~ehp~ oollid hold I....cnly-cighl 500 pound or fourt«n 750 pound bombs.

The other modirlCalion called for in the BIG BELLY progrolm ....a s rcvoiring Ihe t:o.temal pylon, for cO""eRtioRal ....eapons delivery. A fully loaded lllG llELLY 8-521) oould cllrfY lOS bomhs. inclllding I...."nl)'·follr on the under"..ing pylons. Durin.lllhe BIG BELLY prognnn an utensi,..., ECM equipment upgr.ldc "':IS added to Ihe defensive: syStem for monitoring Nonh Vietnmnese SA-2 SAM and AM radars, Laslly, Ihe aircraft ....as gi"en a lattlcal camounage paint xheme of Tan. Dark Green aRd Medium Green uppcBurfaccs ...ilh Gloss Black undcrsurfaccs and "enleal fi n. The BIG BELLY progrtIm hcgan 1I1 Dcccmhcrof l%SaRd "luoonclllded on 13 Seplcmhcr 1967, Thl' mo<lirlCd 8520s began IOrcpla.ce Ihe n-52FIOn ARC LIGHT slrikes in April ofl966 ...'hen the 28th OW .. nd 484th OW bccaml' op<rational al Andersen AFB. Guam. B-521)s a'"Craged O\'~r 400 sonies poer month dllriRg 1966.

OpcralinZll1itiall) from Andersen AI-"B. BUFF ere"'" n""", IWCh"C hour mw.ons almoM daily unlil a SQlladron ol n-S2lh bcpn operations from tile RO)~I Thai Na,..1 Au B.."" al lJ-Tapao in April of 1967_ ARC LIGHT CI"C'll'S ""Cn: rocalCd home ancr a 51" monlh IOuroldul)'.Ii ...-as Il()( unllsuallOfind SACel"C'll mcmbcrs ...ilh bct...ftn mand 400 ARC LlGtrr missions I(lthelr en:dit for Ih~ir SUI monlh tour Each ARC LlGUT mi~ion began ...ith a 1'Il'OlOthn:e hourbricfinfland pn:-flighloftheaircnlfl Then it .....s 2JOO mila to Ihe tarJllCl in Soulh Vlelnam. Laos. or Cambodia, Then the same mileage

.'renln

---------

They ..we joined oler Y:lI1kc:c Stlltion by lin addilional fo"y 11-520s from U-'fupao.

Thailand. The turgelS were Ilirfidds. SAM Sill'S. and rail )'ards in the Uanoi urn _ and Radio Ilanoi! The neXI nighl nincly-se\'en lJ·525 again struck rail lind power largets in the Ilunoi arca. The follo..ing nighl~awanother100 lJUFFs strike deep illlo No"h Vicl' num. For elelen da)s the n-525 pounded No"h Viclnomcse targets - targets Ihat had pre\iously bccn -offlimilS- to US air allllelts.

The No"h Viclna nlt'se lh re ...·e\·er)·thing Ihey had atthc anaeking 8-525. SUPI'<m aircraft SlJch as WILD Wi:AShl.I·-I05s. MiGCAI'I'-4sand Nail)' IRON HAND A-6s kept Ihe No"h Vietnamese alrdcfense S)'Slem olTbalance.cwnlually bringing illl)ils bin'S. Wilh 1'-105 WILD WEASEls blinding Ihe NVA SAM radars. thc North Vietnamese btgan launchon,the m.ssiles unll'ndcd and in sahus.QI·cr 1.<XlOSAMs were fired :ltthe 8,525 during Inc de\~n da)"S ofLlNh8ACKER II 8-52 sorties numbtred 729 and Ihe BUFFs SlJffcrcd losse ... hleh. al fim glance. appeared quitc high: Iifken 8-525 shot doII·n. NlUall).thal was less Ihan 2\0 of the lOl:al 8-52 sortit's launched -less Ihan enher thc 8-171B-2~ loss rate on the Second World Waror the 8-29 loss rate in Korca. The 8-525 drorflt'd O\~r 49.000 bombs on lhlrt}-four str:ucgic tal"p'1$. destrQ)"ing O\~r 1.600 militar) struclures. 8-52111il gunnersdalnlcd Ih'e M,G intcr«p1or1 as shotdoll·n. although onl) t..'O "'crc ~offielall)- confirmed. Thc North V..-Inamcsc claimcd SOliit' lJOO eilliian casualtics. .... hieh 1 n IlSelf is amazon, ... he'n )'OU conSIder lhe' lllnOUnt of ordnance eomin, doII'n from not only Ihe 8-52s.. hul also Ibc hu ndredS of support aircr.lfl. Add in Ihe ol't'r 1.000 SAMs and hundreds of thousands of anli-lll~raftll"lller) rounds Ihal had IOcomc doII'n somcpl~ One can no'" start II) coml'rchcnd the eJ;trclllt'ly lKCUrate bombonl campaign lhe' 8-52 crc....'S condUClcd.

,AIR

FqRCE -

0.-._' ....",....

A.2ndSW.520_ ~aa.'l .11 Ik1nckH1ngItle"""1HOL SAC'.''I'wo manPOlle'(' ...... In1'ftKtMllItleAlruaflCornrnand1orand~""'""""" ThiIt t9Ito Bomb WIng 8·520 ...... 1tIe HCOfId Boelnt WIcl\Ita ~ .. own MIl ...... d Il~ .. -.:l 10 SAC dur1ngeMy I • The hue- llI.at ItIe 3,000 ~ uncMlw1log lank. did not ...... mudlin ItIe way at ground ~'''''IOI.l8obEIpoI/IoI

.sa.

boltc:oMl/lnlnogml "oncodMand.".""I.Iwi' I .....520. (C.IL GoocMIo ... Jo. Bn.od>I

torltle~.

f

llO.cerrfecl~d

Specifications

6·520Stratofortress 'Wlngspen •••••••••••••••••••• 1l151e.e

IAngth ..••••••••••••••••••••• 158.58 Ie.e Height ••••••••••••••••••••••• 4ll251e.e Empty w.lgtll ••••••••••.••••• 173,599 jIllUIIl» MaxImum w.lgtll ••••••••••••. 450.000 jIllUIIl» Po• • p/Mts .••••••••••••••••• EighlI3,751llbll J57·f4,JW turtlOjIIt • 'll"'''

...""""....

,,",-II

",-..so QIbto mKtwle go..-

MexImum Speed ••••••••.••• 638 mdl

s.1f'tc.- ~ ~

O'ew

48.OOD ... ll.328 ..... $lJl

,

-

A"" "dip" of tourt.... M1 17 750 P'O'HId bombe rMdy lol' ~ ... 1n10' BIG BELlY B·52O It U- ~peo In 1.... '"'" BIG BELlY modIfIcationII ~ lCi . . ,d the mulmum bomblDed II'om fifty_ 10 108 boonbe.. (LTC Beny .....)

RI'S,lMtr at Gill. . . . '

a-S2O of ... 19th 8w on

'"'""'a,n __ of 101 8·52Ds buM! by B: I

_a," I.II'Id'" VleInem

I

rwnpM v..,,-_U AF8 during 1. .2$, I " NoM M . . . . _ . . , . . . . . .Ul.. SAC

Ww.IF~ ~

A . . of a-,2c. tty In doN Ionnetlon. 8·S2$ rer.Iy .... tlghl forfNtkIne und the ed¥enl 01 ARC UGHT I.' 'illie In Vlelnem, _ _ nudMt Ie p6foneI_ wu-t lIIghlL IC.II. GoodIe .... Joe Brudl)

.1rIk,,,'

II

--,-

-

../

A '133fd 8W IPl B·520 on II. J*klng ~ eI AndefMn AFB. G....,.. Mth , "" IDed of MIl 82 the undoel lg pyIoM Met ~clIps" 01 M117. rMdy lor ~lg Inlo the bomb bIi,.

WIth Ml17 bombIi In ~~.. the ............. 1Ded . . ~1Y'1b boo.oDL lRot>erl F. 00rT) bool~ on

On 291:>"'CCmbcr 1971l'I,ACII Cl:.LL2landed at Andersen AF8 at 1250 local lime· lhe final UNl:nACKI:R 1111-52 mission. The 1J·52s had accompli5hed in theele"en day L1NEIJACKER II campaign "'hal eighl yelll'll o(fightcr-bomber al1acu could not. The Nonh Vietname5C were more lhan ..illin! lO5Cllle lheconnict at the Paris Peace talks. at least until they "ere sure that the American lIir power .."OUld not he availallle to SlOp a fUlure anad. On 28 January 1973. the Vietnam cease-fire agreement "115 signed. D- 5205 cominued ARC I.IGII1' minions againStlhe I'athet Lao Communists in Laos until 22 Fehroary 1973 ...hen the Laos ccll5C-fire .."t:nt mtoefTcct. On 15 August 1973.the final 11.52 ARC UGUT mission came home (ollo..in.a strike ag..inStlhe communist Khmer Rouge m Cambodia. r'Or the n..j2 CTC"'S, Ihe ....r in S~ ....s o'"t:r. One ""(Inders .. hat might ha"e been h..d the B-525 been used (0' th,s t)l'Cof nUSMn in 1'JI65.There mighl not ha'-e been an) ~d (or a Black Wall.

When the "";Ir in SEAendcd (or US. (ortt.s in 1973.the B·520 (orce ""enl b..d to its nuck..r mission.. ahhough lhe) all reUlIncd their lac1ical c.. mouflagc and BIG BELLY modified bomb ba)1.. Sc>"e....1modifications look place (ollo..ing thc end or the ....r. The airfnune.s ""ere lired from comhat nighl 1!our5.lnd«d, lhe B·520 airframes ""Cre jusl plain"{)Ill out ..ith man) patchc.s OO\",nn,lhe ..",I1·..";nkkd skinon the Black-bellied BUFI'I.. Orisinallydoigncd 10 he phll~oulor scn"ice in 1971. bytheend oflhe SEA air ...., most orlhe 8-520 OCCI had built up almoslt.."lCC: lIli many hours ali their orisi"",1 ptOjccIed 5.000 hour life 5plIn. Bocin. and USAf' launched a J'IOl!:ram known as PACER PlANll .....ich .."OUldadd almost 7.000 houl'S 10 lhe hreof .. B·S2D. The best -\().,. li......8-52Ds ,,'ere chosen for the PACER PLANK prt:llr:tlnl.eight) ai",ran in all. Theeight)· B-52Dschosen forlhe program "",re knt 10 Boeings "roeh,la planl for .. hal amounled 10 a full ustOfation oflhe a,rframe The reM of the O«I ..",nl inlo -acti"e~ SUlr'age under Projccl CRESTED DOVE he(on finall) bein. ret,red in the Fall or 1978PACER PLANK called for remo,..1 oflhc .. mp .. hich ""Cre Ihen 5triflflcd of any damagt'd. benl or worn OUllilumlllllm 5kJnmTIJ. Thc "lnp had all_ kallin. and tra,hn. edges. rtC"'l'UflPCl" and ~r "ll11Sllll pandsand !he fuscl. ""il5sivcn !he same lrCauncnt.

All damaged slm arellli .."t:re rcpllOCCd ..-uh brand nc". hun« gau!" aluminum allO)' panels. Old \Olnlll ..-u smppcd from lhe aIrcraft and repilOCCd and all S)".slCms ....,re brought up 10 dale. The PACER I'LANK P"-"lram called lOr the .scrapping or 30,000 pou.nds o( p;ms (rom ea<;h B-520. al a cost orS26 m,llIon PC' aircraft. Although the \lC'Il' hea'icr slll1 added almost 3.400 pounds 10 the II'OSJ ..",ighl of the aircraft.the 5pccd and ran,., actuall) increa~ shghllydue 10 the 5moother airl1o"'o'"Clthe pre,iou5lypatched andlor "'rinkled skin Otm post-...., modlrlCllllOf\S indl.ldcd thel:apab,lIl) IOca"} and launch theG8lJ-15 clcctro-optical gu,ded bomb and addlllon ofthe D,g,I..1 Romb'ng Na"ig:ation S)"$lem during 1980. BlIllhe (ale o(lhe 8-520 ....s sealed. Old'ge had crept upon the BUFF. The 20th BMS at Cars..dl AI'8 ..-as lhe laSI opcrallonalllnltlO fly the B-520 ..ilh Ihe final opcralional8·520 mission being Oo...n on I October 1983. MO:SI orlhe B-52D O«t ....,nt inlO$lOrage al Da.i~Monthan AI·B. But al k;ulI"'enl)~lOur B-52Ds ha'.., b«n JlfnC"'"Cd as memorials 10 lhe oontriblltion Ihe 8,& UJly Fat r-cl1a made dllring the Vietnam War.

,. 8-520 "nIoadlrIlI_12 ~pound bombe onll"QIIIIn!h. Soulh \ f I e t _ jungla. Fully to»cs.d with Mk·I2a, tne 8-520 c:ouklcarry 108 ~ 8·5h new In ltv lpfonNlllon. <»Ilad "c.IlI" dllrlnll ARC UGHT ~llonIlnda "eel" couIcIuntN 110111 01 323 ~ pound bomb. (112,000 pound'l on tile IIn.lIIpedlng VC tMoIow. (Robert F. 00Ir1

SEA Camouflage Pattern B'52D

__w

---

8-520$11.1010':>_ I:wo

• ,

_Ul_ _

-...

\

-----

-

-

17

e.-chleb and

1I'IeIn'" .._"'" _ ...... -'ton u.. ..1gII.. ,0I, 8-520 01 u.. .2511h SW 10

INIII tufl""MIle 10 INk_1M ,..", ARC UGHT mIuIon OVI of U-Taopeo durtng 'H'. The .......... ~ _ hinged and _ be _,Olilely 'MOll ad lot - . y _ I O . " .,M..,.

,.""

...,« In 1M VIet.........

CoI'lfllet. munlIlonL The

&pIdII_ .... ub p)'lDnl" _ _ .,.'gl*t for IMUI,. 01

CO,,"~!lonII

Houncl Dog

MIlubM pylOn __

PJtont: - . tNIIng _

d"" 1"tl«I bIcoIuM _ I 0I1hI AGM-2.

(LTC

by SAC nuct.ar . . . . .

Underwing Pylons '0'...'....1..... ' • lIo;1'ladl.lhI I IIQ1ldrculll_itIcA""lhIdrllpM1 .... oI_Mo 'VI EjII:ICN' Rack' (MEA,). The MEAI_ 'ttadolod '0 HaoIvy Stot'll Adap'.. e-na (HS....bl wtlictl "I, In t ..... mountad 10 u.. AGM-28 Hound Dog mlMIlI p,tonI.. tAFMl

8·520

SI..b Pylon

HSAB

",ft.

8Iny""",

PI' d'Jp.og. "dip" of h •• '1, 'ViI MIl. 1I2 500 pound bon'ltK lor nt8llllllon In. BIG BEUY &-520 StnilofonT..... Thr. . of theM HIgh 0entIty 80mb RIdla, 0<' "diP'." (:In be IoIded InIO ttMi bomb bIy.IAFM)

a-

&-520. of ttMi 3011tl SW Ine 1M rwllCl II U-~ RoyIl ThIll ....... All ~ durtr>g No ••• tbeo of 1.,0. &-52011 begin 0I*.11oi., ft'om U-nop.o In AprIl of 1" , . 'The ~"*,,18 _ _ - . . y .n:. HofttI V l e I _ upper _ did rodlM 1M BUFF bJIM. (lJ'C

--,

A tuI'J' ~ _3rd SW &-520...- ~ _ AFB _ 10 blve" In \IIftnIm duotng 1110. nw" - * l .,woh•• 5,<100 mil round 1rtp tight. 'The 8IJdt ~ ~ _ _ . .of_b••• _ end peInt ~ ••1 ogon 1M . . . . . ."..endCOi'b....

I

,....,

aurlace&. """',.., SkOflI

IllY)

19

a

....-_n

Ev... IhOuogh the 6U"'" ~ Inl....... -'ec:lronlc counl..

(EeM) v-. WILD WEASEL neon. Ilk. Ito~ F路' 05G of lhe 51111 "lIc11clo1 fight... Squadron ....... requlrlld lor Iny C:. . ~tlng In NO<1h V_, ...m dl'ring ttl, UNEBACKER CIImP'llln of 1172. {Marty

""-I

A trIIIlerfui 01 Ml 17 750 pwnd Iron bombf, ~ 10 be ~ on u.. undeo wlI'll MER8 oil 6路52D II u路nPMl dunn; 1HI. Each un<Mrwlng pylon could hold I""..... 500 Of 750 PCMlnd bombl, caul, Of ... ~lm eIInl.'.... (AFM) The 1n,lnoment ~ne1 01, 8路52D Stratolortr_ ...a. ~181at;1(.1l>elogoon the control whMl II $'TM.TOf'Ofn', wlIh!he ,.,. . . . 01 \he S'T'RATOf'OA'TRESS Iogowwn 01'1.11. GlobtUodl

2.

n.on

AnTAI.,t ~ ID8dII 'II Mll7 750 pound IlOrrbt on _ AIlhOuogh, fully ~ MEA could !)to ~ on I'" HSAB. Ih. u Indlvld ...1 bombl wIttl MJ·l bomb Iofitlr>g IfKtor. (AFM)

,n

wIo 'II MEA of. 8-520.

1 ~Ic:. w•• to ~

Wlth_ 5,OOOtXlmblll hour&, thlI8-52D,1IInn1t ~ 100. ~"*'YARC UQHTfnl..1.... dloppII'II huo"""'ofthouundl oftoMol bon'lW bMoni being r.tnd .., ~ 1'.'101"1 10 the ARC UGHT c:r1tWl ,I ~ AFB, OUlm dul'ln9 1174. (USAF)

n."'gunf-.t of• •52DhecllQw .5O~'I""."~'"OOOn)Undill . . . . . .52 ...

ItUfV'III1'C,.I-...cl. totIil of "" KYM MIG, during the UNE8AQl.EfIIl opwatlDn.InDliC-.,1Mo of le72.(I. a.ot..lMf)

--- --

21

•

•

•

.~~.;

•

'"

-"

~~f ~""'--~,>

....

•

....

TIlls 4133rd BW 8·520 (511·6011.uN...ld I mec,",nIcaIIIRur•• nd could not milk. thllofl9 night back 10 And_n AFB. TII.alrcraft landed.' Da Nang. Ioe! III bnIk•••ndonlTln!h.

runw.y. The elre..«ran Inlo the ml... field end Will totally deltroyed. The 'aM gun .... wu the

only IUfVlvor. (Joe Bruch)

WhH the A ~ n Involvement In SEA ended In 11113. "..,., OUM 8·520 lorea r.lurf\filIOI normal nuelIUr"'" mlIsIon .tII ~"lI their SEA~. ThII 8·520 c:an1M Unca'l1" oullaged AGM-28 HO!.Ind DQ(l mlsalIH on Ihl ul'ldefwlnll pylon •• (Joe Bn,w;hl

Ttl.- 4:l581h SW 8·52 ._tmeflt. I' U''''P'O, ""-llIInd during 1010. 1lle .....,.".,.." only COVltl'ed to the lop of thl Iu~, INYlng 11M 481001 y...uc.1 nn '~p(lMd. Tl>e Slack under· lurfllce Cllmoul\age _ . obviously applled without benin, of masking. (AFM)

22

A8·52Dofthe43rdSWe.m..bottlthelthAkI'ol'c.Wld.31dStF1lt.WIng~ontM

In the .'e 1110t ......., 8-$2Ot - . . modified to ~.fld "unch the GBU·15 electrooptically 1l'*Md bomb.

B-52D 15W711 e.tnM. p* 01' G8U-15t on Mth MEA ....:I e.n.. one NYAF MIG klII rnf<1tJng under the SAC~. (AFM)

'"*

A 7th Bomb Wino BUFF on tI.....pproach wtth the 118~ luly .~1~. 8y 1180 Il'KKI 01' 1M ~"lI 8-520 11M' h.ad gone through the PACER PlANK prog,..,., whkh II......, rllbullt the entire 8h'fraInII.(Rob«'t F. DotTI

tIilL 'The IIIn:notl_••p«-'tJI) pain'" when II .-oreunM<lttoe 43rd SW etlhe 1er4 GIANT VOICE bomb1n9 competition hekl .1 McCoy IA.y ~ )

"1'8.

"The Pink PlInth.,,". 8·520 ollhe 3Uth Bomb Sq...clron bloNd., FloIrchlid AFB on the .....p II MeCoy AFB lor lhe 1170 GIANT VOICE competttlon. NoH art ~ COi'W'lOIi on SAC *awft .,wolveclln the GIANT VCMCE _~ l)oillbl"g oOlilp.lltbi~ (Ken Ekldwnenl •

...;....---,

2J

• Th" 8·,2D 01 the IlHllBomb Wing QrTIH O'HO' one hllndred mlHlon ~ In Red on Ih. tu..c.ge.,.. The 8·'2, flew .-ty..-..yday end 11 __ not un"...1II1or lndIYldual..-.1t 10 racll liP _ one hundred" 1.11oM In. - ' - l pMocl, (Robeo1 E~ol

• 1b...--1M Soriet, the! .520.-. btlnv ~lrO)'td In _ . - 0 - wItllltMo SALT n..ry, .....,Mc:nt'l: _ . d H ~ thtough the UNoi' ~ •• pIo ..... ~ wtIiI;tI bMw off 1M ..... ...cI cut the ""I"~Into MCIloi .... ThIa 8-520 _ dNtroyoMl at DyeH AF1l cturIng the.-ty I MOL (Joe Br\ldII

'"*_

80mb WIng .... _ ~ 'J,llonlytlWty _ nlIII'Uod 00'1 "_""".'lend~"""durInliJltl6LThe8-52s""'" ': ..-In

~ .52Dof 1M"'"

........ ' a I"'*!

aoppon 01 II .. In =,la;l (Rob«t Eapoaltol

dIclloi.'"

, .. I!"'!he Ho Q'II MWl

~

B-52E The first of 100 U-S2Es clime offllle Scaule assembly Iinc on J<Xlob<r 1957. follo..."«1 1"'-0 weel:s laler. 17 <ktobc:r. by l~ lirst Wichila-buih ain:r.lft The B-52E Wlls ,it1ualty identical 10 the 8-520 model UCt'pl for ,some in.ernal i)"Stems changt'$. The i\N/ASB-15 110mb Nal'igation System ""as rcphlcW by lhe AN!ASO.... and the AN/A "N-I08l)oppler radar 5)'Slcm was Rplll«d by the AN/AI'N-89A. plus other "'ion;c$ 1)"Slems updatCll, First nighlS for bolll the Scalde lind Wichila-huill11ircrart I'll me the $.IIIDC' day thallhe)' came off til" assembly line. The B·52EJ ,,'Cre dclh'cmlto the 6111 OW al Walker AFB in Ikeember 19S7.

With the U·52E came Il chan~ In the tactics u~ by the SAC B-SJ c~ ...'S. The dc, doprmnt oflo..'lcl'cl pcf>C'lr1I\lon l.KIlO for lhe 0-52 "'<IS the dirC'd ~uh in the rapid ~ n l of lhe SUrface-'O-lI'l missiks by both btslcm and Weslml fortes. Ad\'''K~­ InC'nli in the lo,,··le.d Doppler radii. 5YS1cm made the 10\10 Ie,d pell<'tration I ,ilhle urile IIC'\i(: for SAC. Comins in II 200 foot Iltuudes and )o"'Cr, Ih.c lIug<' 8-52 ~Id ~II ide ~ ~lIind lIi1l5 and in '1I11C)'S from Ih.c SAM s.,...rch nldus. Combined "ilh Ih., uscof lh.c AGM-2lI Uound Dot! mlssile,lhe 8-52 f~ could flO" allack allnu four S<"J>;'Iral., lllrgcts and uill m'ln a '"Cry n:,1 wOWlb,lit) talc.

Oil<' hundred 8-52& "...,n: bu,11 II a COSI oflesJ th,n SO million each. making.lle E modellhe ~eheapesl-o(lh., 8-52 seria. Used uMI)'. n t~ n\ldear dclCm:nl miuion.l~ 8-52E "lIIOJlCrationaU), pha.snJ au.o( Koicc in 197()"~n.he 22nd 8W and 96th 8W f.,rnnllhrir n:maining 8-52& 10 J)a,i~Monlllan AF8, II.hough K\'Cral n:maincd in seoicc ";Ih the 8·52 C<lmblt en:" inuRIng IIRlIJ..

...... .,....,

II SAC _

ruM

10 a .altlII,. "OIXl<M" (armed) B·52E on 1M"'" ~_ TlMI 8-52E had tKtIcs dei. 1'1 ~ Ilf by SAC INt conslsIt(I of, _ _ .......

atloillca IhaI auIIt(l1M _

.1 •

.t

-...

.'-

AI ..... oct. 8-52 .......... _018-52£1_ mocIllecl1O_octMrecp-,: '.01 and . . . . . .

TNI N8-52E _ ftnad w1th a..."... GE JT·flO lVf!loCan anylne wtllct'i_lntencled 10 ~ 1M A '.,. 741 Jumbo.)oM Ir1tn&POrt- (.,IE" 1I¥tiItIon SldMI

One of 1M _11r.. _alhtl. and C*UIlnty 1M _ 1 e:t*lrIuI 01 a-52a. _ IMl'lt(I., Whlt. and N111........... N8-S2IE liNd lor ",.a.,.wn *1.. TlMIalo.. an _ fItlt(l with ...... COIlllol ...... on 1M b • • 1f ""III~ and a "-1M1""",,,,"lt(ll,", boom In 1M - . (Mdl

....,

•

.-

•

B-52F The U· 52f- dIffered from the (arlier ,..rianls i n thai II ,",U po...-crt'd h) 13. 7~ Itl)l JS7P-iJW ""11M'S ..·;th ",aler injccllon. Thc5C ens"'..s ...'C'~ cqu;ppN ",ilh "har'" dnn'all<:rnilton IOsuppl) dn:\Iicil} forth.. "in:r;on. Th~ grardri"cn al~malO<$lO,<,rc moun' IC'd on Ih.. kfl side of each lcr. engm.. In .. pod. With the ahcmalOr prolruding $(1m<' ""-.:1>'" ,"<,tin 0111 from the cngi~. a 1K'IO' dl>Ckd fairinl! "'.., tQnurucled for thc <'''lint CO"'hllJ. The firsl Olght of .. Snnk-lxllh 8-521' Um<' on 6 May 1958. .. h,1<- 1M lint Wjehua B-52F fk.. on 14 M,,). Wichita budt fort}'·fj,-.: B·52F", ..ith Sunk buikhnJan additional forl)'·(our airtTllfi. WJ\c,n the laSl B·j2F cam<'otTthc aSKmbl) line at Sunk on 24 f"d)lUal') lm.all fUNre 8-52 prodU(1l(ln ",UShlflC'd 10 the \\"lChita plant The D52F "nler«! SAC ~-;a, ..ilh 1M 7th OW al Can..-.:Il AFB in JUIlt ol19S8..

It ....s th.. B·52Flhal oonduC1ed lhl' liD! ARC L1GliT mi§:l;ionsoflM Vic1n.11m War In Ftbrual') of 1965 SAC oomm;tled t...u B·S2F "'lngs 10 Ihc conflict.lhe 2nd and 32lAh BW$. "',Ih Ihe 2nd BW bein! relic\"Cd b) the 71h BW In Ma)' of 1965. The B·S2Fs "''Cre Itandard Ilrlllepc bomben ...;'h r.K'b litted in the Itandard bomb bay ... hich hcld a 101111 ofl"'Cnt)'·sc\'Cn SOI17SO.or 1.000 pound bomb$.AllB·S2Fs"'CrecapablcofcalT)'inlthc AGr.I·!8l1ound Dol!- minilc and had undcT\Ooing p)lons lined as standard, This under-

...ingp)lon .....1 modified for theconl"entionlll mission by addinl a heavy pugc stC'Cllbeam adaptcr .. hich mounted a pairofMultiplc E;c.:torRacb(MEIUI. Each MER held si.\ SOOor 750 pound bomb$. This meanl that a B-52F nyingthe ARC L1GIIT mission could carry a muimum oflifl)'-onc con\'Cnlional "''Capons of ''3r1ouS Iypes.

On 18Junc 11J65.t...'Cnl)·lC'\"cn B·521'slcft AndcncnAFB, Guam lO:lnack Viet Cons 1lI'lC1$ nonh...'CSI ofSailOn. ThiS lint mission ,,-as inaulpicious losay lhe lUll. The VC Illrrered ''Cf)' fe... calualties. in faa.liOmc say there "''Cre no VC in the area, Addllionally.

Ihe strike ro~ lost t...u B·S2Fsln a midair collision. "';Ih louofboth cere...'$. Butlhe ARC L1G tiT miu.ioM conunucd. and ...'OUld do so through 10 tM final cuse-fire 'n 197J, The B·S2Fs ""eR pulled from comhat dUI) In SEA bqinninl in April of 1966 ... hen tM BIG BELLV B-520s became "11l1abk. After kss Ihan a lear in combat. B-52F ('R\I" had dropped O\'Cr 100.000 IOns ofbombs on VC IafFlS in Soulh Vietnam. l..ao6 and Cam-bodi.. They ""Cre instNmental In the suca$Sful conclusion of tM Manne Opcr1ltion HARVEST MOON and 1M 1st A.r Cal-opcnmoM in la D-rangl-allC) 1-oI1o...;ng ...;thdn..."l from comrn.lln 1966. the 8-52Fs returned 10 lhe conlincnllli United StalCS as pan orSACs nuclear dclelTCnl alen foree. The 8-52f- ...-as phased OUI on 7 ~mbcr 1978 .. hcn the 2nd OW lOOk. their las. a;reran to Da,·is-Monthan.

Engine Development B-52A-E J57·P·29WA Engine

"-

"Coclled" a·52F. f1'om 'h. 320th Bomb Wing on alert dun"" th. Cuban MI..... CtIsla of OC:tobar 1112, Tli. bulgoed ~cowlIlIfla CO'<Iarlng 1M hard d ..... an.....IQr$ _ . the .....1 . . . . axl....... CMI19' 10 I" a·52 tlne. 1M R8'528 iaN lurral,lJoa Stuchl

B-52F J57·P·43W Engine

,Nt-lnlakM

,

r/~

.I,ll! f~~~£~\

OIl

n... Urd 6W 8·52F t. conllgured wllh lhe 1IH1.·bum Huvy Slor. . AOlIpl.. B-.. (HSA8J with • pM 01 MulIlpIe Ejector RIockI (MER_, uncl40r toKfI wlng for c.ry'.o'll co".... tlonal mUlIltloM dur1ng "'otKl SHOAT TRIP 1. ." " EIlIn.vB In !he s..r.vr- 01 1164. lJo:Mo

.....,

''''''II_ARC

AB-52FoI1hoI32OlhBW pult:InIOItt ~ apot .. ,."".....,AFB,GuMn'.

LIGHT mIulon In "'I 1MS. T1M 320lh BW ~n ARC LIGHT ~tlons from AndotrMn on 11 Ju.... lH5. {Joe Bruehl

',.get.

II pall' 01 8·52F, 01 Ihl "'Ilt> Bomb WI1\9 unloading 111"1' bomb load' on Vlel Cong In SOvltt VltlRllm dUrlng leIS. Each 8·52F eould ClIfTY' maximum ol'tny_ bomM. 8·52F openItiom _ . conducted under ,... code RlIIne ARC UGHT.lJoe Bruehl

--

27

•• e

.

-

•

.;A~

AIR FORCE

•

-

p.,

... 32Ottl8omb WIng 8-52F on tM ......

AnodkHn AFBIn the Sutrwnet of 1MS. Al Ito........

0.'111I ARC LIGHT opetMtona, the BUff', atll r...-...:l ~ Glou WhIle nudMr "'II-""~ Plllni and had .m. In 1M way of ECM equlpmetll 10 counMl' Sovle1.b\IIt AAA or SAlIs. (.Joe

8n.od>1

.,..Ioad "'e

A 8·52F of 1M 7th Bomb WIng C8tfIn of III 117 750 pound iron borntIt tNIfOU1. 10 ~'In SoLrtl'I ~""'" c)urin(J 1M ~ of 'MS. ARC LIGHT rnh~ _ . . . .,........... two of lIM 8·521's ~ In mId8lt r~lng In the lou of boIto c.-a.

(Joe 8Iuch)

The",

.1.

StrHl'l'llrlg Its drag chut., 811to Bomb Wing 8·52F roa. 10. haIt.t AnOeo"" AF8 d\IrIng ......

1Mll. The GIou 8lKll u~cwnoull8ogebelPnlo~on BUffs In t MS. The wlng~....:loulrtggotr *"*'sI1l'N' •• not toue:hlng 1M ....-.y, an IndIcIttion IhM 1M I\MII tanks _ . I' 8lnIJo hMl (..-ty en'lP'YI. (.Joe 8luch1

A B-52Fol the 320ttlBW tadlnlOthe~pitaa'! Andeol-.. AF810 be . . . " , " In 'M5.

The III 117 7$0 pound Iron boi.obs _ _ ltTed lndMd • ') 01'110 1M MERI and Inlemllll'8dls by WI M..J.11ft nctor, Tau.. u..n by ~'9 ..... HdIpt" at bc:Imbtnwlth the BK> BEllY B-52DL (Joe

Bruefll

City 01 E1. PASO

was a 8-528 assigned to the 95th Bomb Wing at Biggs AFB, Texas during

1959.

- _.

• U. S. AIR rORe£

A B·520 0' the 307th SWat U'Tapao., Thailand in Fi:lbruary of 1970 in standard Southeast Asia camouflage wtth 8!ack undersurfaces.

7DlII

This B-52F of the 320th Bomb Wing at Andersen AFB, Guam In 1966 carried the cartoon character "caspet'" the Ghost" on the forward fuselage.

ThiS B·52G from Air PrOVing Ground Command was used to test ECM systltmS during 1965.

Miss Fit II, • 2nd BW B-52G, fired AIr Launched Cruise Missles against Iraqi talgets on 17 ....nuary 1991 as part of the opetlillg round or DESERT STORM.

This NB-52E was fkIwn by the All Folce fight Dynamk:s Laboratory lor Control Configured Vehlcfe (CCV) tests.

SAC nme, a 416th BW B'52G, new DESERT STORM missions from both Moron, Spain and Jeddah, saudi Arabia.

Bridesmaid Becky, a 410th BW B·52H based at K.l. sawyer AFB, carries the overall GunshIp Gray camounage.

nv. 32OltlSomb WIng 8-52F..lurt'l4ld 10" del _wtth 8 "toUI'IliJ" bomb onIM 18ft , _ MER. 8-52"- droppIMI_ 1oo.OOO __ of bonlO8 on ARC UGHT Of*1lr\on$ betIoo .en.tune 1"5 8ftd ApI 1861. The . .1lI...1tN ....... buIlIM CO".I..... 10 ... B-52F ............ IJolo BNchI

Strumlng bl8cll ~ from IM'-" ~ ,. '10... 8 3201h 8W &521' ....... AncMrMn.va wtth 8 tullD8d of Mtyo-oI .. MI17 750 pound boIllbL II _ 1M 8路52 .trlk.. lh8t broIleIM bid< of 1M VIet Cone In 1M" Dnng Y8ky lSuMg ll1N.!JoIo 8nlcto1

The MeIlO'lO bpfe.... 8 8路521' of 1M 32Ott1 8W. hNcb lnIend I_.. en. 1M I8r9" _ . II _ nemecl 8ft.. - 1M Mel<ono 0eII8. The 8IrcfaIt CM1iM _1Y'Of'Ie " "on ~ on 1M h .. ,l'ae -'de. The "EAIINM" n.w 8' ..... 1lI'Iy-.... t'g .. bIto.- rotIitln; home'" ApfI of lMe.lAobltf F. Don)

_"i

I

1

--

~...-..cl..-d w:alli", for. "'Ightbbofl', ..... 1* The~"'~.M~I . .

AF1I wlth. fullloecl of 1"'7 750 pound bo"lbL "CHI'*'" -.lei 11II... drOCl the 5O,000th bomb on the vc. The Glou III-=:lI ~ ~ _...., '-"'Y _u..N.

au.ter

A 8-52F 157-0'83) of the 7th 80mb ~ drops 80mb UnltII «:8lJt1 d<.IMg en ARC UGHT.,' ..on_V\etl..... 1n 'M5. The 7th 8omb~_homebeMclM AF8, 'hKU Md _ .,.....,.N 10 Aud.. _ , AS GuM> for,,' ~ _ ~ AIiL 1.Joe

c......

(.Joe 8ruo;IlJ

"'-I

F · ...", their ~."'.'" tleck 10 CONUS (Co;w.llooenQl U.s.1 ~...cs ...... the 8· 52F. f.e II'< .~ the full.hleglc ~ ~ . TlW 8·52F of the 328th 8S .. u!lUW8lln INollM (FS 3021Sl11M ....... eoll the.tandard Ughl Gr_ (F'S 34201). (TOm 8r~

A 8·52F of the 3201l'1 80mb WIng ret_IO lA1tMf AF1I dwlng 'M7 wlth tlWly" 'nlon ~ ..., 'Iil~ on the hn ' ae In 8IIdI.. Tl* ARC UGKT _ _ ~ 10 the . r a l . mIuIon d .. Ib 'Ms.ae <;Or.!bIIl det*l ........ lo VIet...... lAoCletI ElpoeIto)

•

B-52G The B-S2G was the first of the ~ShOTl'lail" variants. hut Ihe shorlc. vertical tail assembly was just oneof u multitude of major ;mernal and e.tlernal churlges lhul came aboUl wilh the B-520. Tllcsc chlln~s were lhe .csul! ora major weighl saving program initialed by lloci ng and the Air l'<lrcc. The most nOliuuhle cha nse wus the reduction of the heigh Iof the ,·",nieallail by almost eight fecI. from 48 reCI J i nellC'S to 40 feci 8 i nelles.

Ilullhc wing was also completely redesigned. deleting the cOllvcmional ailerons, lllternally. the ,,'jng fuel "bladders" werc replaced by fuel"cclls"thal convened virtually c"cry nook and crunny in Ihe huge wing imo a fuel [auk. This new "wet ....inS.. increased the i Illern"l fuel capadl)' from 41.soo gallons to 48.000 gallons. Wilh the incn:ase in i nll:rmtl lankage, Ille e~lemal wing 13llks "'-ere reduced in size from 3,000 gallons 10 700 gallons and permanenl1y 111laelled 10 Ihe OUler wing.

The Ii n~L1 major ellange eXlernally "'"as llle delelion of [lie manned rear lu ITel. The four gun lunel remained bullhe gunner "'-M mo'-ed forward 10 join Ille reSl oflhe crew. silli ng besidc Ihe EWQ On lhe ul'per ded heh ind Ihe I'ilol. The gun ner now operaled lIis weaf'Ons by remOle conlrol Ihrough an AN/ASG·15 Fire Conlrol SYSlem. using eilher radar [racking or closed cireuil le1evision. AClually. Ihe enlire new eabin was redesigned nOI only 10 make room for Ihe gunner and his equipment bUllO gi.-e lhe crew Th. Inl 8·52G In flIghl OV... Wlchltll during NovemberollUll. 11Ht 8·52G InlrOOllCed the more sl'ace. Tbe noor was lowered erealillg more head room. BOllllhe EWO ~md [he ."O<1er ver11cal ftn, remol_lroIlIId tllllurre1 Ind w.. b\llll ~ 11th. BoeIng pIIIn! In Gunner sal fl.ci ng art a nd ejeeled upward and allllle ejcclion sealS were redesigned for Wlchltl. (Marty lahem) grealer comfort. The air l'Ondilioning S)"Slem was re\-"dmpW lind givell ioc",as.ed e~ll'acily and all redundmll crew sySlems "'-en" e1iminaled. The dual radomes On Ihe nose were rel'laeed willi a one-piece radome 10 hell' reduce bolll eOSIS a nd 10 ease maimenance of rhe forward·looking radar and ECM syslems.

Tall Development The redesigned ~"'-el wing~ sa'-ed al mosl6,OOO f'Ounds alld [he shoner lai I$Celion cuI anOlher 12,000 pounds offl he emply "'-eigh[. lIu[ add ilional ECM equil'menL addilionl.1 ejection system for Ihe gunner, [he AN/ASC-15 Fire Conlrol Syslem. plus ~llIlhe additional ",iring and plumhi ng needed for Ihe ~Iou nd Dog missile redueed Ihe 1013lweighl sa"ings 10 15,400 f'Ounds. llul lhe gross "'-eigbl of Ihe combal loaded 11-52G aClually increased B-52G almOSl 40,000 f'Ounds 10 a maXinlUm gross lakeoff weighl of 488,000 f'Ounds. Wilh lhe B-52A-F inerease in gross "'-eight [he range should haw dropped, bUI Ihe unrefuclcd I1mge aClually incrcased from 6.600 naulieal miles 10 o.-er 7,500 nautical miles.

The 1l·52G was lhe lirslto be buill solely by Bocing's Wichita plant The firsl B-52G TIln rolled off Ihe assembly line on 23 July 1958. wilh the lirSI nighl laking place on 27 Oclober. Deli.-ery of the firsl ll-52G 10 [he Air Foree Air Researcll and DC"e1opmenl Command al Ed"'-ards AFB e~.me on 1 NO"emher 1958. Thc firsl operational SAC ~.ir­ Gunner's crart{57-6468) was aeecpled by Ihe commanderOrlhe 5[h llW al Tra,is AFB on 13 Febln~;-...... ruary 1959. Record bre~.king nighlS by Ille ~Iightweight" ll-52G began almosl immcdimely.

Fllred OYer On 15 December 1958. a lloeing nigh[ crew made an unrefueled niglll of0"er9,OOO mi les, While On l3 Dceemrn,r 1960, a 51h llW B-52G completed a 10.000 mile night wilhOUI innighl refueling. The lasl of 193 B-52Gs came offlhe Wichila assembly line on 2J Scptemrn,r 1960.

The B-52G was 1he lirs1 .-arianl designed 10 carry and launcll bolh [he GAM-77 •• Hound Dog. first of Ihe Air Launched Cruise Missiles (ALCMs). and Ihe GAM·87A R.mot.

Skybolt (ALBM)Air Launchcd Ballistic Missile. The Hound Dog ",'as used as a sland· Conl,oIIed ~" RNr TII"II orrwe~'f'On designed to auack largcl$ such as rndaroomplexesor SAM ballerics. 1I1lhO\Jgh it could be used Hgai IlSl any slrategic targ.:1. The Iiou nd l:>Og "'-as 42 fee.6 inche$long a nd TII,'.I ",-eighed o>'er 10.000 f'Ounds. II ""as f'Owered by" 7.500 Ibst l'rall & Whilney J52'P-3 engine giving il II lOp $peed in exces$ofMaeh 2. Wilh a slaleoflhe art inertial guidanC<': turbojet engine

...

F1n-....,0

.......

.-

....

33

A&52Gca""I9'-Dol ,7 GMH7ASkyboill ...... uouf'ldMdB. I~ Mlsd po ......,, _ _ l'I~"'1"2dueto AGM-4. sta't ItMge Anedt . . . . . (SfIAM). (*rty ........,

Hound Dog~'O\lldaUll\:l UTF'S O'ff 600 miles from Iho: B-~2 "'un.:h ~IrcTaft (on,o: ...o:nll>. Ihe Ilouoo Dos mi.»ll~ "0:0: .. ired and r1umbrd IAlOlhc B-~2'!i"'In.,,'l.) anJ fud ~) S\<:1fI).. As a O:.)&Ill.lhc 8- ~2 rilot CO\Ild lIio:!he: IlouOO Do,o:. .nn for LalrolT and n:fuellho: ml>o$lk In mid-ilir from lbe 8-52 main fuel Lann.

T'be lint lluuOO Dog.'U dch'-ered 10 lho:oll3~ Stralt'Jic'" 'na al Epm AI-Bon 23 tkccmbcT 1~9 for ~r-aI>Ollal IeSIIng. On ~ Fmr\l~r) 1960. a ol13~th B-~:X; t\k.... $AC&52Geoo,ib.I_..... IO ...... "c:odIed".-rt8-52G.O"oI_., • chef ","001 ~fllll> Ieundled a lnooa dcs>pIaledl AG~E!8 for !he: lin! IUDC The fin! su.:cnwul . . &52G_ _.-ydooo'~, l¥dlo"_~._oIloi_d.

'TheligroOOl" Hound Dos ml"'ton .. .as no.. non 12 AJ<ri1.hcn a oll351b B-~:X; lefl EJ!m AfB. F1onIh. Hound 00'II h r I«l ........ _ . " j lUSAFI 1IllIdc: a round Inl" 10 tho: l'Oonh Pok and had.. !he:n launched lhe mi»iles O'ff me, Caroo: Cane'niIl Mlo.!i.lk Tn:l CO:"1« The AG \1-:!8 carrinl a Ml:!8 ."",kar.<lrfItoad .llh a ono: mcplOn )KId All 1""""'tOUS B-52 'anants .'Cre f'ClrolinN .llh Hound Dot: laurw.:h 'Ill eapat-lill) n.., Iloun<! Dot: .... rctlrN In 191 boeinj! rerlxro b) !he: 8oc1l1~l!ncd A(;M-69A SRAM The B-~2G. abo mlendcd 10 be a laurw.:h ,eh,,,k for-tho: Douglas GMoI-87A Sl)bolt AIr uumbcd Balli....., r.h»ik Tho: SIl)boI1"as a ....o sLaF. !iOlid flld ALB\{ .llh a ran~ of 1.1 SO mila and earned a nudear "<lrfItoad "llh a onc nKplOn )lCld. Tho: Sl)boll.as a m;lljor Anpo-Amcn.:an proj«l .. hi"h _Id ha'e rc-rJ:MXd tho: 1I000nd Dot: on B-~2 an-cr-afl and lhe Blue SIf'C~1l mi»ik on RAF ,"ukan bombers. BUI a m""h • p'CalC1" Iban anticlJlilIed dcYCloprneng.;d and J'<Odul:tion CflQ oI"tIK S)-wm I'ooad PTeidcnl knnN) 10 uncr:llh~ Sl)ooh on J tkccmber 1962 Both Ih~ Ilound Dos and Sl)boll "C1'C o:,o:nluall) O'CJ'laoed b) Ille 8oclng--dcslgnN AGM-69A Short RarljCAlIal;l MISIoileorSRAM l1IcSRAM ..~. iin&k r;cop:. ~hlc • solid fuel balh~lic miilillclhal had a rangcol"aboullOO mlles.Six SRMhun !>c:",arriN utem.l1) on ~Jl<:"iallY~lllnedundc""in!p>lon~mounling Mandan! MAu-n~j«Ior red,s. On the B-~211, SRAMs arc carrKd '" a rotar) I.uocho:r Ihal mounl1> ",to lhe homh ba), The rotary lau n"ho:r hol..ts~il!h' SRAMs. for a total ofl....,nl) SRAMs. plus lhe wehl"offour nud~ar ,ralit) boml>s normall) earned.

Another mllo.'iil~d~\'ClopWfor u)<' on lhe 8-52G "<lsthe McDonnell GAM·17 Quail dew) ml~"le The Quail is a small jct·po..ered mISSile Ihat ..... carried in lhe B-~2 bomb bay. The Quail hau electronic o:quirmo:m lhal ~I'~ lhe missile a wrauar SlllnalUrr:" Similar 10 lha' of a 8-~2 A 8·52 o:oold laun"h its Quail in e.... my '~rnlOl) and enem)

a'ld_-...rr,,,c

,

,

•

•

'TheSkybott

~~"ao.IIIg

'<}Mcm. Itll:

r.ldars lind SAMs "'ouldn'l ~ ahle 10 lelill from Ihe troe Ml>oml>er~ - al kaSllhal ",-..s Ihe throl) The Quail ... ilS po... eredhy II ~i ngle JIl5-GF-7 engine that lPl\e Ih.. Iinle missil.. \imilar performance 10 Ihat of a B-S2 I a~h B·S2l>omh ba} oould hold four oflhe re· dnignated I\l)M·:!O Quaib The Quail mi:»lks .....re relired from seoicc ... ilh the lIound Dogs m 1978 Imall).th.. B·SX; "'as ~apabl"oflaun"hmgIh .. IK'" generation AGM-86AI.CM.• ,Iateof th.. an cruise mi»ile desijln<'<l and hui It h} Roein,. The AGM-86 ... 'lIS adua1l) an oulgro"'lh of a program lOde, e1Clf1a folio... -on missik 10 the Quail deco).onl) Ihis decoy "'QUId f'IId. a hell of a ... illlop ('om('Ctllion for Ih.. I\LCM contract finall) came dovolllO IVoO manufaclur..... Roelllit "'1th lhe A(j!\1-116 and G .. neral D)namio ",ilh the AGM· I09Tomaha",L Both mib,les "'on - the N.,,) p Ihe Tomaha,,1; and Ih.. Air J-orcc j!O( tlleAGM-ll(,.On2 Ma) 1980. Roeinl!"'nis u<'daoomTaCllOhuild ill ALCMs. Th.. first SAC unit 10 ,oOf'Crational ",nh AI-eMs "'as Ih.. B·SX; ""luipped 4161h OW al Gnffiu AlB in IXccmher 0( 19111 The: AG!\1-1168 A1.(\t is 20 r«t 911l"h~ long and hn a 12 foot ",ingspan 11 ~ighs J.200 pounJ.s and,s f'O""red b) a 6llOIhsl Wdham~ I-I07·WR-lOOrorbol"an .. n!!iIK. The top ~d 1S00,"r 'i()O mph ark! it has I ranl'<' 0( 1..'\00 mdn. The AGM-868 carries a WllO-I nuckar ...,rtlea.l ",tll a :!n) I;iloton )icld. The AG!\I·86 ALeM is exlremel) ao;urale The ,nertial na'iption computer is reprogramed ,nfhghl"'''1) minule ",ith th.. lal<'101 ,nli:wmation from !he B- S2G II na""lIionlll SS:sl<'m. "The ~ oomf'U1eJ ha$ an In1em;d

radar all,meler anduscs a memol) Ihal ~'()ntains comp1<'t.. mal' referen~..s IIlthepn>gram I;oo"'n asTI RCOM TheTLR('OM hasallth.. hills. ,all.. )s.streets., huildingsand ri"ers in Its memol) As e"Ornced on (NN lasl Janual)'. Ihe ALCM can literally fl) do.. n a lksignatW slreet unltllllO(:al~ th.. COrTe'C1 ad,Jress. lralfi "resident Saddam II USSClll ha~ • personal I;no... le"'gc of Ihe accuraC) of these CruIse mIssiles.

The B-S~G hu ,on<' Ihrou@hase .....sof<',olutionsbothofTensi'...I).ndOrfensi'... I} o'er its cll.....r I ir!it "'d~ Ih<, 1a<;lics "hllnge rrom high allilude nuclear altllcl; to 10" .Imu"'e nudeal allacl. Wllh Ihe Ilound Dof: and Quail pa';n!! the ... a). the IJ·S;X;~ droppct.llheir penetratiOn almU<k from .\~.ooo feet 10 SOO r«t or las! The So-i<'IS countered Ih IS ""th the <k\ eloprtl<'nl 0( the SI\- 3 SI\M missik.... hieh COf.IJ,J SI.I,,·ct'ufull) aUll<;I; an alll:raf, n) mgal allllud<'~ do.. n 10 'i()O f....l S!\C OOUnter<'d the ne'/> SAM threat ""h IK" [(' M S) I<'ms and b) drorrLng Ille ('<'nctralion al!iluOr dovolllO :!n)f«t lor leulthrough uS<' or an a"" anced cIJ'oll>ihl) radar ""th terraon a'nidaDO<', Lo... Ie, ... flight\ ire Ihe II'lOSl11an~rous for an) 1}"Jl'C' 0( ain:rlIft. The cre'" has Imlc or nolimc: 10 r"iKllOan~ t)"('CoflhreaL BUla lo<ole-sel au,ad,of200f...... ,11 nighlor ..,th the nu"kllr ....:urullns~ dO!>Cd.could he pure SI.Ii<:idc In Ute earl} 1970s Roem, tk'elo(\<'d ,he A.",I ASQ-ISII \~ S)'Slnn(FJcctro-OroucaI \-',",l"'S)-slI:m~n.., EVS used bodl a Westln,house AS A\o-22 10", kvelli!!h, lele-sl"on(LLlTVI",1lD<'ral1rk! a HughesA.'\I AAQ-6 ""I""'lII'" Lool'"I Infrarc,J(I-L1Rlun'lln II duallum1 asscmM} under the radome The L\S \~\l<'m p,.... Ihep,toes Ut<' -nighl ~s~ requ,red 10 SU<:\:C"i full) operate Illhe

The _ . . . d.II.,.1t at !he B-52G dIl.Wtng!he -'Y 1MOl: _ a _ at Nol1to ...... b .

AGM-21 Hound Dog cruiM III • wlttI nuclIMr • • 1 "CII, __ IIIIeM1 _ IItd1ove<l ~ at .....'ll ~ (up to nn. II 19a:'OO41 III !he bomb .,.IC" 1M _0 n I

4jUb

U.S.AIR FORe

"

I'~t",ml'

10'" p"nl'tration ahilUdl'S caliI'd for wilh the nl'W SAC mission pmlik Ikfensi\d)'. lhe B·52 "as constantly upgraded dl'<:tmnieally to 1'00 n~r thl' latest in Sovil't anti-aircraftth",ats Early B-5h had multipk jamml'rs. chalT diSpl'nsers and radar wammg recei,'ers_ By thl' timl' that the LlNI:.UACKER Op"rations began against North Vil'tnam in 1972. thl' B-525 began to look likl' pon:upinl'S ",ith mullipll' ECM antl'nna ··farms~ gro",ing undl'r thl' fus<:lall\'. ChalT and nan: pods Wl're mou nted bet· ween lhl' I'nginc: pods and additional RHAW an~nnas and nare dispensers were instalkd The Phase VI electronic "arfare modilieation brought a great man) e~ternal changes to the B-52G and H First'" as the 40 inch extellsion ofthe rear fuselage bet",ccn the trailing edll\' ofthl' rudder/stahilizer line and the rl'ar tum:1 assemhly. This e~tension housed an AN/AU)·II? ECM system.An add,tional pa,rof AlQ.117 antenna fa,rinp ""ereadde<! to the nose of the aircraft above the l:.VS turret assembly. The \erticallin had an ANI AlOol53 tail wamlrlg radar an~nna hump ad<kd lOeach side Addnional ECM antenna arrays are mounted in the wingtips. ...ith jammers m the nose and rear fuselage.

The B-52G saw combat during the Vietnam War as pan of Operation nUllF.T SHOT ... hen SAC commilled IIOB-52GSduring thl' lINEBACKEkoperations. The B52Gs could carry only I"'ent)-seven bombs internally. But the G models operated alonpide the \'eleran B-52D, in the Summer and Fall of 1972, culminating in the successful LINEBACKER II allllcksagainst North Vietnam. With the signingofthe cl'ascIill'_thl' B-52G fon:e !>egan to stand do",·n. On 15 July 197J.the first 51st BMS B-52Gs Il'turned to their home bas<: at $c)·mour Johnson AFB to begin standing nuclear alert once again They Il'mame<! m this mission postUIl' utllil January of 1991.

Operation DESERT STORM "officially" began in the early hours of l7 Janua!)

1991. But SAC B-52Gs hadactuallyslartl'don thl'ir missions on 16Janual) 199I.At0635 hourson 16January.scven B-52Gs from the 596th BMsnnd Bomb Wing left Barksdale AFU. Louisiana for Saudi Arabia. What made the mission unusual was that these 8An AIr Foo-c. Syst_ eomm.nd B-52G _ . t. .t.ct In ~ 11165 with bOttl tM Al...E-25 '--d-ftring roct<et d\II" pod poIItIor>ed betIo. .n I!>e eng..... .nct ....m.ull deflec:tor lYlE"" OIIailight .nglne .m.u.n which _ . deslg.Md 10 rech,lCe tt>elr Infrared Ilg".ture.

52Gs "(Il' call) Ing Ii\'( Boeing AG M-86C" Au Lau nched Cruis;: MIssi1<:s (AlCMsJ. The AGM-86(; is the same missile used for nuclear standolTultachncept that it has a l,<KlO pound high I'xplosi"e "":Ithead and the TERCOM syStem ",as lied m with the 8-52 Globall'ositioni ng Satellite System Refueli ng onceJUSt oITthe U.S, coast and again near Gibraltor. tbe 8-52Gs "'"ere escorted the rest of the "ay by F-15C taglcs.

Arri\lrIgo\1:rSaud,,\rabia around I am local timeon 17 Janual).the B-52Gsorbiled some 500 miles from Bagbdad.louncblrlg their missiles at 01.30 hours. The 8-52Gs had left Barlo:sdale "ith th,rt)-",ne ALCMs on board and each one bad a different target enlered IrItO its memO!)' TlIirt)-fi\'e ALCMs were launcbed. "'hile four de'doped guidance problems and "'ere hrougbt boml' to Barksdale. The targets ""ere command and comrol complc~es. radar sites and po"er generating facilities. The ALCMs arri\"Cd at appro~imatel) the same time as the NavyTomaha"k SLCMs and the F-Il7 Slealth fighter.

The results "'ell' '~e""ed by mlilionsofpoople throughouttbc world, It "as li\.:e ",,,-\Ching a firepoWl'r <1.emonstration_ The CNN Il'poners t;lIk~-d about "'":Itehing the CrulSC missiles ro,lming up and down the streets of Baghdad loo\.:ing for targets After the B·52Gs hod launched thcir missiles thl'Y began the long nighl home again. hIlling the tankers t ice moreenroute back to Barksda1<:.lt had been the longest combat mission in history ,th each ain:raft and cre'" logging 34+ hours in the air. But that ",-as just the beginmng.

On Do) 2ofDl:Sl::RTS-I ORM.ten 8-52Gs from thl' 379th BW left Wunsmith AFB_ MIchigan, Thl'Y ",ell' loaded "ilh standard M 117 750 pound bombs and brand ne" CBU·87 c1usler bombs that had been shipped in from Rome Air I)c"clopment Center the day before the mission. Refueling inflight from KC-135s olTthe coast of Rhode Island and by KC-IOs from Moron.. Spain m"er tbl' Mediterranean.. the B-52Gs struck Republican Guard positions In and ncar Kuwait Tbcse missions ....ell' ONLY s....entcen and a half hours m Icngth as the) landed atJcddah.Saudi ArJbia. "hell' theyremaine<! forthe rest of the "'":Ir. The B-52Gs flying combat in Ol::Sl-RT STORM ....ere assigned to four pro\isional bomb wings: the 1708th BW(l'ro,·isional)atJeddah.lhc4JOOth BW(Pjat Diego

(Marty 1Inam)

I!>e B-52F ..e.pt that tile engine

36

B-52G uHd the ume 13.750 Iblt wllterlnjected Prall & Whitney J5 7-P-43W _nglnes .. w... IIghtry dln...nt In thaI the upper o;owtlng bulgu t.ct.

The

cow"

Gan:ill.lhe 801s1 BW(P)at Moron. ~paln nnd thc l:ll6th BW(P)at RAt< F~,rfonl inGrcAt Oritam. SI\C commincd "C.ent) -four B-~~Gs'o 01 SI RT STOR M. "i,h the: aircraft and erc... ~ hemg dra"n from unllS throughout S.. \C A t)·picallJ.-~2 ol·SIRT SIORM ml ••ion ... a.~ nO! unhke an ARC LlGIIT B-~~D mission ofthc Victnam War Thc 8-~2Gs uiuaUy fle.... on three or four aircraft "cdls.Each R-~l edl ...a5 1)'picaU) suppone..t h) a p;lir of 1'-4(; Wild Weasel Phantoms for defcnse: .uppression and t...o 10 four "-1 "C I< agles fl)ing M iGCA". AI limes the crlls ...'Ould numherup IOsi~ aircraft. Fach cdl ,",oul..t ha.~ a LoringorCastkAFBairc-raftas Lead since the) had the -nr mod ""lh the NAVSTAR Global PoSltlomng S)'stem for pinpoint na.iJil1l0n A edl "as launo.:hcd from Jcd<tah c.er) thl'C" hours. keepmg unrelenting rmsure on the Repubhcan Guanl near ':U",III. During the Ii~t da)S of the ..... r. the cells launo.:hw lrom OiqlO Garcia and Moron "ere Iliac ling usong a .tandan! nuclearpcneuation profile,comlnl! m at ~f<:c'tork u.uall) much k~ Butlhesmall cahher ~nt,·alr-craft Iire"a!>)O in~n.'>C. and the SAM .urrrC$Sion 5Ocomple~. that SAC ~lternlthe ml~".,n profile. !lCn..tonl! m the D-~~ cell. at 35.000 feet. As in \'"letnam. the ground .. oul..t .,mpl) >IAn e\rkJdmg .roun..t the Rcput>lican Guanl before: lhe) n~n lne... there ..as a B·~~ in the area Although onJ~ one B-~x;.. IuIt; dunlll the .... r. and !hat"a51 nl>IHXl<Ilbat accident sc'~ral did su\Uin hea.) damaF oopHe the enenme defense: suprcssion dToro. b) Coalition aircrafl (APT Man: Baraa)'s B-~x; hild a near miss b) an SA-3 missik that lnodw OUt t>och enF"" on the: l'umberOnc engine pod. plus taking out the lefl outnggtTgcar an..t $C\eral oonlrols).lCms andlTM antcnnas.. 8at..a) also lOOk a lOOmm AAA near mi» Iholl JlCJ'J'CrW Ihe fuscl. . .nh shrapnel- Both lima.. the R-S~ crt'A brought thebil!bird homttoJW..tah 10 n) ap,n BUlcrnainl} the IIlOSI unllSUa! m,~ion "'-a5 that of CAPT Lmwood Mason M;uon und his cmo "'en: leading a cell ~tta<:lIng la"Fb in the Baghdad area ",hen the) "ere atlad.w b) I missile -:II missile none or their EC M or "''ilmIOf S}st~m~ sa" conlin&. LaICT It .. as kllrned thaI a SAM SUT'f'RS'ion lIircr3fl had IlIu1ll;htd an AGM·ItllIIARM unu-rad'.;luon mISSile on u SAM SIte thal"'b tn<:liOfthe 8-~1ctl1 The HARM Ioo.toon1aCt"'~lh thelaflClradubutsoon "",acquired I""' radartargtt.thegun-Ia}lOloo.armthe B-~XJ tail turret.. The HARM 1Ortthrough the right SllIbilour ..~thoul uplod'.... tout the Imp«! cleaned offlhe last$C\'Cn feel of the fuselagIC. ,no.:ludLOg the enure uillunC1:11n.d Phue VI ECM Far Mason limped the B~XJ bact Ie).leddah '" here " .."s palCbed IOfCthtr for I Iil1lll nighl stnLightlO the Ander~n AFB bonqard The~;l B-~x;s a»lgncd 10 DESERT STORM nc... a IOUI of 1.611 sortIeS. "~Ih the 17Ol!Ih B\\. (PI at kddah n)101 S46 of IheK. The B-~~ foroe dropped I lOla! of72.011 ...~aponlo, "lth Ihe kd..tah ""n,dropplOl36...WO"'Upons(mostl) Ml> 8':! and M 117 GP boml.>!lor COl" s). That IS a IOI.aI of 11.742,000 J'OU nds or e1plO!>i'"C~! The B-5XJsdroppcd 31' of the enure U.s toUl

'u·,••, ..

a.........

tII"

.520.... the AI,.,.. _, AFB., 10 MpwI lor tarveta In Nortl't ""-1:.... during the .... Ep&CII£Il 'i L SAC couwnlned 1108-52Gs k> the LJ'EP'CKOI '110' _ though the .52O.ClOUIdonry.....,tw.. it) ...... bombe .,....... _ _ IIwy dld not " - Ill"'" .....10 ~ (.Joe 8Iud\)

can,

c*."

--

Nose Development B-520

SoMI WinGe.

-. ,

DoOr

B-52G

•

.....

0-_ Aide

-

.Ie

eNS "nt......

_od

J7

•

•

Specifications

B-52G Stratofortress (Phase VI) Wing"*' 185 flllll Length .•••..••••..••......... 151.56 re.t

lenlIth (PhIl. . VI) • ..•••.•.•••. 160.91

IelII HeIght 40.67,.

Empty weight 168,44$ pOUn(l, MIIJtlmum W-'9h1 .••.••••••.•• C88.ooo pounds Powerl*nt ElghlI3.15Q IbOII J51-P'43W6 turtlqell. ""_

Atm8n-.f ••••.•••••••.•..... . Foo.r .50 ~ nwcI'.- guna.

MuImum 5pMd

S

IoA~

634 mph ~

...

Range ••••••••••••.......... 7.100 .....

er-

38

so.

\

c.nn

... 2nd M ~ 8-520 .1lA.....;:.,... ot 011 Hound Dog Ii '.1 wtlIlI onail. 0110 IoloIr1 during the -'Y 1NOa. AI'" helghl 011 the Cold WW. *bolo.. ...., .. aatt ott-.. •••_ _ IIloft !of 2. ' - n . The ....... Ilpi., noM and t8lI blonds _ In DoIJ9lo (Mwly ..,..."

7

o.-anv-.

Thia - . I I GloM WhIte B-52G _ ··'gMd 10 the Nt Forc:e FlIgtIl TMt Ctlnl.. 1M e_d11 AFBclur1ng tlloetnllt-1.7001, ftWInSl_lor ... _OM ae AlCM cnAM".... PiC9".L The .... cnoft ........... ', "'" rnount-.:I 700 gaIon .. _ _ If",,.,.. _ _ de, ? \ e j for B52G. (LTC

s.ny

,

The 8·52G couIdgnya HeYM Inllultrtw (:kqler Bomb Unit dIspen. . lnthe bomb bay. ThIll dIIpenMt held .loIIiloll ..... "Y rwoC8U .... 'b*~..... alOClil at 5,328 bOioobloilb.C8Us __ highly ettKtIva In at1KloJng .... delenM lIIl. . IJUdl . . AAA lM*tIonl ... SAM WI... 1.Joe

"""'"

/

J9

'*-I.

Th118·52GtromItM211to8WI!UII~AF81n1.1Ih1SbothEVSI ..... et.~tOprollCl 1M •.,.Iam. The CIII'lOUI\IgI ~ SlOP ~ III thr. . tone G_IFS 3'1201.

3'11 H. and 3IOnl ~ . no! I ,.. and 0.... pMl..... (8tlIIn Roganl

EVS System 8·52G

•

8·52G EVS

......

•

:4~-~"='"

ECMAnI......

""W

'ECMAnI_ _

The A,HJASQ-151 EVS .......I.on 1M 1I.ws.1Ilde 0I1tM noM on II>b B-52G IIoout4 Low Ugh! L.eQI TV (LLLTV) ....:l Foo _ d I.OQklng tntrarMl lFURI~' Ind lid! !urrI'! IIInd1pendint 01 1M olMr. The bill!.... on the IIlde _ AL.o.I11 ECM ....,........ (JooI

"""'" 40

'"M11ge

o ECM An'enlll

""W

0

P,otwet outCK START ~ _bk!ge ........ Ofl . . IIlgrtl_._lOdooci 1M time • II ded 10 III Ccou.IIlrboI'le. n.e ..... doud hlm 17'11'Io 8W 8-520 _toxic: end ground _ ........ 10 _ '""' ' alon dwtng 0lIIClil. START .... , .. 1..IoIl 8Ncto1

a.-

III3nlBW8-52Ohlmc.u.AF1I _ _ tMnlOdllloH:lSlOP~Ild.''''SAC'' co•• eot thai tM WhIt. _ _ 1llgl'II'f' ...... cturlng • low ...... 1lttKk end ilIl' lcIetllO pelnt .... kw • • d" .. , 1 _lno.t<ar.y(F'SJlI04!I1Iend,..:l I ided .... o.rtr.GN-.IFS:MOnl _ wlIto .... o.rtr. ar.y. {8rtIln ~ I

n.e

..

no.

.u."

"'-, .001 .... _ o f " 8-52001 tM 37V1h 8W _/lMl1ILO-117 ECM _ (ebove EVS t_lend .. ALFI·20 ECM _ ..... 1Oft IhIl IIldoio•• j.. n.r.•• IIlgrtl . . . .,1 undIlr 1hIl" I 1"1IIl wtIId'o"""lIP IhIl kw • • d ECM _ _ rwm. n.e.ullft.-.o _1hIl wlng "'1IIInoIlIllI . . . . . wHd'Ilo' 1hIl*ullft • • ALCIoIIlu ld'IIlr 10 so."-t , •

...... _,

18',

II 8-520 of 1M 43rd SW ~ In. r.'.~, u1 Ill: ~ AF1I, G.-I'I cturlng 1H5.

11M boCh 1M EVS end Phau VI ECM ..........CkM. end '- flIted wlIrl".wb" wtng pylons wlIII HSABamounttng MER.. WIth the pt.-.t 0I1tMo 8-520, tM COl'." ,1ionIil ..... o:uo... " .'on "'10 the 8-520 IIM:::'~"""~:::_~::'~I

_

1

..I

I

• 02 7

Aa·52O 01_ 120lh BWon r..-p -""1 M MIlth« ARI, CIiIfor.w1n No •• ,,*- 011 . . 7 ....w M I _ AG...... I'-l'OOO, ....,., , for ""'. pMrol mluioo'I. TlMi AG........ po ,•• lid by. _ 660 pound tl'InaM T I ~~. . "" (8fIIIn Rogwsl

A", iii. _ . . . . . - oI..,AGM-M8 ALCIIl fnlm _ bOmb beyol' 8·52G. TlMi AGM........ . . . . 01 up to 1,SOlI ..... ancl c.l C8n'Y1Iltheo". 2OOdoion .....aa. or 1,000 pound

1Ional",.t

.

22' (AFM1

COi".'

Inthemkt-leso..

52O.lMopn~lNItt1mIilMtrolmlssloM....-wMIth1iAGM· ......•

o- 8-520 """"'" on M d l _ t _ tHklld "'1111 the ""'ltll,wlMlrOiII: 42nd BW .. LJ;or'"; ARI and the 3~ aw M tMttw ARI. (8fIIIn ~ I

peon

_

CamouftagiId Hound Dog ,,' . . . _ 1IMIlr P'I1OnS harl8 In outdOor ~o;ng1i ,.,q at Wwt1mllh IIJI Fore. """"lI ~oIl'll.TtoeAGM·21. .

W·28 ~ ",aIt ." ancl_ wve1.cl1lgalr..t aIr...- ....... (Ron 1'lIurtow)

so..w

,W.

M AGM·H8 AIr uuO'ldMd CruiM MlNIe (AU:M) poaIlIoroecl on Its IpoK'ley de1Jgned pylon I1nCl MNJ.l 2 ~ ..... EKh p,bl hoIci11b: Al CML The __ SAC wilt 10 ~ ..... 811........ wtIto the AU:M _the '1llth BW whldl w.. ~ combtlt rNdy In 11182. (0Iclt Stao1ncllllkl

80th n.. Hound Dog I1nCl the Sltybo/t n I..... w_ ~ b'fthe Boelng'd ••I; ledAGMllIlA Shoo1 RtfIVIT Atl.,;k ISRAMJ,." "" uuncllecl8all1t1c: MlstlJ;wtItol . . . . of uplo 100 ........ A B·52G e1Il c.rry l'P to ~nty SRAMI whIcI'I ... prlm1rIy....., 10 knock out _111'1 wch .. t1d1. 1h... (Brt1n ROII1BI

Air Launched Weapons AGM·88 ALCM

AGM'28A Hound Dog

~--;="5~('-:::::;-

GAM·72 Ouail·

(

AGM·69A SRAM

....

......,

LaI>,ld...

Phase VI Tall Modification B-52G Phase VI

B-52G

• __ a-......_

..... ,eM

""*

nnd 8W 8-520 In ftlghl _ lOttM..-fUl 8I'Id II .... edge 01

.._

"'"'

$

n..

FIIIld6i AFB In 1tlTT ....... Inlt'-I,..... VI ECM mod_eJ:lended40lndMabet . . . thetlll~ I(Il'M:1uM .... AHlALO-111 EClIII ~Iem.. {Robwt F.

'a

The8-52G...-.pel W s.udI ..... dwlngor-........ DESERTSTOllM..SAC_ •••.m.d _ty-Iour 8-52Gt; outfttt-.:l tor COlIW",""'''' munItioi. to .... Gull w. OESERT STORM 8-5201 _ _ bMecl.. IedcW\, we:.- (SpIoIn~ ~ ~ ..-.d (IndIM ee--ol8l'ld MF F..... d lUnltlld IOolgdom). (8rIwo 1'lo9-S) 9

'

..

$

~

tM.-fy,"IOlI.'ll howsor 11.-nu.y 1"1, ....... 2nd 8W 6-nGs -..::l'Ied lIWty-ftwo ~ ,,' • I InoqI t8rglta. The 2nd BW 6-5201 had -..::l'Ied frgm ~.va."O'" II_.,-,OSpillorIOtMMtKk. The6-52Gs1hell...wm.clto Bark1dIIIl1 COli ~ IllIl\IlI tM ogwI c:ombeI .1 I I': • ~ "lory - _1l'IoIoTr1ow hows ~ tM ""(USA')

"0" Me

s:

.....,..-520 . . . . . lit tM RoIpubllc1ln eu.n:I ~ CiMlIolo • . - . K..-.lI . . . 1lcMn II8lrlg CBU-sa ~ bolt. wt*" <:OUkl ,",".btl.!he _ _ or lnqIlIInb. The C8Ul . . . mourlI~ ......1 to ... HSA8 ~ l:I1iIr'lI. MER I " " RogM II I

.. 31lMh .W .520 on !he ....... 8'1 RAF F1lrfon:l ~!he Unlt~ Klo'lfdOiIL n - 6-52Gs . . .

MlI~~ 'a leCIlo!heIO&1l'lBombWlng(p\od' lIlIJ ....... 'IIoutorEngfWld,SomI1 ... 5201 uMd!he AGM-21 HOund Dog ~ IIrt.cl wIIh HSI81 8nd M£R&. (SImon N...J. E~"'I

CUT Man:: Bar.., W1Il1s tI tM...:l or ... ~ ......,.111 .Mdd8h kif .... IWn to -..a ~ SUlfa..._III, 520 or !he 31lM:h BW, CUT BaI •• B-52O _ _ ol1lln Ih111I8fI Wun.l~ll • on 0.,. 2 ol tM OoMW.. bolilbed ... Rlp'~ c...d.-.

KIIW8It,.. ,.~ 81 'I ~ W, 8nd 1. . . . . . '11 e--1InII ... 8nd ollhe_. (USAF)

.va.

'

"1

-

.11111

,

1"'

".·520 of _ 42nd 8W on""...-.p '. ~ W, during FetIf\*y 'ell ~I ~ wtlh MI171ron bomb&. TM8-S2Ge~..

'11 oeclto_1108lhew 1PI...cl _~ 01 _ _ 8-52 --,In__.•52.u1tft _flown In three pAIoM"'ceIII.. __ In _ ARC I.JGHT ..... 01_ "~.I>"" WIt. (801wl RogenJ

RuI_'HIgJIIlJ.... _ ... '.ItIBW.52G M,f a iedlOthe17Ollth BW(PIM "d ? ?~ TMdI" _ _ ,,? ' i j . nwk8 '.lllnMd IIt1IIClw 1I"om~.oI bMM: ...... WhIle bomtI ....... _ . '. dd.., .. ? . . . . . . 1Iri" MIdI bomb nwk8lnd1caled 'i 111'" from Mofon, SpIoIn. (8rtM'l1logen1

Str_..... bIKk.make from ..... _ ~"'1600, uMd tor...u.un thNst UlkIOfh In the . . . . , ~ . 17OllttlIlWIPl8-UQ ....... .JIddiIh _ lor Rep . . . . . GUlird poIIlllo",. . - . It...... Ii. 8-520 "uII'''' id..-d from .JIddiIh - . y _ hOurS.. (USAF)

n..MooHlfl_•• 42ndBW8-52GM *,2 ?...... lhIil, . . . .'rnIMiOIrl _ II .. I'. ~In - . . no. B-52G. . . . ~UMclIor ,.SCUOIllert, '",",110 _ 1001 a..-.n n.q I.WltIlI SCUO ........... _COi',.'.lMl.1heft _&520 end 10 _......". _ by GPS NMMe !of _ ~ (8rtlon Aol aI II

"*""'"

.

•

~

7

_boo

I

.........

\ ' , . . . !.

t s _ .... ~l bomD1I'itrKlOflorllkledltloebombb.,-w'ithMl11lrool no._r.ydoorscanblswvngCOi.iP!et..,outofltloewaylO_.' "og, no. _ _ _ _ _ .fI\1-OOlllObomOI _ _ a-S2O_llnedwtltlHSAB.andMEAL

~

{BrWl .......1

.. 8-520 of _

IIM1fI 8W IP'lIUlM 10 _ Ku.. . - . . , -' AAF Falrlord for -n.1ong DESERT STOfIM", ", ~ a-5~ d r ~ 17,000 bomOI ... 1rIqi lao gilts In _ G. .

IUlliWty-OOlllO ......... " of lhelOC11"""" of bomOI _ _ 1n _ _• (SImon No J.

.......,

WItt,.

-.wlDI_lMln;.

Dur'IIIlI~~ ... a-Sb_bl-.u.cl.IIIfTO-.on_,Of"""""'''''•• II~ 0II,Undet . . . .,..lem • •S2 ....... _ . - . . , - - . ........ ~ t ..... og,(,MBn.idl1

B-52H Ahhou~h

the

B·~~H c~l ...rnall)

'esemhlcd the B-~!G e~cepl for the enginecowhngs.

Ihe U-5~11 was a radkall) different a ..",aft. The lie'" cilginc CO" lings housed an ent,rel) d,fTl"rcm I) p-e ofcngi ne. 1he Pr:ltl and Wh,llI") TJ< H-I'·3 [n ,hornn engine. The TFB curbofa n engine .... as a dc\elopmcnt of the H7 "nhoUl "aler illJe<;lion. InSlead. Ihe TI,· 3J had a rnudllongercomprcssorsl3j!.C .. hkh ~ncralcd a ronioll orllle thrust. ,,-illl larger Irlla~cs and compre~~or l>lades 10 suppl~ air Hence the I<'rm -turbofan""Thc 1'133-1'-3 '""gine, on II".'" IJ·52H cad dnelope<J 17.000 11m. some 5.000 Ibs! more than the J51 cngine~ on tile B-5:!.G The turbofan engine was also much more fuel efficient ~'"l! ab<JuII"cl".. ~rcenl more t"Conomicalthan the J57. The unrefueled range of a comllat I03,.te<l n-5:!.1l (4S8.000 round~ gross weighll in~reased. !>Ome Z,SOO miles OIer that of~ comparahle 8-5~G.1O 12.500 miles.

The d"fensi, e armament .... as l'ha nged from four .50 cali~r machine !!U ns 10 a si ngle Gen....al ElcclriC M-61 ~O!.tM Vu lean ~annon. ''It h an adJU "lllhie rale of tire of bel".... n 3.000 and 6.000 rounds pcr mi nute The n ighl S)Slem$. a,ionics and eleclronics remained lhe S3me a~ On the B-5~G. The H "as also designed as a missile carrier for hoth the AGM-28 Hound Do!! and lhe GAM-87A Sk)holl and also carried lhe ADM-20 Quail decoy missiles. Follo"in!! cancell31ion of lhe Sl)Ooh program. lhe R-5211 .... as reconfigured tocau) and launch bolh lhe BocingSRAM and AlCM The tirsl R-52H cameotT Ihe Wichila a~mbJ) line on 5 JanUIII) 1961. "llh the firsl nighl laling place on 16 March The firsl B-52H .... asdchlen>d lothe 3791h UW al Wurtsmith Al U. Michiganon 9 Ma) 1961 l'.ighteen monlhs aflerthe tirst B-52H came otT the assembl) line. lhe 102nd and last a·5211 came off the line, The dale "45 26Oclohcr 1962 and thisaircrafl "as lhe tinal 8·52 buill. bringin!! the 10lallO 744 The pcrformanceoflhe B·52H modcl .... asso much grcalerthan all pn:"ious "arianls lhal SAC enlhusiaslicall) began 10 show off iLS ne" haby to lhe ....'Urld. On II Janual) 1962.SAC iniliated Operalion PERSIAN RUG A B-52H from lhe-lI361h Slralegic Wing al MinOl AFB.Nonh DalOIa. made a non·stop. unrcfueled flighl from Kadena AirBasc.

Olina"a.loTorn:jon Air Base. Spain - a 101l1l dislanceof 1Z,519 miles. Theflighl brole ele'en different sp«d and distance records. One orthc mon: infamous B-52H flighlS came on 10 Janual) l%l "hen a B·52H. "lth a pair of 1I0und Dog missiles slung unde""ing. encounlered some eXlremely po"erful .... ind gusts 111 lhe Spanish Peals Mounlains in Colorado The Uocing nighl cn:" had been COnducling dynamic loadS nighll"sts dunng 10" Ie,el operalions .... hen lhe) encounlered lhe SCI'.. re turbulance Qnc, 1'''1) high guSt lasting some eighl seconds. brole off ran oflhe ,...nicaltaiJ a~mbly.

Deciding lhalthe aircraft was still air-worlhy. lhe Boeing erew checked wilh SAC on a sUllahlc place toland, Si~ hours aflerlhe incident lhe Ilocingcrewbroughllhecripplcd U·5211 (61-023) slraight in al Blythelille AFB, Arkansas. She "as a lillie the worse for wear. bUl she did bring her ere" home $.1fel), The B-5211 wenlthrough lhe same modlficalions and S)'SlemS updates as lhe B-52G. including additionofthe EVSturrelS. The Phasc VI ECM lail e.~tension "asdone.as"as the addilionoflhe ALQ-1531WS bumpson lhe ,'enicallai!. The 8-52H could carry the same ....eapons as lhe B·52G. ,ncludL1lg lhe Hound Dog. Quail. SRAM. and ALCM croisc missiles. as .... ell as ~ing a n)ing tesl bed for lhe cancelled Sl)bolt lRBM BOlh the 8-52G and B·52H ha"egonethrough a ,'ariCI}ofcamounageschemes, Firsl was the olerall nalural mC!al scheme "ilh lhe Gloss White "ami-nash" undersurfaces.

Nexl came lhe SlOP nuclear smke camounagc "hich "as Green (1-"'5 J4159). Shado" Gn:en (rS 34(79),and lighl Green (1-"'5 34201) "ilh lhe ~anti·nash" Gloss While undersurfaces. BUI lhe Whit.. nose of the 8-52 was easily ~en from abo,·c or lalerally al 10....

48

altitudes a nd in 191\4. SAC Came up .....ilh a couple of"fixes."l-irsllhc) si mply pa l1ltcd the radome "ith Darl Gral (1'$ 36(81), Then lhey repaimed lhe entire fo""ard fuselage Dart. Gray, Be!!:inning m 1984. a lie.... "SlrategicCamounage !kheme~ "as implemellll'd b) SAC hcadquarl"rs. The ne" schellle "as Dart. Gr...,n (FS 34(86) and Dark Gray(FS 36081) o'er Darl Gra)' IrS 36OlIl) and Gunship Gra) (FS 36118) undersurfaces. In laIc 1987.

SAC s.....itched 10 an ol'er;,11 Darl G ray (FS 36081 )seheme h«ause lhe Darl Green fad..d badl) and ";IS nOt eas) 10 louch up rinall)'. m early 1991. B·52Gs staned coming bad from the Tinlcr ArB depot in ol'emll Gunship Gray (I·S 361 18). SAC crews jot.ingl) <efnto lhe ne" scheme as "AirSupcriorit) Gray" and "Ghost Gray" - bUlthe color is lhe same Gunship Gray used on AC-lJO Spcrlre gunships and F-151:: Slrile Eagles.

The B·5211 can alsoC3f1) lhe General 0) namics AGM-I29A Ad\,a1l<,:cd Cruise Missile.

OnC of lhe n...... ~neralion ALCM~ with son'e "stealth" fealures. The AGM-I29A can carl)' lhe sallie nuclear and oonlemional "arheads as Ihe AGM·86. and has a range of Oler 2.000 miles. A fe" Ll-52Gs can also carry the Rafael/Manin Mariella AGM-142 IIA\I· NAP or POPLYL air-lo-surface missile. One tinal change took place on 1 October 1991. It "as a subtle bUI dislincti'e change. and one lhal ....ill ROI be easily fOr'J!Olten.

11 \las On lhal date that G[N lee BUller. Commander In ChiefofSAC. grounded alilhe gunners in the B·52 nee!. The lUm:IS n:main bUllhe "eapons ha'c been deacti\'ated. II seems thatlhe mil gunnel1i wen: the tirst ilems 10 he shel\Cd follo"ing lhe demise oflhe Soviet Union.

Home.,Nd'. ,".perld"l/Culirdle" or rhe Golde" PfNce Wltl. 8·52H 01 ttle llilth BW baSed 8tWunsmith AF8 during tn. Cuban Mlnl.. Crt..., The8·52H w. . ~1Id by 8'l9h117,000 Iblt PrItt" Whitney TF·33 turbotln engll\fll..(Joe Bruchl

...,.

l1J.~.AIR FORe

--

-

youmlt. sem aclooI'M the ~(It the RED RIVER IIAJOER•• 8·52" (It the 31flt1 8W. wtIIe at the '181 GREAT STRIKE compeUtIon held el RAF....,.". TheHcnotl.pt)NQ ftI"Y petelly due 10 the dlftlc:utty In mlIlchlnll cemou"-ge J*n1.. IJoe 8rudll

Although "'--::''' TheIr Plor•••1on,~ the thennool~ weapons~I'"

P<1n*Y lOb (It SAc. .52 Ioru Ie the d..... ,

01

-..y. Tttwe_ four types ltI.IlCM blicented by .52e

(_to tronll- lhe B83 (OM 10 two megillOf' ylelcl). 881 (1.... ,0500 kiloton r\eld1828170KT 101.45 megIIlon r\eldlend the 853 (nine megIIlon r\eldl. (8r1an Rove<el

Engine Development

B·52G

B-52H

A 8·52" or the 17th BW ..med with e fulloed 01 00011111.. GAM·87A Skybolt ALBM "~.. tHee on I frome KC·135 Jet (enk.... The unretvelecl ~(lttheB'52"wfth ~ much mew. eo»oO Tf'.33engtnee Ie 12,!IOO mIlM. Of course, with Inlllllhl muelinll the rengelellmlt·

-"'SA>')

•

B-52H Stratofortress (Phase VI) ~ 185'" a...ngItl •.•••••••••.••••••••••• 156 Mel ~ (I'heM VI) ••••••••••••• 159.33 ,..

Helghl ..............•..•..••• 40.61 feel Empty w.'g/'ll ••••..•••.•.•... 172,140 J)OI,IndI Mnlmum W-'ghl •...••••••••. 488.000 ~ Powfipgnts •••••............. Elghl: 11,OCXJ 11* Tf33-P-3 Iurbolan englnell

"""""*'1 •..•....•••••••••..• One Ml'l1 2(lY,o

c.nnon.

P.rlof"~nce

Mu.lmum S9Md •••••••.•.•• 629.5 mph 46.200 IrMl RInge ••••••••.••••••••••..• 8,352 ,.....

s.mc. ceiling

Crew .........•..••...•••••.• Sb:

---

,

.._--

I

II 41 Oth BW Q.52H IIr_1l8 dR\I chute and slows 10. Ilop. The 8·52H wn.......:l with an Mel Vulcan tIlIllIHTII1.nd l\n lhe lihue VI ECM .-1vIIUge Il'lOdltlcIllon lor the AH/A1.G117 ECM equipmlftl.. The ~ on the IldI of the ...1lcIl fin II the AH//IJ.£·153 AHAW ...., _ holrlng.lBtlWl Re9ln1

Tail Turrets B·52G (Phase VI)

•

B·52H (Phase vI)

M

{

' • • GlHW

01 of the Q.52H coo "IT.cI of. Gel ..... BIoetrtc: Ml!Il ~ v"*-' _.101. _ _ :J,ooo 01 6,000 roundI; pet ll'lInuI.. The _.101, _1Ied IrIIo the IiNI ASG-71 FhCOntrol~ (an' IllI

The till . , \IIIhic:tl could

51

-

A 4UIh 8W .52M ~ on "'- ..mp. RAF " ' - " - diI.nng tIM RAF 80mb Ccrn>peII...., l'I4ICIln 1H1. USAFSAC .52 _ _ Ii '1 MIodIn tIM flAFe"erciM bvl-. ~ II"" by!heW RAfV,**,counlllli*1L ThIo . . . . . IntMeIlpe . . . SACBUewtlhWhlt.stwlWld.R.cl2 _ Pl*lttd on ... t8ll till. (ftobel't ,... Don)

.to 8-52H or tIM 171h Bomb WIng on the _ -" Wright Paot_ _ AF8 duotne 1no II .... pw-.:l bygfOUftd ...... o,.. ,lor 'ell ,no", In !he . . . _lone ar- S l O P ~'The Hound Dog Ii' Wld p,tclN ... eIIO bI ~ (USAF) 7

r

R

T..........'Id"8-52HSlo.lOlormot ... 37I1thBWpwkedon ...""QvtII_n. . -.rt...,p III Wurbm/Il'I AFB.. a d _fUlly . . . . . with 1M ell I ~ - . c l Dog i.

Wld

n...

~graooAIy_dIA1ng"'~""'CrillloIO _••

7

7

11IIU.1.Joe8rucfl1

-

Thein,..... bomb bey or. 8·52H cwo btl conllgwed 10 QIfY COl ••.,,11oMl mun/donl., Wl\eon

.a COi,ftg;.nd, II ~ twenty......., MI17 150 povncI bombI. ... 8·520. . . ..ur.d, the con.....tlonllI " ' e'M . . 1M, eed 10 the B·52H cr_ In the new USAF ~ Como .......cl(llr*o

f'lov-sl

The 09I0'l bomb bey Dl. 8-52ti _dig

ed wlltI. COmoilOh

Stm.p; Aot.ry ~ or

CSRL. lIIItlldl C8I'l hokl up 10 -'lIM SRAMI or ., CMt. or. mbl aI _

The B-52tl C8Il C8n'Y up 10 -...,. ~Ol'.tI.l"......... llrMd ................ ~ ..... ~

two 'i'

•

~ Special•• B'52"0I_ 41othBW, tooll CompMttIon It ..........

IE..-.o.

•

ISBN 0089747-289-8

~

1n_11181

~"f'orl:»8omO