Tag:

B52

B-52 Bombardier-Radar Navigator survived a hit by a SAM during Operation Linebacker II but was unable to eject

by Till Daisd May 12, 2024

Ejection seat

An ejection seat is a mechanism installed in an aircraft that is intended to save the pilot or other crew members in the event of an emergency. Most of designs include the canopy coming off and the seat being propelled out of the aircraft by a rocket motor or explosive charge, carrying the pilot with it. The ejection seat releases a parachute once it is outside of the aircraft. To prevent a collision, the seats of two-seat aircraft are ejected at distinct angles.

Pilots had to manually remove the aircraft canopy in order to climb out before ejection seats were invented. Lives can be saved with ejection seats. But if the aircraft catches fire, can military pilots eject?

B-52 raids during Operation Linebacker II

Doug Constantine, former US Air Force pilot, recalls on Quora;

‘I was a USAF pilot and never ejected but knew several friends that did.

‘One story I can tell is that I had a good friend, named Mike, who was a Bombardier-Radar Navigator on a B-52 that was shot down in the 12/72 bombing raids [Operation Linebacker II over North Vietnam]. The plane was on its bomb run with the bomb doors open (read high radar cross section) when a SAM blew up just beside the left side of the plane near the cockpit.

‘It immediately killed the pilot and the Electronic Warfare Officer. The co-pilot kept the plane going through the bomb run to bombs away when a second SAM hit the plane and rest of the crew members (co-pilot, navigator, and tail gunner) ejected.

B-52 coming apart

‘But Mike was stuck in his seat by the force of the airplane coming apart and could not even lift his ejection seat handles. During all this, the plane, of course, was moving forward at 400 mph as he tried to eject. It was spinning and on fire when suddenly the center wing tank, located right behind where the Navigator and the Bombardier-Radar Navigator sit, blew up.

‘The explosion blew Mike out of the plane and he came down many miles downstream of the remaining crewmembers.

‘USAF pilots in the vicinity in other B-52s and also in F-4s saw the whole thing, including the explosion that blew him out of the wreckage but it was at night and nobody saw his chute or heard his beeper.’

Constantine concludes;

‘I remember his wife called me and we talked, and she of course was very shaken up as the other crew members were accounted for. I told her we would all pray but don’t forget that we didn’t have all the facts.

‘Sure enough, two months later, in February of 73 when the POWs were repatriated there was Mike, alive and well. A very good ending for a great guy.’

Photo by U.S. Air Force

May 12, 2024 0 comment

History

B-52 crews penetrated NORAD’s massive surveillance system at low-level without losses for three years in a row during an exercise

by Till Daisd April 23, 2024

written by Till Daisd

B-52 modified for low-level flight

America’s first heavy bomber with swept wings and a long-range was the B-52 Stratofortress. It started as a high-altitude, intercontinental nuclear bomber, and its operating capabilities were modified to satisfy evolving defense requirements.

The B-52 aircraft has undergone modifications that allow it to do low-level operations, carry out conventional bombing missions, travel longer distances, and carry more advanced defensive and offensive weapons, such as ballistic and cruise missiles that can be launched hundreds of miles from their intended target.

Known by its crews as the Big Ugly Fat F****R, or BUFF, once it entered service in 1955 the B-52 remained the primary long-range heavy bomber of the US Air Force during the Cold War.

Electronic Warfare Officer

However, how were B-52s supposed to breach Soviet air defenses and reach their targets?

Keith Parker, former B-52 Electronic Warfare Officer, recalls on Quora;

‘I was an EWO (Electronic Warfare Officer) on B-52Gs at Loring AFB at Limestone (close to Caribou), Maine, from late 1960 through early 1963 when I left for pilot training.

‘In 1961 we did an exercise/test where all commercial, private, and military flying in the United States was grounded for one day while SAC (Stra t egic Air Command) attacked the US while NORAD (North American Defense Command) did all it could to “shoot down” (simulated with real fighters, Nike-Ajax or Nike-Hercules Ground to Air Missile “lock ons”) that would score against the attacking bombers.

B-52 at low-level

‘We used the attack tactic of “low level” (500 to 1000 feet off of the ground) and our on-board jamming electronics to make all the NORAD radar scopes white with noise so that they could not see any of us. Without any radar returns NORAD was “blind” and could not launch any fighters or missiles.

‘The result was that NONE of the bombers were shot down and we all (100%) bombed every one of our targets. My crew’s target was Loring AFB.

Repeating the exercise with the same results

‘SAC and NORAD repeated the exercise/test in 1962 and again in 1963 with the same results. My guess was that the boys in the head shed found it hard to believe the totality of the first two tests so they had to try the third. There was no point in trying a fourth one. Also, the B-52s did not use the basket weave tactic to further confuse the radar. Nor did we launch any of the 4 quail we carried in the aft bomb bay that could fly at varying altitudes and varying headings while giving a radar return just like a B-52. This alone would increase the B-52s’ survival by 80%.’

Parker concludes;

‘The good news was that, in an all-out thermonuclear war, all of our bombers would reach all of the Russian and Chinese and other communist targets. The bad news was that all of their bombers would reach their targets here in the United States. It is interesting to note that our sequencing on the enemy targets was in excess of 25 nuclear weapons on each target. That would make each target nothing but melted glass.’

Photo by U.S. Air Force

April 23, 2024 0 comment

Cold War

B-52 pilot explains how landed his BUFF after two engines nearly tore off

by Till Daisd December 24, 2023

written by Till Daisd

‘Fearing what two engines departing the plane might do to my aerodynamics, to say nothing of what would happen if they hit the tail on the way by, I shouted to the radar nav to give me the nearest runway,’ Jay Lacklen, former B-52 pilot

Jay Lacklen, a Lieutenant Colonel with 12,500 flight hours, retired from the Air Force Reserve in 2004. From 2005 until 2014, he served as a teacher for Air Force T-1 pilot training simulators at Columbus AFB in Mississippi. He grew up in Arlington, VA, and graduated from the University of North Carolina—Chapel Hill in 1969. He flew 330 hours in the C-7 Caribou, 2000 hours in the B-52 bomber, and 9,500 hours in the C-5 Galaxy transport, in addition to pilot training aircraft.

He flew in every significant combat mission, from the Vietnam War to the Iraq War. Lacklen, who is married and has four adult daughters and two granddaughters, also resides in northern Virginia.

Lacklen is also the author of three books: Flying the Line: An Air Force Pilot’s Journey, Flying the Line: An Air Force Pilot’s Journey Volume Two: Military Airlift Command, and Flying the Line: An Air Force Pilot’s Journey Volume Three: Air Mobility Command. The story that follows is taken from the trilogy’s first book.

Engines Dancing on the Wing

In about the middle of the crew’s three-month course, on the Friday Thanksgiving weekend of 1977, I found the Grim Reaper seated in my seat. We had just started the post-air refueling navigation leg over the snow-covered Sierra Nevada mountain range. I had about an hour off since students both rode their seats for nav leg. I slipped the Playboy magazine out of my helmet bag and sat on the floor behind the jump seat, the only place I could stretch out a little.

I had just opened the centerfold, a lovely naked brunette seated on a chair she had rakishly turned backwards, when the copilot came up on the interphone. “Ah, IP, copilot!”

Funding for B-52 re-engine program will unlikely be approved before 2020

Oh, great, I thought, what problem could this rookie have now? I told him to go ahead.

“Ah, are there supposed to be holes in the engines?”

“Yes,” I told him, “one in the front, one in the back;’ irritated he was dragging me away from the brunette.

“No,” he said, his voice now quavering, “I mean holes in the side of the cowling.”

Uh, oh, I thought. I folded up Miss Playmate and went forward, grasping his headrest and leaning around him to look at the #5 engine, the first one visible out his window.

My vision replicated a movie cinematic technique, where I initially saw the entire engine, then zoomed into the midsection in horror. The engine had two overlapping basketball-sized holes where the N2 compressor turbine resided. Looking into the holes, I could see the remnants of that turbine twirling madly and unevenly, throwing sparks wildly as its broken blades struck the side casing. Suddenly, the firelight and bell alarm on this engine’s pylon mate, engine #6, came to life, the bell clanging and the light flashing ominously.

“You, out of the seat!” I shouted at the copilot as I grabbed my helmet and checklist and moved aside for him to clear the copilot position.

Impressive photos show B-52 bombers taking part in Operation Linebacker II, the Christmas bombings over North Vietnam which took place 45 years ago

When I landed heavily in the seat, I immediately pulled the fire handle on both #5 and #6 to shut off fuel and hydraulics at the firewall at the top of the pylon. I told the student pilot to fly the plane while I handled the emergency. I also strapped tightly into my ejection seat.

Mercifully, the firelight and bell went out on #6. Engine #5 was apparently so torn up that the disintegrating compressor had probably severed the fire loop warning system because it gave no warnings at all despite being in shambles. What I did not know until the next day was that shrapnel from the disintegrating compressor had blown into the fuselage as well as into engine #6. Fortunately, it didn’t hit anything vital, to include a wing fuel or me and my Playboy magazine. Had it hit a fuel tank, the plane might have exploded, and none of us would have known what happened.

Catastrophes are impossible to plan for completely. You can have an engine fire, and you know the Bold Print responses, yet you can’t anticipate surrounding events, complications, or your location when the shit hits fan. In this case, I had to think quickly of where we were and where we should go to land. In these days, prior to INS and GPS navigation systems, I did any self-respecting pilot would do—I shouted on interphone for the navigator to give me the nearest SAC base. A few seconds later, he would be at Mather AFB in Sacramento, CA, twenty minutes to the west.

I looked out at the two stricken engines on the pylon, and things have gotten worse. Engine #6, which I could not see except for the front intake, seemed largely intact, and the airstream passed through it cleanly. Engine #5, however, having torn itself apart, would not allow the airflow through unimpeded and now put heavy drag on the pylon. This uneven airflow through these pylon mates had now caused them to start wobbling, or Dutch rolling, on the pylon, a terrifying dance that threatened to tear the engines off the pylon. The Reaper had joined us in the cockpit.

Fearing what two engines departing the plane might do to my aerodynamics, to say nothing of what would happen if they hit the tail on the way by, I again shouted to the radar nav to give me the nearest runway. A moment later, he said it would be Lake Tahoe, but he didn’t recommend it because it was a short runway and at the bottom of a steep valley.

“Turning for Mather!” I said.

“Heading two-seven-zero,” he responded.

USAF completes investigation on why B-52H lost engine over North Dakota last year

Now I had to start talking and coordinating. I declared the emergency on the Oakland Center frequency and told him we had two engine failures, engine fire, and needed clearance direct to Mather with further clearance descend and maneuver as necessary while doing so. This busy Air Traffic Control (ATC) frequency went silent except for me and the controller, pilots in a couple of dozen other cockpits, civilian and military, listening intently. As I found over the course of several emergencies, ATC can save your ass in a pinch. This controller locked into the situation immediately and professionally. He gave me the Mather weather, altimeter setting, and landing runway, which fortunately would provide a straight-in approach. He then asked for status on the engines and I reported the instability. He switched me to another frequency to free up the main frequency for everyone else. I’m sure those couple of dozen other cockpits switched a backup radio to that frequency to follow the emergency, fascinated at the drama and thankful it was me, not them.

My other UHF radio still had the Castle command post frequency in. I switched there and gave them a brief summation of the situation, then returned to the ATC frequency to report how far out of Mather we were. He said he had notified Mather we were inbound.

[…] I could now see Mather far in the distance. I could also see the engine dance getting worse. I flicked my radio control back to Castle since they would be berserk to talk to me. I also feared the DCO, the chief of stan/eval, and an assorted multitude of other ops types would be leaning the controller’s shoulder to ask me fifty questions about my situation. I saw Mather drawing closer and decided I didn’t have time for that. This was going
to be over, one way or the other, in five minutes, and I didn’t want to spend it talking to them.

“Castle,” I said, “This is Panzer Eight-Zero. I’m on fire, and I’m headed for Mather; if you want any information, ask them.” Then I clicked the radio back to the Mather command post. They didn’t have any operations personnel on duty over the holiday and wouldn’t know what to ask. Just as well. I’m sure the Castle DCO was turning back flips to know what was happening, but I hoped he would understand.

Later, I got another interesting perspective on the whole scene from the instructor, EW seated behind me in the cockpit. When I leapt into the copilot’s seat and started shouting at everyone, the EW feared I might soon give the bailout order, so terse did the dialogue sound. He knew we were over the snow-covered Sierras, and he didn’t have his winter flight jacket on. He said he eyed it sitting on the floor next to him and wondered if he had time to unstrap from his parachute to put it on. He listened to the frantic discussion up front and decided he did not dare do so. He grabbed the jacket and pulled it through his chest strap, hoping it might land somewhere near him if he punched out. I had not thought I sounded that bad. I mean, I wasn’t screaming or anything, but perhaps my voice went up an octave or two. I had no plans to make the ejection call unless the engines came off the pylon and resulted in a loss of control, and they had not, as yet. I didn’t have my jacket on and never thought about it. It would have been a cold ride down to the snow for me if it had come to that.

Approach control switched me over to the tower to get landing permission. I now had to pull the engines to idle and deploy the airbrakes to slow down so I could extend the gear and flaps. Everything came down properly, we landed, and soon we were rolling out on the runway with an armada of fire trucks chasing us. We cleared at the end of the runway and let ourselves get surrounded by the trucks. After observing us briefly, two of the silver-suited, alien-looking firemen inspected the #5 and #6 engines and decided this emergency was over.

We taxied to parking and shut down the engines. I scrambled out of the plane and raced over to the wrecked engines.

I found an engine stand already up against #5 with a crusty old guy in civilian clothes wagging an unlit cigar from his mouth. I climbed up next to him and looked into the gaping hole in the side of the engine and the mess of metal within. The old guy muttered, “Five more minutes, and these engines would have come off the pylon.”

“Wow,” I said, “are you an (enlisted) engine guy?”

“No,” he growled. “I own this place!”

Oops! I don’t know if he was the wing commander, the maintenance commander, or the ops commander, but I took his word for it.

The Grim Reaper had again left my aircraft empty-handed. I tell my current pilot training students that the Reaper will visit their aircraft in the future, and I wish them luck when he does.

Photo by U.S. Air Force and Landmark9254 (Own work), via Wikipedia

December 24, 2023 0 comment

History

The story of the USAF B-52 Stratofortress Strategic Bomber’s fly-by below the USS Ranger Aircraft Carrier’s flight deck

by Till Daisd November 26, 2023

written by Till Daisd

In 1990, five miles off the USS Independence, a USAF B-52 Stratofortress strategic bomber requested permission to do a fly-by. The carrier accepted the request but stated that there was no visual on the aircraft.

The images included in this post were taken in 1990 when the USS Ranger (CV-61) was five miles away from the US Air Force (USAF) B-52 Stratofortress strategic bomber, which requested permission to fly by. The carrier agreed to the request but stated that there was no visual on the aircraft. The B-52 instructed them to look down before flying past the Independence below the flight deck level.

This is how the story unfolded. When two B-52s wanted to do a fly-by of the USS Ranger, the carrier air controller approved it. The carrier controller stated he had not seen the B-52s when they indicated they were nine kilometers away. The carrier crew was directed to look down by the B-52s.

B-52 Pilot: “Ranger, we’re 5 miles out.”

USS Ranger: “We do not have visual…”

B-52 Pilot: “Look down”

The Tailhook Association website states that although the B-52’s paint scheme made it difficult to detect from above, sailors were able to make out the aircraft and the water that the B-52 jets were causing to spray out as they approached.

As we have already explained B-52s usually practiced low-level flights during Cold War years to come in under Soviet radar. In this case, the B-52 pilots asked the carrier controller if they would like the bombers to come around again. The carrier guys said yes, and a lot more sailors had their cameras out this time.

While low fly-bys by USAF aircraft below a carrier’s flight deck are extremely uncommon, sometimes B-52s perform low fly-bys over US Navy flattops. In fact, two B-52 Stratofortress strategic bombers stationed in Guam carried out a low flyby over the aircraft carrier USS Midway (CV-41) during the winter of 1981.

Note: The carrier in the images is unquestionably the USS Ranger, despite the fact that one of the pictures shows an F-14 with tail markings from VF-154 and an E-2C with tail markings from VAW-115 parked on the flight deck, with NK in the tail of the aircraft at the time not assigned to USS Ranger.

However, as a reader explained: “Top photo is definitely Ranger CV-61. As for CAG-5 or CVW-5, they were not deployed on Independence until August 1991 after Indy relieved Midway. I was ship’s company on Indy from 1989-1992 and I definitely do not remember ever seeing or hearing of this happening.”

Another added: “VF-154 didn’t joke CAG-5 until 1991/1992. NK is the tail letter for CVW-14. Judging by the few aircraft on the flight deck this looks like a 2 week carrier quals. During carrier quals, the squadrons will go to whatever carrier is available not necessarily the one they deploy on.”

Photo by U.S. Navy

November 26, 2023 0 comment

History

The B-52 bombers carrying the D-21 Mach 3 ramjet-powered reconnaissance drones

by Till Daisd November 8, 2023

written by Till Daisd

Originally intended for launch from the Lockheed A-12, the D-21 was forced to find a replacement carrier due to technical issues that resulted in a deadly accident

The Lockheed D-21 was a highly advanced, remotely piloted aircraft (RPA) designed to carry out high-speed, high-altitude strategic reconnaissance missions over hostile territory. It was powered by a ramjet. The D-21 had originally been designed for launch from the trisonic Lockheed A-12 (developed alongside the SR-71), but difficulties (culminating in a fatal accident) forced Lockheed to find a new carrier.

The Lockheed D-21 was a cutting-edge remotely piloted aircraft (RPA) intended for strategic reconnaissance over hostile territory at high speeds and altitudes. It had a ramjet for power. Originally intended to be launched from the trisonic Lockheed A-12 (built concurrently with the SR-71), problems ultimately resulted in a deadly accident, forcing Lockheed to locate a replacement carrier.

Under Operation Senior Bowl, which was financed by the CIA, two H-model “Buffs” (B-52H-140-BW 60-0021 and B-52H-150-BW 60-0036) were modified to carry the D-21B reconnaissance drone. The D-21 drone was upgraded to D-21B standards and fitted with a 90-second solid fuel rocket booster, allowing it to reach its operating altitude of 80,000 feet and its top speed of Mach 3.

The first of the two launch aircraft, B-52H-140-BW 60-0021, was dispatched to Palmdale on December 12, 1966, where it was outfitted with enormous inboard underwing pylons from which the D-21s could be suspended, as described by Jon Lake in his book B-52 Stratofortress Units in Combat 1965–73. The gunner and EWO positions in the cockpit were also replaced by new Launch Control Officer stations. In order to record the launch, the aircraft were equipped with camera ports in the fuselage sides and in the launch pylons; however, in contrast to some claims, the standard tail armament was kept in place.

The two D-21 carriers were operated by the 4200th Support Squadron (SS) at Beale Air Force Base (AFB) in late 1968 after training at Groom Lake (also known as “The Ranch”) with a unit simply known as A Flight. They were maintained in a state of virtual alertness with two “birds” on each B-52H. The B-52Hs took off from Beale and went to Andersen, Hickam, or Kadena AFBs, where they conducted operational missions. Sorties were flown on Nov. 9, 1969, Dec. 16, 1970, Mar. 4, 1971, and Mar. 20, 1971.

The second and third flights were unsuccessful because the mission video was not retrieved from the palletized camera hatches that were ejected from the drones, while the first and last drones were lost over enemy territory. Launched by 4200th SS B-52Hs, all D-21Bs were dropped from the starboard pylon, while the backup D-21B, carried by the port station, was never used operationally. The program was discontinued on July 23, 1971.

Standard early-style SIOP camouflage with painted radomes was worn by the aircraft, although 60-0036 had an unusual white-painted cockpit roof to reflect the bright sun at high altitudes. Both “Buffs” are still in use today, and in honor of the D-21 supersonic reconnaissance drone’s 50th anniversary, 60-0036 was given a unique “Tagboard Flyer” nose art in 2017 by renowned aviation artist Mike Machat. The previous nose art was redone, and it was painted over after regular maintenance. This is the current nose art.

B-52 Stratofortress Units in Combat 1965-73 is published by Osprey Publishing and is available to order here.

Nose art celebrates Lokcheed D-21 drone 50th anniversary — Aviation artist Mike Machat completed nose art on the 419th Flight Test Squadron’s B-52 #60-0036 in 2017. The bomber was used in the top secret test program named Tagboard.

Photo by U.S. Air Force

November 8, 2023 0 comment

History

The B-52 Stratofortress was referred to as “BUFF” during Operation Arc Light

by Till Daisd October 21, 2023

written by Till Daisd

Since they flew too high to be seen or heard, B-52 bombers became one of the Viet Cong’s most feared weapons

The Stratofortress flew her first combat missions as a conventional bomber during the Vietnam War, bombing what were believed to be Viet Cong insurgents’ hideouts in the South Vietnamese jungles, even though the B-52 was intended to be the cornerstone of the United States Air Force’s (USAF) nuclear deterrent. The B-52, the ultimate strategic bomber, was transformed into a functional weapon system during these missions, which were part of Operation Arc Light.

However, the first Arc Light mission against four Viet Cong battalions, flown on June 18, 1965, by twenty-seven B-52Fs, was nearly a failure due to the loss in a mid-air collision of two bombers. The incident was brought on by the bad weather, the poor planning, and the illness, according to Bill Yenne in his book B-52 Stratofortress: The Complete History of the World’s Longest Serving and Best-Known Bomber. Despite this shaky beginning, the Arc Light sorties quickly became routine, and they saw the Stratofortress carry out tactical support flights in support of the US Marine Corps Operation Harvest Moon and the US Army First Cavalry’s operations in the Ia Drang Valley.

To expand the B-52 bomb capability, the Strategic Air Command (SAC) B-52Ds were updated in December 1965 to carry eighty-four 500-pound conventional bombs, with space for an additional twenty-four on underwing pylons. The “Big Belly” upgrade program significantly expanded the B-52D’s bomb-carrying capability over the B-52F, which it replaced in the first few months of 1966, from 43,500 pounds to up to 60,000 pounds.

The B-52D was differentiated by its newly adopted Southeast Asia camouflage pattern, which featured the same B-52F gloss black on the undersides and vertical tail and tan plus two colors of green on the top sides. Incidentally, it was Operation Arc Light that gave the Stratofortress its well-known nickname, “BUFF,” which stands for “Big Ugly Fat Fucker” but is pronounced “Big Ugly Fat Fellow” in polite company and official USAF fact sheets.

These modifications increased the effectiveness of Arc Light missions since B-52s, which flew too high to be seen or heard, were one of the weapons the Viet Cong feared the most, according to the SAC’s official narrative.

A claim confirmed by General Westmoreland said, “We know from talking to many prisoners and defectors that enemy troops fear B-52s, tactical air, artillery, and armor… in that order.”

This opinion was supported by Truong Nhu Tang, the Viet Cong Minister of Justice, who in his 1985 book, A Viet Cong Memoir, eloquently recalled the experience of becoming involved in a B-52 Arc Light operation.

“It seemed, as I strained to press myself into the bunker floor, that I had been caught in the Apocalypse. […] the terror was complete. One lost control of bodily functions as the mind screamed incomprehensible orders to get out.”

Operation Arc Light: when the iconic B-52 Stratofortress earned the nickname — Bombs from a USAF Boeing B-52D Stratofortress on an “Arc Light” mission hitting suspected enemy troop positions

More than 5,000 Arc Light missions were flown in 1966, and that number nearly doubled in 1967 thanks to the use of Thailand air bases like Udorn Royal Thai Air Force Base and U-Tapao Royal Navy Airfield, which reduced the distance from South Vietnam and significantly reduced the strain on aerial refueling assets.

Nonetheless, the Arc Light missions reached their peak in 1968, when 20,568 sorties were flown. The most well-known of the Arc Light missions took place the same year when B-52s were used to support and defend American forces during the Khe Sanh siege, which evolved into the biggest and most significant tactical air operation yet seen in Southeast Asia. The AN/MSQ-77 Ground Directed Bombing System, located in ground radar stations throughout the nation, was used to guide the BUFFs, which were in action round-the-clock and arrived over the target in groups of up to six every few hours. Target revisions were allowed by Skyspot with two hours’ notice.

During this operation, code-named Niagara, B-52s dropped 75,631 tons of bombs throughout 2,707 missions; more than 600 of those bombs were detonated less than 300 yards from the American border. No Americans were hurt. These assaults helped break the siege of Khe Sanh and forced the North Vietnamese to leave. A captured North Vietnamese officer revealed that 75% of his regiment had been destroyed in a single B-52 bombardment.

The Nixon administration’s attempt to de-escalate the war resulted in the Arc Light missions slowly declining in 1969, with 19,498 sorties performed that year, 15,103 in 1970, and 12,552 in 1971. The B-52 would have been fully employed the next year during Operation Linebacker II, the Christmas airstrike that was the heaviest bombing campaign the US conducted over North Vietnam.

Photo by U.S. Air Force

October 21, 2023 0 comment

History

The story of this artwork, which depicts Jimmy Stewart’s B-52F dropping bombs on Viet Cong infiltrators during a daytime mission

by Till Daisd September 30, 2023

written by Till Daisd

During his 36th combat sortie, Stewart is shown here piloting B-52F 57-0149 during a daytime bombing mission against Viet Cong infiltrators

The amazing artwork by Mark Postlethwaite that is shown in this post depicts bombs dropping from a formation of B-52Fs of the 3960th Strategic Wing (SW) as they depart from Andersen AFB, Guam, for an Arc Light bombing mission.

The closest B-52F was piloted by Brig Gen. Jimmy Stewart, USAF Reserve, who was then approaching the conclusion of his time in the USAF, according to Jon Lake’s account in his book B-52 Stratofortress Units in Combat 1955-73. Stewart sought a combat deployment for his last two weeks of active duty in 1966, and as a result, he was duly dispatched to Vietnam, where his 24-year-old stepson had recently been killed in action. Stewart took part in a bombing mission over Vietnam during this brief term of active duty.

When Jimmy Stewart flew B-52's in Vietnam: the Story of the Hollywood Star who became an Air Force 2-Star General — Jimmy Stewart in front of his B-52

Although Stewart is most recognized for his work as a Hollywood actor, he also had a spectacular and illustrious military career. As one of Hollywood’s biggest stars, he had left behind a lucrative career when he joined active duty in 1940. Nine months before the Japanese attack on Pearl Harbor and the US entry into the war, in March 1941, Stewart joined the USAAC. He fought valiantly to avoid propaganda assignments and official reluctance to put him in danger, hoping to earn an overseas combat duty assignment. His dedication allowed him to overcome the difficulties of being too elderly and too underweight for military service.

After serving as operations officer for the 445th Bomb Group (BG) at Tlbenham, which was equipped with B-24s, Stewart advanced to become commander of the 703rd BS before being moved to ‘turn around’ the shuttered 453rd BG. In July 1944, Stewart was appointed full colonel and appointed as the 2nd Bomb Wing’s chief of staff. In the spring of 1945, he received a promotion to Wing CO. He was highly decorated and flew 20 bombing flights over Germany (targets included Brunswick, Bremen, Frankfurt, Schweinfurt, and Berlin). Stewart continued to take his duties as a member of the Air Force Reserve very seriously even after the war, flying the B-47, B-52, and B-58.

During its 36th combat sortie, the B-52F 57-0149 that Stewart was piloting is seen here attacking Viet Cong infiltrators during the day.

B-52 Stratofortress Units in Combat 1955-73 is published by Osprey Publishing and is available to order here.

Cover artwork by Mark Postlethwaite via Osprey

September 30, 2023 0 comment

History

The story of the XB-52 and YB-52, the scrapped B-52s prototype

by Till Daisd September 19, 2023

written by Till Daisd

The designations XB-52 and YB-52 were assigned to these prototype B-52 aircraft. X stands for “experimental,” and Y stands for “prototype.”

The B-52 was the primary long-range heavy bomber of the US Air Force during the Cold War after it went into service in 1955, and it is still a crucial component of the USAF bomber force today.

In his book Boeing B-47 Stratojet & B-52 Stratofortress Origins and Evolution, Scott Lowther explains how the Model 464-49, which was chosen as the XB-52’s winning design, evolved into the Model 464-67. Although they were similar in many ways, there were several noticeable variations, most notably the enlargement of the forward Fuselage. 464-67 had the cockpit well in front of the wing, as opposed to 464-49 which had the cockpit canopy’s rear behind the leading edge of the wing roots. The engine nacelles were modified, and the spoilers on the wings’ comparatively large area were shrunk. With these modifications, Boeing was prepared to start building two Model 464-67s after receiving an Air Force “letter of intent” for B-52 tooling in March 1951.

The designations XB-52 and YB-52 were assigned to these prototype B-52 aircraft. X stands for “experimental,” and Y stands for “prototype.” Usually, an “experimental” aircraft is constructed before a “prototype,” but in this instance, the YB-52 took flight first on April 15, 1952, while the XB-52 (serial number 49-230) rolled out on November 29, 1951, and the YB-52 (serial number 49-231) followed on March 15, 1952. This was because the XB-52 needed major repairs after damage occurred during testing of the pneumatic system’s pressurization.

On October 2, 1952, the XB-52 took to the skies after the prototype. The YB-52’s two-hour initial flight was powered by YJ57-P-3 prototype engines. The XB-52 and YB-52 were basically the same despite having different names.

In terms of appearance, the prototype B-52s and the finished aircraft shared many similarities. The cockpit, however, was a feature that stood out between the two planes right away. The pilot had good visibility thanks to the low-drag tandem fighter-style canopy, which was used on the B-47.

The layout of the landing gear used by the rest of the B-52 fleet was pioneered by the prototypes. Though at first appearing to be fairly comparable to the B-47’s bicycle arrangement, the B-52’s gear was very different. Four separate dual-wheel bogies were stored within the B-52 fuselage, but instead of deploying straight down, they deployed out to the sides, twisting around so that the bogies stored fore-and-aft ended up side-by-side. This gave the B-52 not a bicycle arrangement, but a quadricycle.

The main landing gear of the B-52 would allow it to sit levelly without leaning to one side or the other. It continued to use smaller outrigger gear close to the wingtips, although this was done to prevent wingtip impact with the ground during heavy takeoffs or bumpy landings.

Moreover, the B-52 was able to land while “crabbing” into the wind with its fuselage oriented significantly off the plane’s groundpath because to its forward bogies’ ability to swivel up to 20° side to side. This would allow for risk-free landings in strong winds.

The main wings of the prototypes had flapperons, ailerons, and spoilers. The inboard engine pylon was right outside the ailerons, which were small and placed far from the wingtip. The ailerons would have had better control if they had been positioned at the wingtip, but that would have placed them in a much thinner and more flexible area of the wing. The inboard spot was suitable for the maneuvers the bomber was supposed to make.

In any case, the spoilers were to handle the majority of the aircraft’s control requirements, making the ailerons redundant over time. The prototypes lacked the capacity to refuel in flight, unlike the subsequent production aircraft. The external fuel tanks that often adorned the outer wings of B-52 production models were also absent at first, but they were finally fitted later in the testing phase.

All of the horizontal stabilizers could move, although this movement was intended to stabilize the trim. Real control was carried out via small elevators around the back. Trim tabs were present in the elevators of the B-52F. The folding vertical fin was a significant but underappreciated characteristic of all B-52s that came after the prototype. Up until the G-model, the fin was a sizable structure that was far too tall to allow the B-52 to fit inside conventional hangars.

As a result, it could fold over 90 degrees, significantly decreasing the aircraft’s effective height. The fielding fin is not a self-contained system; an additional crane is required to lay it over and hoist it back up again, in contrast to naval aircraft that have wings that can fold to fit in the constrained area on board aircraft carriers.

The Boeing Seattle factory essentially handcrafted the prototypes. Jigs were not finalized, therefore production processes were not applied, and frequently, standard instruments and equipment were not used. The tail turrets on either prototype were represented by static fairings with painted-on lines; none was equipped with defensive armaments.

After 783 hours of flight, the YB-52 was handed to the US Air Force Museum on January 27, 1958. It was on display for a while, but the XB-52 and YB-52 were both scrapped sometime in the 1960s as a result of a “beautification” plan coordinated by First Lady Lady Bird Johnson. The available literature does not sufficiently explain how the official museum of the United States Air Force was ‘beautified’ by turning one of the most beautiful airplanes ever made into razor blades and soda cans.

Boeing B-47 Stratojet & B-52 Stratofortress Origins and Evolution is published by Mortons Books and is available to order here.

Photo by: U.S. Air Force

September 19, 2023 0 comment

History

Heavy maintenance is helping the legendary BUFF to remain in service forever

by Till Daisd May 20, 2023

written by Till Daisd

‘We do heavy maintenance to the B-52. I mean heavy,’ Darren Dennis, Aerospace Propulsion Apprentice at US Air Force.

The B-52 Stratofortress has served as the backbone of the US-manned strategic bomber force ever since it entered service. The B-52 is known as the “Big Ugly Fat F****r” by its aircrews, and it is equipped to drop or launch the most varied lineup of US arsenal weaponry. This includes joint direct attack munitions (JDAMs), precision-guided missiles, cluster bombs, gravity bombs, and such.

The US Air Force (USAF) has actually decided that the B-52 will continue to be used until at least 2040 when it intends to retire all B-1B and B-2 bombers. In order to operate alongside the newest Northrop Grumman B-21 Raider, a proposal to re-engine the fleet of 76 B-52H aircraft was made in 2018. The goal of this project, known as the Commercial Engine Replacement Program (CERP), is to equip the illustrious aircraft with current-model, commercially available business jet engines.

Impressive photos prove that the Mighty B-52 Stratofortress is still kicking ass 50 years after Operation Linebacker II — A weapons load crew from the 2nd Aircraft Maintenance Squadron transports a GBU-10 munition to be loaded onto a B-52H Stratofortress during Combat Hammer at Barksdale Air Force Base, La., Mar. 10, 2021. Top image: An Air Force crew chief helps prepare a B-52H Stratofortress for takeoff during training operations at Royal Australian Air Force Base, Darwin, Australia, Apr. 3, 2018.

But how did the recognizable BUFF manage to continue operating for so long?

‘We do heavy maintenance to the B-52. I mean heavy,’ says Darren Dennis, Aerospace Propulsion Apprentice at US Air Force, on Quora.

‘I work on the engines of the B-52 and I can tell you that anything that even looks broken, from everything from clamps to major components gets replaced or repaired by the good ole maintenance folk.

‘Not to mention the Air Force has very strict guidelines of how our parts and components are maintained and kept serviceable.

‘Think about it this way. Imagine you buy a car and as the years wear on it, eventually you can’t drive it anymore because the parts are too worn out. Even if you change the fluids and do every simple maintenance thing you could to it.

‘Now imagine if every 1,000 miles on your car, mechanics are going in and changing out everything from your tires, wiring, body paneling, AC, fluids, lights, and car seats. Essentially your car will last forever.

‘Same concept with the B-52. Also, it’s just a reliable aircraft.’

Dennis concludes;

‘The Air Force isn’t getting rid of them any time soon cause there isn’t anything good enough to replace it yet. Much like the A-10 Warthog.’

The classic BUFF will likely continue to fly for at least another 25 years, proving that old soldiers don’t die; they only fade away, until a new aircraft is created to replace this legendary model.

Photo by Staff Sgt. Alexander W. Riedel and Airman 1st Class Jacob B. Wrightsman / U.S. Air Force

May 20, 2023 0 comment

Military

Minot B-52 Stratofortness bombers are deployed for combat operations

by Till Daisd April 21, 2023

written by Till Daisd

In support of U.S. Central Command’s Operation Inherent Resolve, the 23rd Bomber Squadron delivered several B-52s to the Middle East

The interesting pictures in this post depict a B-52H Stratofortress crew from Minot Air Force Base (AFB), North Dakota, completing a training flight in close air support (CAS) scenario in anticipation of aiding Operation Inherent Resolve (OIR) on January 31, 2017, in the airspace above North Dakota.

More than 400 Airmen from the 5th Bomb Wing (BW) recently deployed to the Middle East in support of U.S. Central Command’s Operation Inherent Resolve, according to Senior Airman Justin Armstrong of the 5th Bomb Wing Public Affairs in his article 5th Bomb Wing Members Deploy in support of Operation Inherent Resolve. This will be the first time in 12 years that aircraft from Minot AFB has deployed in support of combat operations, as the 23rd Bomb Squadron (BS) sent several B-52H Stratofortresses to take over daily operations.

According to Capt. Erik Nelson, commander of the 23rd BS B-Flight, the unit undertook a rigorous spin-up strategy before this deployment. Additionally, they made use of the mission-related lessons they picked up from the 20th and 96th Bomb Squadrons, who have deployed to and are presently operating in the U.S. CENTCOM area of responsibility.

“I couldn’t think of a better squadron to deploy with,” pointed out Nelson, who will undertake combat operations for the first time. “I think I can speak for the entire squadron when I say we are well-prepared and ready.”

When conducting combat operations out of the Middle East, the 23rd will command the 5th BW.

“The Bomber Barons are 100 percent ready,” said Lt. Col. Michael Maginness, 23rd BS commander. “They are experts in the mission sets that they can expect to execute downrange.”

Notably, the 23rd BS will commemorate its 100th birthday during this deployment, according to Maginness.

“One of the greatest honors I can think of is serving your country in combat,” said Maginness. “I can think of no better way to cross the century mark, than answering our nation’s call – as the 23rd has been doing since 1917.”

The squadron was founded on June 16, 1917, at Kelly Field in Texas, making it one of the earliest in the United States Air Force (USAF). It participated in World War I as an aircraft repair squadron and deployed to England as a member of the American Expeditionary Forces. During the Cold War, the unit joined the Strategic Air Command (SAC) and participated in action during World War II.

The 23BS’s primary duty today is flying the Boeing B-52H Stratofortress long-range bomber. The squadron is ready to deploy and fly its B-52H aircraft at any time to implement national security policy by being able to instantly unleash devastating conventional or nuclear firepower to destroy targets anywhere in the world.

Photo by Senior Airman J.T. Armstrong / U.S. Air Force

April 21, 2023 0 comment

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