THE AMAZING B 52 BOMBER

I've read that at least one recent B52 pilot was piloting his Grandfather's plane. That is, the actual one!

 

..sounds logical ......good for him

 

Many thought the B-52 would be replaced by the B-70...no..then the B-1 Lancer...no...then the B-2 Spirit...no and now the B-21 Raider sometime down the road...no...see a pattern here...still be flying when I'm old and gray.

 

...like I said, we've used them against enemies that had ''minimal'' effective air power or none at all [ post Vietnam of course ] .....so no need for stealth/etc in those conflicts
..which one are they getting rid of? ..or are they?

 

That was the Tu-4, NATO reporting name Bull. The Tu-95 is an original design with swept wings and tail surfaces, turboprop engines, and contra-rotating propellers. A contemporary of the B-52 and also still in service, no doubt a "grandfather" to some of its crewmen.

 

The designs have little in common beyond both being swept-wing jet bombers.

 

There were a few prototypes that were heavily modified Tu-4s, such as the Tu-75 & Tu-85(a direct competitor to the Tu-95). However, they were cancelled in favor of the Tu-95.

 

And both had bicycle landing gear & outriggers. But, other than that, the Bison was an original design.

 

The Russians and Chinese can't come up with an original aircraft design if it hit them in the head...simply copy Western designs and steal the technology seems to work better...most are overrated communist junk in my opinion.

 

BlackJack
Blinder/Backfire
Tu-95

All excellent aircraft...Provided you do not factor in Soviet quality control.

The Backfire really caused some headaches in the West in it's time.

The B-52 is fine for bombing 3rd world nations...But not my first or 10th choice to hit Leningrad or Moscow.

 

The B-52J has completed modifications and is undergoing testing over the Pacific...aim high!

 

Ahhh, the smell of bigotry in the morning...

 

......they did the job and did it well in Linebacker 2 against Chinese and Russian systems/weapons/troops trained by the Russians
..once they changed over to common sense tactics
..Hanoi had massive Russian and Chinese designed AAA systems/weapons
...in the Arab-Israeli October War, the Israelis took a bloody nose from the Russian/etc SAMS....but once they changed tactics, they did well.....and in later conflicts

1964!!!

North Vietnamese Air Defenses

Linebacker II - Air Force Magazine

etc
caps/etc for emphasis only

 

Yawn...They faced old SA-2 Guideline SAMs, not the newest Soviet missiles. Despite fly against these older missiles, they still managed to lose 15-17 B-52s.
Nor did the NVAF have many MIGs, again hardly constituting a threat to B-52s.

So, we have 1st line B-52s flying against a 3rd rate country using 3rd rate Soviet hand me downs.

Again all old Soviet Tech, not the latest & greatest.

If, by "changed tactics", you mean "have advancing Israeli tanks & infantry units destroy SAM sites", then you would be correct.

 

...the Israelis were outnumbered in all categories
...the Israelis were fighting on a narrow front---''surrounded'''
and still they always beat the Russian weapons and systems ....tanks/AT/SAMs/etc
even with great advantages, the Arabs with the Russian weapons/systems lost
..the B52s beat the Russian AA defense..
..so it's not just the weapon--it's tactics/etc

 

When did the US sell B-52s to Israel?

 

Thinking of putting this on the back window of my truck...

 

hahhahahah
?
B52s in Vietnam......
??

 

Not according to you...

Israelis...Israelis...Arabs...B-52s.