B-52 Stratofortress Units in Combat 1955-73

by Jon Lake, Mark Styling (Illustrator)

Overview

Designed to form the backbone of Strategic Air Command's nuclear deterrent, the B-52 force was brought to higher states of readiness whenever crisis threatened the USA, most notably when Kennedy and Khruschev went eyeball-to-eyeball over Cuba. Soon afterwards, B-52s formed the backbone of the USAF's bombing campaign in Vietnam, Cambodia and Laos. This book follows the story of the B-52 from its genesis to its first combat missions in June 1965 and through to the briefly sustained but bloodily fought Linebacker II offensive in late 1972. Even after the withdrawal of US forces in 1973, B-52s remained in-theatre, flying training missions mainly from Guam.

Product Details

ISBN-13:	9781841766072
Publisher:	Bloomsbury USA
Publication date:	01/22/2004
Series:	Combat Aircraft , #43
Pages:	96
Product dimensions:	7.25(w) x 10.30(h) x 0.55(d)

About the Author

Jon Lake's most recent work for Osprey was the Combat Aircraft 35: 'Lancaster Squadrons 1939-45'. Jon Lake is one of Britain's leading journalists and historians, and secretary of the Freelance Aviation Journalists Association.

Table of Contents

Genesis of the B-52/Atom bomber – Cold War to Cuba/South Bay to Sun Bath/Big Belly B-52D joins Arc Light/Arc Light Continues/Freedom Train and Linebacker/Linebacker II/An uneasy peace/Appendices/Colour Plate Commentary/Index