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Index
A-10 Thunderbolt II, 86
ADM-20 Quail, 66, 67
AGM-28, 64, 65, 70, 112–114
AGM-48 Skybolt, 67, 68, 70
AGM-69, 110, 112
AGM-69A, 112, 113
AGM-69B, 112
AGM-84 Harpoon, 115, 161
AGM-84A, 110
AGM-84C, 139
AGM-84E, 161
AGM-86, 65, 68, 112, 113, 135, 137
AGM-86, 79JB-52H, 79
AGM-86B, 110–112, 114, 169, 171
AGM-86C, 114, 130, 135, 157, 169, 171
AGM-86D, 114
AGM-88A, 131
AGM-129, 135–137, 141, 169
AGM-142, 135, 137, 141
AGM-158, 136, 137
Allen, Bill, 37, 40
Andersen AFB, 7, 9, 82, 83, 93–95, 97, 135, 145, 162–164, 166, 168
Antonov An-124, 135
Applegate, Patrick, 170
Aranda, Tom, 150
ATM-84A, 110
Avro Lancaster, 16
B-1, 106, 111, 118, 148
B-1A, 51, 107–109, 111, 112, 117, 119, 148
B-1B Lancer, 51, 107, 119, 141, 145, 147–149, 157
B-2 Spirit, 119, 141, 148
B-2A Spirit, 119, 145, 149, 157, 173
B-17 Flying Fortress, 19, 21, 27, 39
B-29 Superfortress, 21, 24, 27–30, 35, 43, 55, 95
B-36 Peacemaker, 24, 25, 27, 28, 32, 53, 66, 107
B-36D, 23
B-47 Stratojet, 24, 25, 27, 29, 30, 32–35, 37, 44, 50, 64, 66
B-47A, 24
B-47E, 25
B-50, 24, 30, 54
B-50A, 27, 39, 41, 43, 49, 50
B-52
B, 39–41, 43, 49, 53, 58, 101
C, 39, 40, 42, 43, 49, 50, 66, 101, 108
D, 8, 42–45, 49, 50, 57, 63, 79, 82, 85–88, 90–96, 98, 101, 103, 105, 109, 113, 133
E, 44, 46, 48–50, 67, 73, 101
F, 44–50, 67, 85, 86, 101
G, 139, 44–50, 57, 60, 61, 64–67, 85, 92, 94, 95, 101, 102, 110–116, 118, 121, 123–131, 133, 134, 137, 140, 149, 155, 161
H, 9–11, 47–51, 62, 63, 67–69, 85, 101, 102, 104, 110, 111, 113, 114, 134, 135, 137–142, 145–151, 153, 154, 156, 157, 159–167, 169–173
B-55, 29, 35
B-58 Hustler, 44, 49, 107
B-63 missile, 24
Bagram AB, 147, 150
Baldwin, Jeremiah, 168
Ball, Gregory, 147
Balls Eight, 74, 76–78, 159, 160
Barksdale AFB, 123, 125, 130, 135, 138, 140, 141, 146, 147, 163, 167, 169, 172
Battle of
Britain, 17
Bull Run, 13
Fleurus, 13
Beamer, Todd, 146
Bell B-63, 64
Bender, M. A., 78
Blumenthal, Vaughn, 28, 29
Blytheville AFB, 62
Boomer, Walter, 129
Boyne, Walter, 34
Brezhnev, Leonid, 117
Brooks, Bentley, 168
Brown, Harold, 51, 106, 111
Bulli, Dante, 57, 59–61
Bunker Hill AFB, 49
Burris, P. M., 78
Bush, George H. W., 133
Butler, George, 133
Byers, Will, 150
C-97 Stratofrieghter, 40
Carlsen, Art, 28, 29, 40
Carswell AFB, 24, 122
Carter, Jimmy, 51, 106, 109, 111, 117
Castle AFB, 7, 53, 54, 56, 58
Churchill, Winston, 23, 119
Civil War, 13
Cohen, Eliot, 125, 129, 131
Cold War, 9, 11, 23–25, 35, 45, 53, 55, 56, 102, 104, 119, 121, 133–135
Cormier, Joshua, 166
Correll, John, 84
Cortes, Lorenzo, 157
D-21, 69
Davis-Monthan AFB, 101, 108, 133, 165
Diamond Lil, 109
Dornan, Robert, 111
Dyess AFB, 107
EC-130, 130
EC-135, 56
Edwards AFB, 69, 73, 77, 79, 107, 112, 142, 159, 160, 162, 173
EF-18G Growler, 168
Eglin AFB, 79
Eielson AFB, 170
Einstein, Albert, 59
Eisenhower, Dwight, 36, 37
Ellsworth AFB, 53, 57, 110
Elmendorf AFB, 117
Eubank, William E., 53, 56
F-14 Tomcat, 108
F-4E, 113
F-105 Thunderchief, 86
F-111, 86, 108, 167
Fairchild AFB, 7, 23, 53, 57, 118, 140
FB-111, 108, 112
Finlay, Donald W., 28
Fisher, Chuck, 61, 62
Ford, Gerald, 109
Franks, Tommy, 145, 148
GAM-63, 64
GAM-72 Quail, 66
GAM-77 Hound Dog, 64
GAM-87 Skybolt, 67, 79
Gillespie, Michelle, 153
Glasgow AFB, 57
Global War on Terror (GWOT), 145, 152
Glosson, Buster, 128
Gorbachev, Mikhail, 119, 133
Grand Forks AFB, 57, 101
Grant, Rebecca, 148, 150
Griffiss AFB, 57, 111
Gulf War, 122, 123, 125, 126, 128, 133
Hardiman, Scott, 168
High and Mighty One, The, 74
Hill, Marcus L., 53
HL-10, 76
Holder, William, 101
Horner, Chuck, 121, 129
Hussein, Saddam, 121, 127, 134, 141, 154, 157
Hyper-X, 77
Ilya Mourometz, 14
JB-52B, 79
JB-52C, 79
JB-52G, 79
Jensen, Andrea, 151, 152
Jertz, Walter, 143
Johnson, Eric, 152
Johnson, Kelly, 69
Johnson, Lyndon B., 49, 51, 82, 83, 89, 91, 106
Johnston, Alvin “Tex,” 33, 36, 37
JT3D turbofan, 47
Jumper, John, 150
K. I. Sawyer AFB, 125
Kadena AB, 57, 88
Karman, Theodore von, 24
KC-10A, 114
KC-97, 53, 54
KC-97G, 58
KC-135 Stratotanker, 7, 40, 43, 53, 57, 58, 61, 62, 63, 88, 15
4, 155, 165
KC-135A, 46
Keaney, Thomas, 125, 129, 131
Kennedy, John F., 49, 68, 106
Keystone B-4A, 16
King, Scott, 152
Kopp, Carlo, 148
Laden, Osama bin, 145, 150
Land, Brian, 129
Larson AFB, 36
LeMay, Curtis, 21, 23, 25, 29, 34, 37, 40, 53–57, 62, 77, 78, 81, 91, 93, 133
Lincoldn Abraham, 13
Lindsey, Robert, 111
Littrell, Larry, 152
Loring AFB, 53, 57, 74, 122
Lowe, Thaddeus S. c., 13
M-21, 68
M2-F2/F3, 76
MacMillan, Harold, 68
March AFB, 54, 62
Mather AFB, 60
McConnell, John, 87
McDonald, Patrick, 157
McNamara, Robert, 49, 51, 59, 68, 81, 89, 101, 105, 107, 115, 117
Messerschmitt Me 262, 24
MiG-21, 96
MiG-25, 105
Milosevic, Slobodan, 141–143
Minot AFB, 10, 48, 57, 139, 141, 147, 150, 157, 163, 166, 169, 170, 172
Mitchell, William Lendrum, 14, 16, 17
Model 299, 19, 20
Model 307 Stratoliner, 19, 34
Model 314 Clipper, 19
Model 345, 30
Model 367, 40
Model 377 Stratocruiser, 27, 34
Model 424, 24, 27
Model 432, 27
Model 448, 24, 27
Model 450 Stratojet, 24, 27, 29, 30
Model 452, 28
Model 462, 28, 30
Model 464, 28, 29, 33, 135
Model 464-16, 28
Model 464-17, 28, 30
Model 464-29, 28, 30
Model 464-35, 28, 30, 31, 35, 105
Model 464-40, 30–32
Model 464-41, 31
Model 464-49, 29, 31, 33
Model 464-54, 31
Model 464-67, 31, 34, 35, 49
Model 464-201-0, 39, 49
Model 464-201-3, 39, 49
Model 464-201-4, 39, 49
Model 464-201-6, 39, 49
Model 464-201-7, 43
Model 464-253, 44, 49
Model 464-259, 44, 49
Model 464-260, 44, 49
Model 464-261, 47, 49
Model 474, 29
Model 707, 43
Model 717, 40
Moore, Albert, 96
Moròn AB, 125, 127
Moseley, Michael, 172
Mosley, Darrick, 153
NB-52, 160
NB-52A, 71
NB-52B, 72–74, 77
NB-52E, 73, 78
NB-52H, 78, 160, 162
Nellis AFB, 7
Nichols, E. M., 77
Nixon, Richard, 51, 89–91, 93, 96, 108
Nunn, Sam, 111
Oathout, Scot, 173
Offutt AFB, 53, 56, 57, 134
Old, Archie, 54, 62
Operation
Allied Force, 139–141
Anaconda, 150, 152
Arc Light, 83–90, 92, 99, 128, 130
Bullet Shot, 92
Chrome Dome, 55–57, 63, 64
Commando Hunt, 89
Coverall, 55
Desert Shield, 121, 122, 126
Desert Storm, 11, 121, 123–126, 129–131, 133, 137, 148, 154
Desert Thunder, 141
Enduring Freedom, 145, 147, 148, 150, 152, 161, 169
Freedom Train, 91
Hard Head, 55, 64
Instant Thunder, 121
Iraqi Freedom, 154, 156, 157, 161, 169
Junction City, 85
Kick Start, 55
Linebacker, 91–95, 97, 99, 101, 105, 129
Northern Watch, 157
Power Flite, 53, 55, 57, 58, 62, 123
Quick Kick, 53
Redwing, 43
Rolling Thunder, 82, 89, 92, 93, 128
Silver City II, 87
Southern Watch, 157
Pearl Harbor, 16, 25
Pennell, Maynard, 28, 32
Plattsburgh AFB, 64
Powell, Colin, 121
Power, Thomas S., 53, 56, 57, 78
Pratt & Whitney
J52, 113
J57, 7, 41, 50, 161
J57-P-1W engine, 39
J57-P-3, 33, 35
J57-P-19W, 44
J57-P-29W, 40, 44
J57-P-29WA turbojet, 7
J57-P-43W, 45, 44
R1690 Hornet engine, 20
R1820-97 engine, 20
TF33, 47, 48, 50, 161, 162, 171
TF33-P-3, 47
Priest, Dana, 143
Prince Abdulla AB, 125, 126, 129
Prince Sultan AB, 145
Project Crested Ice, 64
Quarles, Donald, 7, 9
RAF Fairford, 125, 127, 138–140, 156, 157
RB-211-535E4-B turbofan, 162
RB-36, 25
RB-36D, 23
RB-47, 25
RB-52B, 39, 41, 49, 54, 74, 75, 79
Reagan, Ronald, 51, 117–119
Rees, Ed, 57, 59, 60
RGM-84, 115
Rhem, Kathleen, 147
RJ43 ram jet engine, 68
Rogers, Jeff, 170
Roosevelt, Franklin, 59
Rusk, Dean, 89
Sawyer AFB, 57
Schairer, George, 24, 28–30, 32–35
Schlight, John, 87
Schwarzkopf, Norman, 121, 128, 129, 131
Selinger, Marc, 168, 172
Seymour-Johnson AFB, 60, 63
Shaw, Merritt, 166
Shea, Jamie, 143
Sikorsky, Igor, 14
Sirak, Michael, 165
Spaatz, Carl, 23
Space Shuttle, 72, 77
Spirit of Abilene, 107
SR-71 Blackbird, 68
Stalin, Josef, 119
T45 engine, 29
Taylor, Maxwell, 81
Tender Trap, 79
Terrill, Robert, 77
Thule AB, 64
Tinker AFB, 104
Torregon AB, 57
Townsend, Guy, 36
TP4 engine, 29
Travis AFB, 47
Truman, Harry, 21
Tupolev, Andrei, 35
Tupolev
Tu-4, 35
Tu-20, 35
Tu-22, 117
Tu-95, 35, 105, 135
Turner, Samuel, 96
Udorn Royal Thai AFB, 88
UGM-84, 115
UH-1 Iroquois, 86
Vietnam War, 9, 49, 81–99, 126, 128, 130
Wald, Charles, 145
Warden, Henry, 29, 32, 33
Weinberger, Caspar, 117
Wells, Edward Curtis, 20, 24, 28–30, 32–34
Westermoreland, William, 85, 89
Westover AFB, 53, 57, 60
White, Robert, 71
William F107-WR-100 turbofan engine, 114
Wilson, Thorton Arnold, 40, 55
Withington, H. W., 28, 32
Wolfe, Kenneth Bonner, 29
World War I, 13, 14
World War II, 17, 20, 21, 23, 27, 29, 32, 35, 44, 55, 64, 99, 127, 147
Wright XT35 turboprop engine, 28
Wright-Patterson AFB, 29, 33, 79, 163, 168
Wurtsmith AFB, 48, 57, 125, 126
Wynne, Michael, 163, 172
X-15, 69, 71, 74, 76
X-24A, 76, 77
X-24B, 76
X-38, 72, 77
X-43, 78
X-43A, 73, 77, 159
X-51A, 160, 162
XB-15, 19
XB-17, 20
XB-47, 24
XB-52, 27
XB-52, 31, 34, 35, 37, 39, 49, 50
XB-70 Valkyrie, 49, 51, 106, 107
XBLR-1, 19
XGAM-77, 64
XGAM-87A, 65, 67
XT35, 29
YB-52, 31, 33–37, 48, 50, 107
YB-60, 35, 36
Young, James, 78
A B-52H of the 419th Flight Test Squadron flies
over a snow-covered Alaskan mountain range at 75 degrees north latitude, close to the North Pole, during an Avionics Mid-life Improvement test mission. USAF photo, Sgt. Brian Schlumbohm
First published in 2012 by Zenith Press, an imprint of MBI Publishing Company, 400 First Avenue North, Suite 300, Minneapolis, MN 55401 USA
© 2013 Zenith Press
Text © 2012 Bill Yenne
All photographs are from the author’s collection unless noted otherwise.
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Library of Congress Cataloging-in-Publication Data
Yenne, Bill, 1949-
B-52 Stratofortress : the complete history of the world’s longest serving and best known bomber / Bill Yenne.
p. cm.
Includes bibliographical references and index.
Summary: “A comprehensive history of the B-52’s development, manufacture, and combat service. The longest-serving U.S. Air Force combat aircraft, the B-52 debuted in 1955 and is slated to continue to 2040. It flew in the Cold War, Vietnam, the Gulf Wars, and Afghanistan”--Provided by publisher.
ISBN 978-0-7603-4302-9
1. B-52 bomber--History. 2. Air power--United States--History. I. Title.
UG1242.B6Y46 2012
358.4’283--dc23
2012025615
Editor: Scott Pearson
Design Manager: James Kegley
Designer: Diana Boger
Cover designer: Rob Johnson
10 9 8 7 6 5 4 3 2 1
On the front cover: A B-52H from the 20th Expeditionary Bomb Squadron over the Pacific Ocean during the RIMPAC exercise in July 2010. USAF photo, Tech. Sergeant Jacob N. Bailey