"Mark and Kim Smith" wrote in message
...

Is a tail gun necessary on a B52? Has one ever been used as a defensive
measure in recent times?

The USAF's answer is obviously "no" since they have removed.
To the best I know the last time it was used in anger was over Vietnam.

Also, refresh my memory, it was a B52 that Slim Pickens was dropped from
in the movie ( as per BUFDRVR's signature )??

Yes, Slim Pickens was the pilot of a B-52 in "Dr. Strangelove"
(or "How I Learned to Stop Worrying and Love the Bomb"),
I can't tell you off hand what model it was supposed to be.

It's been a long time since I saw the flick.

Me too. I may have a copy, perhaps I'll watch it this weekend...

And as more of a side note, was BUFDRVR's H
model built before or after the movie came out?

Before, depending on which particular airframe, by one to
three years I'ld say (I'm not real clear on when the movie came
out).