"Guy Alcala" wrote in message
. ..
Buzzer wrote:

On 18 Mar 2004 22:19:52 GMT, (BUFDRVR) wrote:

I don't believe the B-52's were typically down in the weeds during the
sixties, when the force still included a lot of C, D, and F
models--they
were still doing a lot of higher altitude work. Like in Vietnam.

The terrain avoidance radar was not installed until early 1970's
(1973??). This
is not to say you couldn't fly low visually, but I don't believe low
level was
a common practice until the 70s.

Bomb-nav maintainer might disagree with you about when the TA was
installed. (This is just the earliest date I could find..)
http://www.bombnav.org/guestbook.html
"Did infinite T/A alignment long first then 24hrs short method Dec
1962 Carswell AFB TX."

http://www.fas.org/nuke/guide/usa/bomber/b-52_hist.htm
"Although the new low level requirement would apply to the other SAC
bombers, it would have its greatest impact upon the B-52. To fly the
new attack profile, the B-52C through H models were modified with a
new terrain avoidance radar, an improved radar altimeter, increased
cooling capacity for sustained low altitude operations, modified
equipment mounts, and a general strengthening of the aircraft's
secondary structures. The goal was to permit reliable, all-weather
operation at 500 feet, to avoid detection, and to minimize encounters
with enemy defenses. Low level training for SAC bomber crews began in
the late 1950's, with actual aircraft modification beginning in 1961."

What the man said. BUFDRVR, pull out your copy of Boyne and look up
"Advanced
Capability Radar" in the index. Boyne says the Hs got them first, but
they were
backfit to the D, F and G.

Actually, Guy, the man said the C models also got it. FAS as a source is not
infallible, though in this case it remains unclear a sto which models got it
and when they actually got it. If the aircraft did start getting T/A radars
in 1961, it would have taken some time to outfit the remainder of the fleet,
which IIRC was pretty darned big at that time. Your list also does not
include the E models, which continued in service until the '69-70 timeframe.
Another interesting item is the fact that throughout the sixties a large
number of B-52's retained the silver upper/anti-flash white lower finishes,
which was hardly a very good scheme for a low altitude penetrator. This all
leads me to suspect that the "everything went to low level at the beginning
of the sixties" bit may be another case similar to the old "all the B-29's
stripped their armament per LeMay's orders" story--only partly correct, in
other words.

Brooks

Guy