Meant to replace the B-52 as a long-range bomber, two XB-70’s were designed and built in the late fifties and early sixties. It is of comparable size and range to the B-52 at ~490,000 lbs. It has a large, fixed delta wing plus a small canard on the forward fuselage. It was to cruise at Mach 3 at very high altitude and had 2 internal bomb bays that could carry a very adequate bomb load. Soviet development of improved RADAR and high altitude defense systems (SA-2 antiaircraft missiles), though, forced USAF planners to resort to low altitude tactics in order to penetrate Soviet air space to probable targets. Having to fly at low altitude reduced the B-70’s range to less than that of the B-52. Eisenhower cut the B-70 program to one aircraft for supersonic research. Kennedy restarted the program to build several B-70’s early in his administration but then reversed himself and had only an additional ONE built and continued the program for research only for several more years. The program was canceled, though, because of its vulnerability at high altitude, its gross inefficiency at low level and the enormous cost of construction and operation for a system to do a job that the B-52 could already do much more efficiently. One B-70 (# 2) crashed after being struck in flight by an F-104 during a photo shoot. B-70 # 1 is on the ramp at the USAF Museum at Wright-Pat AFB. Last time I was there, I stood under it and looked up into a sizable internal bomb bay.
The B-52 was also built as a high altitude bomber, but it was versatile and adaptable enough that we were able to switch to VERY low altitude tactics in order to evade RADAR and penetrate enemy territory very effectively. I spent a large part of my 5000 hours in B-52’s training to a very high level of proficiency to refuel in flight and to navigate and bomb at very low altitude. As a combat crewmember, I spent a third of my time on alert ready to take off in less than 15 minutes and deliver nuclear weapons to the Soviet Union. To aid penetration, we also employed certain electronic counter measures (ECM) and at least 3 different nuclear-warhead standoff missiles. I was highly trained in use of AGM-28 Hound Dog cruise missiles in early to late 60’s and Short Range Attack Missiles (SRAM - rocket powered) in early to late 70’s. Air Launched Cruise Missiles (ALCM) have been in service since the early 80’s ‘til recently. During the early to mid sixties, B-52’s, including me, routinely flew 24-hour airborne alert missions from CONUS bases up over the North Pole, around Greenland and back or across the north Atlantic, Spain and around the Mediterranean and back. More recently, B-52’s have routinely flown missions of 36 to 40 hours’ duration from Louisiana to Iraq or Afghanistan and back. B-2’s also do the same thing routinely from Missouri. After cancellation of the B-70 program, the Air Force still “needed” a replacement for the B-52. The B-1A, a completely different aircraft from the B-70, emerged. This aircraft was slightly smaller than the B-52, could cruise at Mach 2 and had an internal bomb bay nearly as large as that in a B-52. It was significantly more stealthy than a B-52 and could also dash supersonically through the more heavily defended areas to reduce exposure time. Its swing-wing design improves takeoff, landing and low speed, low altitude performance and can swing back to form a delta wing for sustained supersonic flight. Nixon ordered a fleet of them, but Carter canceled the order because of construction and operating costs and the continued ability of the B-52. Reagan resurrected it, and the B-1B emerged, smaller, lighter, slower, cheaper and stealthier than the B-1A. This aircraft is about two-thirds the size of the B-52, is significantly stealthier and can cruise at Mach 1.25. Only 100 were built as a “stop-gap”/bridge to supplement the B-52 and ICBM’s ‘til the B-2 could be designed, built and go in service. In 1964, I was in a briefing with the commander of Strategic Air Command, Gen Thomas Power. During the briefing, he said, “If we don’t hurry and get a long-range bomber designed, built and in service to replace the B-52, we may have to use the G and H model B-52’s on into the 80’s.” So here we are in ’08; the B-70, B-58 and FB-111 have come and gone. One hundred B-1B’s were built and put in service, and a bunch of those have already been sent to the bone yard. Twenty-one B-2’s have also been built and put in service; one crashed several months ago. However, eighty-four H model B-52’s are still in service, and we still don’t have a replacement for it. Plans are to use it for another 40 years. There’s a saying amongst contemporary B-52 aircrewmen, “When the last B-1 and/or B-2 is delivered to the bone yard, a B-52 will take the crew back home.” Why get rid of a really good thing - long-range bomber, MB, wife? Wilton _______________________________________ http://www.okiebenz.com For new parts see official list sponsor: http://www.buymbparts.com/ For used parts email [EMAIL PROTECTED] To Unsubscribe or change delivery options go to: http://okiebenz.com/mailman/listinfo/mercedes_okiebenz.com
