 |
 |
 |
|
- B-52 Stratorfortresses Go to War Copyright 2009
- After it became operational in 1955, the B-52
remained the main long-range heavy bomber of the U.S. Air Force during
the Cold War, and it continues to be an important part of the USAF
bomber force today. Nearly 750 were built before production ended in
Oct. 26, 1962; 170 of these were B-52Ds.The B-52 has set numerous records in its many years of service. On Jan. 18, 1957, three B-52Bs
completed the first non-stop round-the-world flight by jet aircraft,
lasting 45 hours and 19 minutes and requiring only three aerial
refuelings. It was also a B-52 that made the first airborne hydrogen
bomb drop over Bikini Atoll on May 21, 1956. In June 1965 B-52s entered combat in Southeast Asia. By August 1973,
they had flown 126,615 combat sorties with 17 B-52s lost to enemy
action. (Courtesy, US Air Force Museum)
- Producer's Note: The image quality of these unique films is only fair, but still watchable. Where possible, we have digitally corrected sound and video. We believe you'll agree their outstanding content make them well worth seeing.
B-52: Vietnam - Operations out of U
Tapao Air Base, Thailand (Color, 1968, 40:00) The focus of this
dramatic film is an "Arc Light" bombing mission flown by
Pilot Captain George Dietrich and the crew of B-52 D "075,"
4258th Strategic Wing out of U Tapao, Thailand in support of the
besieged marine base at Khe Sahn in 1968. You'll see every aspect of
the mission from Wing briefing, pre-fight check & takeoff,
through the bomb run and final touch down. But this is much more
than a typical Air Force information film -- it's more like a home
movie. You'll see Capt. Dietrich and his crew relaxing in a grass
hut, sipping PBRs at the end of the runway, shooting the bull &
watching the big Buffs takeoff. 258th CO, Brigadier General Alex W.
Talmant, who flew 100 missions himself, supplies an honest, straight
forward narration that stresses empowering junior officers. At MAC V
headquarters, Saigon, the officer in charge of "Target
Assignments," General Chasaon, gives an informal briefing on the
strategic role played by the B-52 in Vietnam, and in an off the cuff
"on the street " interview, Army Gen William R. Peers,
commander of corps sized I Field Force, delivers high praise
assessing the role played by B-52 Arc Light missions in support of
ground operations. But the real stars of the film are the men of the
4258th. You'll see them up close, going about their business
maintaining and arming the big B-52s along with behind the scenes
glimpses of field operations at U-Tapao. Most memorably, you'll ride
along with Captain Dietrich and his crew in B-52D 075 on their deadly
mission in support of Khe Sahn. This film has a real "you are
there" feel to it and is not to be missed. B-52 Landing Analysis (B&W, 13:00,
1965) This instructional film, produced by the US Air Force, is all
about landing the big "Buff." The first part of the film
shows an actual B-52 landing, in the cockpit, step-by-step from
initial in flight approach through landing & shut down. The
second half of the film is a series of "right way-wrong way":
B-52 landings (and how to deal with them) shown from cockpit and field
level, including "nose high," "nose low," "improper
round out," "improper air brake and drag chute application"
and more. * Flight Without a Fin (B&W,
1964, 10:00) This remarkable training film is the result of an
unplanned accident. A B-52H, on loan from the Air Force to Boeing
Aircraft for a series of performance tests, was hit by an
extraordinary 10 second "microburst" of turbulence on a low
level sortie over Colorado that literally ripped off most of its tail
fin.. Luckily for us, camera equipped chase planes happened to be
along to record the mission. Boeing pilot Richard Curry walks us
through the chain of events and explains how he and his crew got the
big, finless bird home safely For the benefit of B-52 pilot's who
may find them-selves is a similar situation, he discusses the general
flight strategy used along with specifics on how to handled the
crippled aircraft.
* Boeing B-52D Flight Manual (1,100 pages in printable Adobe Acrobat .pdf file format)
Fitted to carry a maximum conventional bomb load, the B-52D flew the
bulk of strategic bombing missions in the Vietnam War. This very
comprehensive manual with color highlights includes a thorough
description of the aircraft, normal and emergency procedures, operating
limitations, flight characteristics, systems operations, crew duties,
and much more.
Pilot's manual
viewable on a computer DVD player. Don't have a DVD player on your
computer? We can put the manual on a separate CD-ROM! (Click here for info,)
Our DVDs are produced in the NTSC video format for full screen playback on your TV using your home DVD player. NTSC format countries include the United States, Canada, Mexico and Japan. Our DVDs are not "region limited." We have received reports from the UK, France, Italy, Germany, Hong Kong and Australia that our DVDs will also play on PAL & SECAM format home DVD players when they are connected to PAL & SECAM standard TVs via video out, s-vhs, component or HDMI connectors. (Do not use the "Antenna" or "cable/coaxial" connection to your TV.) -
DVDs are packaged in clear, indestructible poly cases. -
Our DVDs will play full screen on PC & Mac computers equipped with a DVD player anywhere in the world. Formats like NTSC, PAL & SECAM are not relevant for computer based DVD movie playback. -
Pilot's manuals require a computer DVD player for viewing. Manuals are in the popular Adobe Acrobat ".pdf" format. You probably already have this software installed on your computer. If not, free Acrobat software is included on the DVD. If you don't have a DVD player on your computer, we can put the manual on a separate CD-ROM! (Click here for info,) -
Should you experience a problem with a DVD disc, e-mail Zeno and a replacement will be provided free of charge. Please include the make & model number of your DVD player along with a description of the problem.
|
|
|
 |
|
 |
|
|
|
