Jet Age Man: SAC B-47 and B-52 Operations in the Early Cold War
The events in Jet Age Man took place during the early Cold War, an era that will go down as a period when civilization teetered on the edge of the abyss. To some, nuclear deterrence appeared as utter madness, and was in fact commonly referred to as M.A.D. The concept of Mutually Assured Destruction provoked protests and marches, and the architect of M.A.D, General Curtis LeMay, became a symbol of madness himself.

Raised during those turbulent times, most contemporary historians conclude that we were lucky to have survived. What they fail to recognize is that for LeMay and the thousands of Cold War warriors who fought and won while serving in the Strategic Air Command, the proof of concept lies not in the "what if?" but in the reality, "what did." Historically, M.A.D. succeeded where appeasement, diplomacy and even hot wars failed. When The Wall came down, strength, not weakness, had prevailed.

Most of this story takes place in the Cold War trenches of the Strategic Air Command. It is about those who served and the many who died, told by someone who, as a young man, literally held the fate of all mankind within reach of a switch. More particularly, this is a story of man's interaction with two bombers that changed the course of political history, and were perhaps the most influential aircraft in the annals of aircraft development.

The author piloted and instructed in both the B-47 and the B-52, starting out as a copilot in the B-47, then aircraft commander and finally, instructor pilot in both aircraft. Jet Age Man chronicles his fifteen-year relationship with the B-47 and the aircraft the B-47 became, the B-52 - a bomber still in service today.
1102336865
Jet Age Man: SAC B-47 and B-52 Operations in the Early Cold War
The events in Jet Age Man took place during the early Cold War, an era that will go down as a period when civilization teetered on the edge of the abyss. To some, nuclear deterrence appeared as utter madness, and was in fact commonly referred to as M.A.D. The concept of Mutually Assured Destruction provoked protests and marches, and the architect of M.A.D, General Curtis LeMay, became a symbol of madness himself.

Raised during those turbulent times, most contemporary historians conclude that we were lucky to have survived. What they fail to recognize is that for LeMay and the thousands of Cold War warriors who fought and won while serving in the Strategic Air Command, the proof of concept lies not in the "what if?" but in the reality, "what did." Historically, M.A.D. succeeded where appeasement, diplomacy and even hot wars failed. When The Wall came down, strength, not weakness, had prevailed.

Most of this story takes place in the Cold War trenches of the Strategic Air Command. It is about those who served and the many who died, told by someone who, as a young man, literally held the fate of all mankind within reach of a switch. More particularly, this is a story of man's interaction with two bombers that changed the course of political history, and were perhaps the most influential aircraft in the annals of aircraft development.

The author piloted and instructed in both the B-47 and the B-52, starting out as a copilot in the B-47, then aircraft commander and finally, instructor pilot in both aircraft. Jet Age Man chronicles his fifteen-year relationship with the B-47 and the aircraft the B-47 became, the B-52 - a bomber still in service today.
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Jet Age Man: SAC B-47 and B-52 Operations in the Early Cold War

Jet Age Man: SAC B-47 and B-52 Operations in the Early Cold War

by Earl McGill
Jet Age Man: SAC B-47 and B-52 Operations in the Early Cold War

Jet Age Man: SAC B-47 and B-52 Operations in the Early Cold War

by Earl McGill

eBook

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Overview

The events in Jet Age Man took place during the early Cold War, an era that will go down as a period when civilization teetered on the edge of the abyss. To some, nuclear deterrence appeared as utter madness, and was in fact commonly referred to as M.A.D. The concept of Mutually Assured Destruction provoked protests and marches, and the architect of M.A.D, General Curtis LeMay, became a symbol of madness himself.

Raised during those turbulent times, most contemporary historians conclude that we were lucky to have survived. What they fail to recognize is that for LeMay and the thousands of Cold War warriors who fought and won while serving in the Strategic Air Command, the proof of concept lies not in the "what if?" but in the reality, "what did." Historically, M.A.D. succeeded where appeasement, diplomacy and even hot wars failed. When The Wall came down, strength, not weakness, had prevailed.

Most of this story takes place in the Cold War trenches of the Strategic Air Command. It is about those who served and the many who died, told by someone who, as a young man, literally held the fate of all mankind within reach of a switch. More particularly, this is a story of man's interaction with two bombers that changed the course of political history, and were perhaps the most influential aircraft in the annals of aircraft development.

The author piloted and instructed in both the B-47 and the B-52, starting out as a copilot in the B-47, then aircraft commander and finally, instructor pilot in both aircraft. Jet Age Man chronicles his fifteen-year relationship with the B-47 and the aircraft the B-47 became, the B-52 - a bomber still in service today.

Product Details

ISBN-13: 9781909384316
Publisher: Helion and Company
Publication date: 10/19/2012
Sold by: Barnes & Noble
Format: eBook
Pages: 288
File size: 17 MB
Note: This product may take a few minutes to download.

About the Author

Lt Col Earl J. McGill is a veteran and author specializing in military history.

Table of Contents

List of Illustrations 7

Foreword 10

Preface 12

Acknowledgments 13

Abbreviations 14

Introduction 18

Part I The Sweetest Killer I Ever Flew: A Personal History Of My Affair With the RB-47E

1 Grim Beginnings 25

2 Femme Fatale 27

3 Three-Headed Monsters 44

4 Aluminum Cocoon 48

5 Spy in the Sky 61

6 Unnatural Acts 70

Coffin Corner: Stalls, Spins, and other Unnatural Acts 71

Back Side of the Power Curve (Thrust Limitations) 77

Roll Due to Yaw 82

Where There's Smoke 85

7 Myth. Legend and Rumor 90

8 The Lessons 95

9 Final Curtain 101

1979 103

Part II Armageddon Averted: The B-52

10 On the Morning of the First Day 107

Brinkmanship. 107

11 Caliche 111

12 Aircraft Development 116

13 Shootdown and Other Near Catastrophes 123

14 Oil Burner 135

15 Alert 149

16 EWO 153

17 Chrome Dome 159

18 Cuba 164

19 The Rock 170

20 Voices From the Sea 180

First Day, 0120 hours, 19 February 1968 181

Second Day: 0530 hours, March 1 1968 185

Third Day: 0730 hours, 1 March 1968 190

Fourth Day: 0830 hours, March 3 1968 191

Fifth Day: 0830 hours, March 4 1968 195

Sixth Day: 0600 hours, March 5 1968 197

Seventh Day; March 6 1968 200

Eighth Day: March 7 1968 201

Ninth Day: March 8 1968 201

March 9-12 1968 202

Aftermath 203

21 Arc light 206

Epilogue 216

Appendices

I B-47 Loss Summary and Analyses 1956-1965 221

B-47 Loss Summary 1956-1965 221

B-47 Loss Analyses, listed by phase of operation. 227

II B-52 Loss Summary and Analyses 1956-1968 270

B-52 Loss Summary 1956-1968 270

B-52 Loss Analyses, listed chronologically (1956-1968) 272

III 'Narrative Summaries of Accidents Involving U.S. Nuclear Weapons, 1950-1980' (B-47 and B-52 incidents) 276

IV Loss of 7BW B-52F, serial number 52-173, call sign Meal 88 281

Bibliography 282

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