The low-level run was flown in one of the defined low-level routes set aside for SAC’s use, such as the #41/42, which entered at Montgomery, Alabama, and ended in Georgia
The B-52 Stratofortress can deploy the broadest range of weapons in the U.S. arsenal, including gravity bombs, cluster munitions, precision-guided missiles, and Joint Direct Attack Munitions (JDAMs). Thanks to ongoing upgrades with modern systems, the B-52 can employ the full spectrum of jointly developed weapons and will remain a key component of U.S. defense well into the 21st century. The U.S. Air Force (USAF) currently plans to keep the B-52 in service through 2050.
The U.S. Air Force first fielded the Boeing B-52 as a nuclear-capable bomber during the Cold War. Nevertheless, from its entry into service in 1955, the B-52 has served as the primary long-range heavy bomber for Strategic Air Command.
In the 1980s, as Russian air defense systems improved, the only way to effectively strike Soviet targets was to penetrate the target area while avoiding radar detection by flying at low altitude.
A detailed account of how a training sortie for this demanding mission was carried out was provided by Mike Mastromichalis, an experienced BUFF pilot, to Walter J. Boyne for his book Boeing B-52: A Documentary History. Mastromichalis explained that the flight plan was drawn up the day before the mission by the six-person BUFF crew during a five-hour briefing, during which they prepared the fuel log and other takeoff data (for a typical low-level training mission, the aircraft carried 160,000 pounds of fuel and no weapons). After completing the mission planning, the crew then rested for 12 hours before the flight.
Takeoff occurred from one of SAC’s air bases—such as Robins Air Force Base (AFB) in Georgia—on the following morning. After the B-52 climbed to about 31,000 feet and reached cruise speed, the first training event, an aerial refueling with a KC-135A, was conducted. The tanker typically flew an orbit at 30,000 feet, so the BUFF crew had to descend below the Stratotanker, close to within one mile, and then begin a climb to move into the refueling position beneath the tanker.
As Mastromichalis noted, aerial refueling a B-52 is a demanding task. The pilot must keep the aircraft extremely steady so the boom operator can guide the tip of the refueling boom into the B-52’s receptacle, located just behind the cockpit. If the aircraft strays outside the refueling envelope, the boom automatically retracts and disconnects to prevent damage. Because a typical B-52 refueling lasts about 25 minutes—with the boom connected for roughly 17 and a half minutes—the maneuver requires intense concentration to carry out safely.
Before beginning the low-level leg, the crew practiced celestial navigation for an hour and a half. During this phase, the navigator used a sextant to ‘shoot the sun’ and fix the aircraft’s position; by relying on time, heading, and airspeed, the navigator could guide the bomber to the next waypoint even if all of the advanced onboard navigation systems failed.
Next came the low-level run, which, as Mastromichalis recounted, was flown along one of the designated low-level routes reserved for SAC, such as route #41/42 that began near Montgomery, Alabama, and ended in Georgia. After descending from high altitude to approximately 400 feet above the ground, the crew spent the first 15 minutes checking the terrain-avoidance radar to verify its reliability; once it was confirmed, they followed the electronically generated display showing the terrain ahead. Following an hour and a half of demanding low-level flying, the crew commenced the bomb run. Using a USAF ground site, their bombing accuracy and effectiveness could then be evaluated.
During the bomb run, all six crew members aboard the B-52 were fully engaged: the Electronic Warfare Officer (EWO) dealt with multiple simulated ground threats, including anti-aircraft fire and surface-to-air missile (SAM) attacks, while the radar navigator prepared to release the practice bombs.
After releasing the bombs, the Stratofortress headed back to base, where the crew practiced instrument approaches before landing. Once on the ground, they participated in a maintenance debriefing, bringing a very exhausting day to a close.
Boeing B-52 A Documentary History is published by Schiffer Publishing and is available to order here.
Photo by Senior Airman Chris Putnam U.S. Air Force
