Typhoon1244
Member in Good Standing
- Joined
- Jul 29, 2002
- Posts
- 3,078
I've been thinking lately about the mission that SAC was (thankfully) never asked to carry out.
For the sake of my question, let's assume the Soviets have launched an all-out first strike.
It's my understanding that it was generally accepted by SAC that their bombers had to be off the ground within fifteen minutes of the beginning of hostilities to be safe from a SLBM strike. I'm guessing that the B-52 cruises somewhere between .85 and .90. So a flight from, say, Dyess to Murmansk probably takes what? Four-and-a-half or five hours? Maybe more?
That means our intrepid Texas-based crew is going to be climbing out over Kansas or Missouri when the first Soviet weapons start arriving. Our manned bomber crews would have had a front-row seat to mankind's worst holocost.
So my first question is mostly an emotional one: how does one prepare to deal with a mental blow like that?
My next question is much more operational. Throught the various media, outsiders like me heard a lot about what SAC would be doing during the "weapons delivery phase" of such a war. What about after? Would our hypothetical crew try to return to Dyess after completing their mission? Dyess and her sister bases are probably large, radioactive holes by now. Are they headed for some place more along their outbound heading...Turkey or Diego Garcia or what-not? Air refueling would certainly have been available before the climax of hostilities, but what about after? What about a crew that's delivered all its bombs and missiles, and then kind find a live tanker anywhere?
Was the mission of the manned bombers assumed (at least unofficially) to be a one-way affair?
Finally, is it possible that most people on the inside of the cold war knew that such questions were moot because nobody was crazy enough to let it happen?
I realize that my operational questions may touch on sensetive areas, but this is a topic that fascinates me. I'd appreciate any input anyone could give me.
Thanks.
P.S. A good friend of our family flew F-4's in Germany and Spain during the 70's. He spoke of nights sitting in the cockpit with an eyepatch on his helmet and a nuke under each wing...not knowing if there'd be a world in the morning. All of you who stood this kind of duty surely have nerves of steel. My hat's off to you, and you have my thanks.
For the sake of my question, let's assume the Soviets have launched an all-out first strike.
It's my understanding that it was generally accepted by SAC that their bombers had to be off the ground within fifteen minutes of the beginning of hostilities to be safe from a SLBM strike. I'm guessing that the B-52 cruises somewhere between .85 and .90. So a flight from, say, Dyess to Murmansk probably takes what? Four-and-a-half or five hours? Maybe more?
That means our intrepid Texas-based crew is going to be climbing out over Kansas or Missouri when the first Soviet weapons start arriving. Our manned bomber crews would have had a front-row seat to mankind's worst holocost.
So my first question is mostly an emotional one: how does one prepare to deal with a mental blow like that?
My next question is much more operational. Throught the various media, outsiders like me heard a lot about what SAC would be doing during the "weapons delivery phase" of such a war. What about after? Would our hypothetical crew try to return to Dyess after completing their mission? Dyess and her sister bases are probably large, radioactive holes by now. Are they headed for some place more along their outbound heading...Turkey or Diego Garcia or what-not? Air refueling would certainly have been available before the climax of hostilities, but what about after? What about a crew that's delivered all its bombs and missiles, and then kind find a live tanker anywhere?
Was the mission of the manned bombers assumed (at least unofficially) to be a one-way affair?
Finally, is it possible that most people on the inside of the cold war knew that such questions were moot because nobody was crazy enough to let it happen?
I realize that my operational questions may touch on sensetive areas, but this is a topic that fascinates me. I'd appreciate any input anyone could give me.
Thanks.
P.S. A good friend of our family flew F-4's in Germany and Spain during the 70's. He spoke of nights sitting in the cockpit with an eyepatch on his helmet and a nuke under each wing...not knowing if there'd be a world in the morning. All of you who stood this kind of duty surely have nerves of steel. My hat's off to you, and you have my thanks.
