Bill Fritz (former EW) Arc Light Video
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The traditional role of the bomber gunner was to defend the airplane from enemy fighter attack. A critical role during W.W.II when allied bombers fell victim to enemy fighter attacks by the hundreds. With that in mind, bomber aircraft designers and strategists continued to incorporate a "lethal defense" gunnery system in the generations of strategic bomber aircraft that followed.
As demands on bomber crews and equipment evolved, the gunners responsibilities grew from simply defending the aircraft with cannons. On the B-52 bomber, the gunner's responsibilities encompassed a variety of activities reflecting the integrated crew concept of "getting the bombs on target." From operating advanced Electronic Counter Measures equipment during aerial combat, to guiding other bombers in formation to the target with their radar.
The retirement of the Gunners in 1991 ended a chapter of military aviation history that lasted nearly 70 years.
The Boeing B-52 Stratofortress is a heavy strategic bomber capable of delivering conventional and nuclear weapon payloads anywhere on the globe. Of the 8 models of B-52 manufactured, the H model is the only version in service today. The crew consists of a Pilot, Co-Pilot, Radar Navigator (bombardier,) Navigator, Electronic Warfare Officer - and until 1991, a Gunner, the only enlisted man on the crew. Originally designed in the late 1940's as a high altitude bomber to elude ground based anti-aircraft weapons, it's role changed to low-level penetration of enemy defenses with the advent of radar guided ground -based weapons during the late 1950's and early 1960's. With further advancements in air-to-air intercept technology (a modern fighter can launch a rocket attack from many miles away,) the role of the gunner came under scrutiny. This, combined with other considerations such as: advancements in automatic defense systems; US air superiority; air-to-air B-52 combat statistics from Vietnam and the Persian Gulf War; stealth bomber technology; and the cost of updating the B-52's lethal defense system - led to the retirement of the gunners aboard the bomber.
The early B-52 models (A,B,C,D,E,F) had a gunner's position in the tail of the plane directly forward of the gun turret. The G and H models still had the tail mounted guns but moved the actual gunner's position to the forward crew compartment. This relocation saved the gunner from undergoing tremendous physical stress during low altitude flight. The tail of the Buff moves 5 feet for every foot the nose moves. In a low altitude environment, thermal wind currents radiating from the earth's surface are contorted by mountains and terrain and can bounce the bomber around like a trash can rolling down a flight of stairs.
Equipment
:
- Search Radar - capable of detecting targets up to 10 nautical miles from 3 o'clock to 9 o'clock, and guiding following aircraft in formation in the event they lost their targeting radar.
- Track Radar - automatically track targets from 4 nautical miles
- Guns - ABCDEFG models - 4 .50 Cal machine guns H model - .20 mm Gatling gun
- ECM equipment (APR-25/ALR-46 Warning Receiver, ALQ-117/ALQ-172 Jammer
- Radios
- AFSATCOM - Air Force Satellite Communications Equipment -
- Ejection Seat - probably the most valuable piece of gunner equipment
Mascot - Bulldog
Motto - C'est La Vie (That's Life)
Token - Gunner's Coin
- Spend day prior to flight mission planning
- Show up at squadron 4 hours prior to take-off
- Go to Base Operations for weather briefing
- Preflight Airplane
- Takeoff (total flight time 8 to 14 hours long)
- Monitor other bombers in formation (duration of formation flight - could be entire mission)
- Perform equipment check (1 hour)
- Air Refuel - monitor tanker aircraft during rendezvous (1 hour)
- Low level bombing runs (2-3 hours)
- Navigation leg (2 hours)
- Fighter intercept exercise - practice maneuvers with fighters (not all missions -1 hour)
- Fire Out - shoot the guns (not all missions - 1 hour)
- Pattern Work - endure pilots practice of touch-n-go's on the runway (1-4 hours)
- Land
- Post flight check
- Attend debriefing (1 hour)
During the cold war, SAC bombers maintained a constant vigil of armed aircraft and crews ready to launch nuclear strikes at a moments notice anywhere on the globe. This meant that aircrews had to live in hardened bunkers (the alert shack) next to armed aircraft 24 hours a day, seven days a week. A crew would normally pull a one week alert tour once each month.
Typical activities during a day on alert would go something like this:
- Attend briefing every morning at 7 am
- Preflight aircraft
- Study war mission scenarios
- Fly simulated missions
- Attend intelligence briefings
- Participate in training exercises
- Attend training classes