Boeing B-52C Stratofortress - "Scramble!" - 1958

VERY RARE footage of "C" model B-52s.
Also here is some rare footage of the 1st "A" model (52-001) taxiing at Boeing Field, plus the usual "B" model "Stock footage" during the take-off sequences.
Only 35 of the "C" model were produced, and served just two SAC wings from 1956-71. Most of these were quickly replaced by the "D" model (170 built) with the "C" being fanned out to various SAC wings as trainers.
A few B-52Cs remained flying for a few years longer; the last aircraft to be withdrawn ended its flying career with the AFFTC at Edwards AFB in July of 1975.
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[@pasqualeredo]

It's pretty cool to see these vintage newsreel clips... I love seeing ANYTHING having to do with Westover A.F.B. I clearly remember staring into the sky whenever I heard the roar of a B52. As a child in the early 70's, Westover was quite an active base... I was always fascinated with military aircraft... still am!

[@GregSr]

Back in 1976 through 1980 I was assigned to a "remote" SAC base (Loring) in northern Maine. The base maintained nine B-52's fully loaded with fuel and nukes. Probable destination: Moscow by way of the North Pole. The bombers were on alert 24/7. Paired with each bomber was a KC-135 air refueling aircraft. Loring Air Force base no longer exists. In fact, SAC no longer exists. After completing my four year enlistment, I was honorably discharged in 1980 as a Staff Sergeant (E-5). I was proud to serve. It was a great experience and I would do it all again. Go Air Force!

[@aaroncone6778]

Loring AB still exists today. It's a military rebuilding facility, rebuilding Humvee's & Hemet's. The runway is used for the Loring Timing Assn (Hot rodders doing land/speed trials).

[@MrVenona]

Greg Sullivan - Thank you for your service!

[@danielpurcell7395]

I spent two years at Loring, 73 to 75. On my return from Vietnam. 22nd SPS, loved the area, and met a lot of good people while there. Military and Civilian. 42nd at Loring. I was with the 22nd at March AFB California before going overseas. Sorry about that! Old age is catching up with me. You are welcome Mr Sullivan, it was truly the greatest adventure of my life. Thank you for your service as well Sir.

[@GregSr]

@@danielpurcell7395 Thank-you for your service. Glad you made it back!

[@russvoight1167]

Did you know a guy in AGE named Ron Rady? Classmate of mine from Hayward WI

[@mitoys3628]

Hello all. I flew B-52's at Westover at this time. I was there when this video was made. Later we were transferred to Orlando, Fl. as a Strategic Wing, in an effort to not have so many aircraft in one place. This was a different time and it seemed like we were always on alert , either airborne for 24 to 26 hours or ground alert in the Mole Hole , as we called it. This was and still is a great reliable aircraft. I flew B,C,and D models. It was very different from the B-47 that I flew prior to this one .

[@cassidy109]

Was there much in the way of differences between the three variants that you flew?

[@mitoys3628]

No , there was not a great deal of difference in the three models I flew. I remember the 4 bleed air driven alternators had to be manually synched in the early ones ,but the later psyched automatically on starting. @@cassidy109

[@Mike-01234]

I remember the drills at Norton AFB in California they had 52's the roar of the engines and black smoke pouring out it was amazing to watch.

[@davidsandell7833]

blastman8888: Same with Homestead and Loring. Except we had the 52H. No water.

[@chrisberry2441]

blastman8888 Same here at Columbus, Walker, Anderson, and Fairchild. Live the engine sound.

[@patrickyoung2117]

I just watched a movie clip showing B52's taking off at 15 second intervals. AMAZING. Roaring into the sky still full of smoke from the plane directly ahead. Incredible display of potential firepower.

[@carltonhayes8074]

Spent three years with the 320bg,mather field and 3rd div ,guam and a few tdy's.still Think of the BUF .a pleasure to work on. A Hayes SAC 1961-1965 Nothing like JP4 in the morning.

[@jamielacourse7578]

Thankfully your Airforce had individuals like Curtis Lemay and James Doolittle.....

[@semco72057]

The C models must not have flown very long before they was grounded. The D, G, and H models was the only ones flying when I came into the Air Force. I worked on those three models while stationed at Minot, U-tapao, and Barksdale AFB's. I even got to fly on the G models which was at Barksdale and loved flying on them. They needed someone to dearm, and rearm the missiles we carried at the time.

[@maxmorando4852]

Sidney Mathious. From some sources, the B-52C was operational up to 1971; the B-52B up to 1965, the B-52F up to 1967, the B-52E up to 1970.

[@Honest300Al]

I was at Barksdale from 62 to the beginning of 66. We had F's.

[@aj-2savage896]

B-52Cs were at Westover long enough to wear the SIOP camo. 99th BW. Westover's D models went to Guam to fight the Vietnam war.

[@charlestaylor253]

There were actually only 35 'C' models built. They were mostly used in the training role after 1965, and the last one was retired in 1975.

[@jimstrict-998]

1958 Ford station wagon on alert.

[@Tireshredderjoe]

Watching a B-52 do a touch and go at Vandenburg AFB in the mid eighties, at the end of the flight line outside the fence could see it come in from the front and pass with the side seeing the pilot co-pilot and the awesomeness of the plane was a real thrill. As well as a C5a wailing in with those loud engines flying like it was gonna fall out of the sky. Neat experiences.

[@larryhohensheldt6450]

I spent April of 1958 to may of 1962 with SAC at McCoy AFB Orlando FLA started out on B47’s then B52’s all kinds of alerts and A bombing competition was held there I was A jet engine mechanic I enjoyed working with the crew chief and crews that flew the planes. My first date with my wife was canceled for a SAC alert I was unable to contact her for a few days she though I didn’t like her, Been married 59 yrs.I had 10 days to go till my discharge and President Kennedy involuntary extended me for one year due to the Cuban missile crises.

[@TralfazConstruction]

Saw a B-52 at an airshow in '59 at McGuire AFB in New Jersey when I was there with my father. I'd have just turned three years-old. It's on the family home movie compilation that Dad thoughtfully had converted to digital media in '07 or so. The B-52 struck me as being very big and gleaming in silver and white and still had that new B-52 smell 😉.

[@rickravenrumney]

The scariest thing i ever seen was a B52 doing a "crab" in Guam. It looked 45° off center.

[@charlenecastello4150]

My father wa s a crew member on a B52 awe stationed at Loring AFB, not once but twice. I went to Damon Elementary on Base, theN to Limestone HIGH DCHOOL .I loved it , met slot of neat people. Even picked potatoes 🥔.

[@SMGJohn]

There just something powerful about seeing those huge sets of monitor screens, and mainframe computers compared to today everything is so flat, small and portable which does not have the same menacing and powerful look to it, todays nuclear reactor control rooms look like a LAN meeting compared to the nuclear reactor control room of the 1960s, back then it looked like they meant business.

[@marycatherineknight7368]

Filmed at Westover, With 45 assigned bombers, there was a mix of C and D models.

[@allgood6760]

A B-52.. a friend you can depend on 👍✈️

[@patrickyoung2117]

Wasn't there a time during the early 1960's when 4 B-52's, armed with nuclear weapons, were in flight heading towards the USSR 24 hours a day, 7 days a week? As I recall, the 4 Buffs weren't allowed to land until 4 more were airborne. Any of you Air Force guys have some knowledge of this? Thanks!

[@johnving9468]

It was called Operation Chrome Dome.

[@toadman506]

John is correct, I believe it was way more than just 4 in the air at a given time though

[@johnned4848]

The formation flying shot looks like it was used in the opening credits of Dr Strangelove

[@peterschorn1]

Facsimile machines as big as printing presses! Television screens a whole 17 inches in width! Weather reports every twelve hours! Ah, the days of iron men and wooden slide-rules...

[@thomassalois3508]

Imagine having to go on alert and scramble in the middle of winter in the Northern Tier of basis back in the day

[@nordan00]

Did it many times at Griffiss in Upstate New York. That plane was cold as shit every winter morning. Of course, when I was at Mather AFB in Sacramento, that plane was hot as shit at high noon during summer!

[@classicalhollywood3254]

They still use b52s till this day.

[@superdriver777]

Those planes must've been SOOOOO LOUD. Man, I wish I could go back and hear one burn some fuel! 8x JP-57 engines...

[@MrChroot]

P.O.E., Peace On Earth : ) if you know what I mean

[@neighbor18]

That first take off isn't even water injection so it's not mito

[@russvoight1167]

Water injection had nothing to do with a MITO exercise, that was normal procedure with the J57 engine; B52 and KC135

[@d0l0b]

1958 USA bomber -b52c, 2022 USA bomber - b52h, 2050 USA bomber -b52j. Turbojet bomber, Turbofan bomber, Hightech bomber

[@richintalent]

Are those B-47s or B-52s?

[@jackw467]

Those are B-52s

[@charlestaylor253]

@@jackw467 B-52C's, actually.