B-47 Stratojet; Boeing's Brilliant Bomber

New York: McGraw-Hill, 2000. First Printing [Stated]. Hardcover. Very good/Very good. xv, [1], 168, [4] pages. Illustrated DJ has minor wear and soiling. This on one of the Walter J. Boyne Military Aircraft Series This is also an Aviation Week Book. A rare close-up of the B-47 highlighting its precedent-setting technology, performance, and missions, as captured in interviews with designers and pilots, and exclusive photos. Traces the B-47's importance as the Air Force's key deterrent in core missions and special operations throughout the '60s Cold War era. Reviews the groundbreaking technological innovations later standardized on military and commercial aircraft; records set by the aircraft; full performance and spec data; and more. Jan Tegler is a writer/broadcaster. His work appears in a variety of international publications on subjects ranging from business and finance, military affairs and motorsports to wrist watches, aviation and automotive reviews for magazines including AutoWeek, The Economist, Flight Journal, and International Watch. He is the author of the book Boeing's Brilliant Bomber - The B-47 Stratojet from McGraw-Hill and acts as a regular host on two syndicated radio programs including Capital Conversation. Contents address Origins and Development; Flight Test; SAC's Speeding Bullet; B-47A; B-47B, B-47B Variants and Conversions; B-47E; B-47E Variants and Conversions; and Special Variants. Appendix A; B-47 Bomb Wings: Locations and Dates of Assignment. Appendix B: Preserved Stratojets: Where to See Them. Index. A portrayal of the B-47 Stratojet. It takes you along on test flights, gives you the controls of nuclear-armed B-47s, and walks you into hangars to meet the crews whose work made the B-47 fly and fly again. It contains illustrations, including revealing technical diagrams, photographs and interviews with figures in aviation history. The Boeing B-47 Stratojet (Boeing company designation Model 450) is a retired American long-range, six-engined, turbojet-powered strategic bomber designed to fly at high subsonic speed and at high altitude to avoid enemy interceptor aircraft. The primary mission of the B-47 was as a nuclear bomber capable of striking targets within the Soviet Union. Development of the B-47 can be traced back to a requirement expressed by the United States Army Air Forces (USAAF) in 1943 for a reconnaissance bomber that harnessed newly developed jet propulsion. Another key innovation adopted during the development process was the swept wing, drawing upon captured German research. With its engines carried in nacelles underneath the wing, the B-47 represented a major innovation in post-World War II combat jet design, and contributed to the development of modern jet airliners. Suitably impressed, in April 1946, the USAAF ordered two prototypes, designated "XB-47"; on 17 December 1947, the first prototype performed its maiden flight. Facing off competition such as the North American XB-45, Convair XB-46 and Martin XB-48, a formal contract for 10 B-47A bombers was signed on 3 September 1948. This would be soon followed by much larger contracts. During 1951, the B-47 entered operational service with the United States Air Force's Strategic Air Command (SAC), becoming a mainstay of its bomber strength by the late 1950s. Over 2,000 were manufactured to meet the Air Force's demands, driven by the tensions of the Cold War. The B-47 was in service as a strategic bomber until 1965, at which point it had largely been supplanted by more capable aircraft, such as Boeing's own B-52 Stratofortress. The B-47 was also adapted to perform a number of other roles and functions, including photographic reconnaissance, electronic intelligence, and weather reconnaissance. The type remained in service as a reconnaissance aircraft until 1969. A few served as flying testbeds up until 1977.