Boeing B-52H Stratofortress – 319th BW Red River Raiders 1/200

Amercom/Altaya 1/200 scale Boeing B-52H Stratofortress serial 61-0022 “Yosemite Sam” of the USAF 319th BW Red River Raiders,USAF 1981. Constructed of a mixture of metal and plastic with lowered undercarriage and stand in a sealed plastic blister. Altaya have vastly improved the finish of their products recently, as these have properly indented, authentic looking panel lines.

Length 9.75 inches Wingspan 11 inches.

For a long time, the comic figure Yosemite Sam had been the unofficial mascot of the unit which was also adorned the tail unit of this B-52H during the maneuver “Great Strike” in England in 1981. The airplane features the standard camouflage livery of the B-52 fleet of the 1970s and 1980s and features the then used tail cannon.

The Boeing B-52 Stratofortress is an American long-range, subsonic, jet-powered strategic bomber. The B-52 was designed and built by Boeing, which has continued to provide support and upgrades. It has been operated by the United States Air Force (USAF) since the 1950s. The bomber is capable of carrying up to 70,000 pounds (32,000 kg) of weapons, and has a typical combat range of more than 8,800 miles (14,080 km) without aerial refueling.

Beginning with the successful contract bid in June 1946, the B-52 design evolved from a straight wing aircraft powered by six turboprop engines to the final prototype YB-52 with eight turbojet engines and swept wings. The B-52 took its maiden flight in April 1952. Built to carry nuclear weapons for Cold War-era deterrence missions, the B-52 Stratofortress replaced the Convair B-36 Peacemaker. A veteran of several wars, the B-52 has dropped only conventional munitions in combat. The B-52’s official name Stratofortress is rarely used; informally, the aircraft has become commonly referred to as the BUFF (Big Ugly Fat Fucker/Fella)

The B-52 has been in service with the USAF since 1955. As of 2022, there are 76 aircraft in inventory; 58 operated by active forces (2nd Bomb Wing and 5th Bomb Wing), 18 by reserve forces (307th Bomb Wing), and about 12 in long-term storage at the Davis-Monthan AFB Boneyard. The bombers flew under the Strategic Air Command (SAC) until it was disestablished in 1992 and its aircraft absorbed into the Air Combat Command (ACC); in 2010, all B-52 Stratofortresses were transferred from the ACC to the new Air Force Global Strike Command (AFGSC). Superior performance at high subsonic speeds and relatively low operating costs have kept them in service despite the advent of later, more advanced strategic bombers, including the Mach 2+ B-58 Hustler, the cancelled Mach 3 B-70 Valkyrie, the variable-geometry B-1 Lancer, and the stealth B-2 Spirit. The B-52 completed 60 years of continuous service with its original operator in 2015. After being upgraded between 2013 and 2015, the last airplanes are expected to serve into the 2050s.