I'm working on an FSX video set in the Vietnam war, and I want to make sure I have my facts right before I get started. I have two questions about B-52's during the war:

 

1. Did any B-52's fly missions out of Vietnam, or did they all fly in from Thailand and Guam?

 

2. I read that they flew low-altitude missions on many of their sorties. How low would that be?

 

Thanks,

boeing247

They only ever operated from Andersen AFB on Guam and U Tapao RTNAF in Thailand when flying strikes over Laos, Cambodia and Vietnam. Not sure if the Buff was ever used at low level in SE Asian operations.

 

June 1965 saw the first Arc Light mission flown from Guam, against VC concentrations in Binh Duong Province (operational altitude was between 19,000 and 22,000 feet for various flights, although two aircraft collided on this first mission in spite of that precaution). The total round trip could be as long as 18 hours (more typically around 12 hours), often requiring requiring two refuellings, which were usually done near the Phillipines. April 1967 was when operations from Thailand commenced, this usually being a much more palatable 3 hour flight which required no refuelling in the air, although tankers were invariably available on the Thailand side of Thud Ridge in case a flak hit over the north had perforated a fuel tank or some such.

 

Al

Al, I doff my cap to you. You are a walking living encyclopaedia. Amazing recollection of history.

They only ever operated from Andersen AFB on Guam and U Tapao RTNAF in Thailand when flying strikes over Laos, Cambodia and Vietnam. Not sure if the Buff was ever used at low level in SE Asian operations.

 

June 1965 saw the first Arc Light mission flown from Guam, against VC concentrations in Binh Duong Province (operational altitude was between 19,000 and 22,000 feet for various flights, although two aircraft collided on this first mission in spite of that precaution). The total round trip could be as long as 18 hours (more typically around 12 hours), often requiring requiring two refuellings, which were usually done near the Phillipines. April 1967 was when operations from Thailand commenced, this usually being a much more palatable 3 hour flight which required no refuelling in the air, although tankers were invariably available on the Thailand side of Thud Ridge in case a flak hit over the north had perforated a fuel tank or some such.

 

Al

 

Thanks a million! And I second vc10man's post.