B-52D(061127-F-1234S-017)

A U.S. Air Force Boeing B-52D-60-BO Stratofortress (s/n 55-0100) dropping bombs over Vietnam. This aircraft flew its final combat mission on 29 December 1972 and was one of the three final B-52 aircraft to bomb North Vietnam during "Operation Linebacker II". Following the war it should be retired to the MASDC but was reteined at Andersen Air force Base, Guam, as a memorial for the "Arc Light" missions, which was dedicated on 12 February 1974. In 1983 it was discovered that the aircraft had corroded to such a state that it was rendered unsafe. The B-52D 56-0586 replaced "Old 100" at the memorial, but this aircraft retained the markings of 55-0100. 55-0100 was then earmarked for destruction under the SALT I-agreement and was dismanteled between 12 and 16 July 1986. However, in 1987, a typhoon scattered the aircraft into the jungle where the parts are still found today.

Date

1972

Photographer / author

USAF

Archive

Wikimedia Commons

Type

image

Original size

1,500 × 1,000 pixels

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