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An illustrated study of the ongoing career of the iconic B-52, chronicling its frontline service after Operation Desert Storm in 1991. First flown in 1955, the B-52 has become an icon of deterrence and the long reach of American air power. The aircraft was conceived as a long-range nuclear bomber, but its versatility saw it used as a heavy-weight ''bomb truck'' in Vietnam and a launcher of stand-off air-to-ground missiles during Operation Desert Storm . Following the First Gulf War, B-52s have continued to see combat, undertaking close air support missions during patrols above Al-Qaeda insurgents and Taliban forces in Afghanistan from 2001-03 for example, and have upheld their reputation as America''s ''Big Stick'' by acting as a deterrent in situations such as the Chinese friction with Taiwan in 2023. In this illustrated volume, combat aircraft expert Peter E Davies draws on fresh research and first-hand accounts to tell the story of the later career of this iconic and enduring aircraft, examining its service from Operation Desert Storm onwards. Twenty-two newly commissioned profile artworks complement a variety of photographs from both official and private collections, demonstrating the colour schemes, nose art and new weapons that have become features of late-20th and 21st-century B-52 units.
List of contents
(subject to confirmation)
B-52H - Last of the Line
Desert Strike
Fox and Thunder
Noble Anvil
New Weapons
The Call of Al-Qaeda
Free Iraq
Ready for the Future
Appendices
Index
About the author
Peter E. Davies has specialized in the aircraft of the Vietnam and Cold War periods, analyzing tactics, background politics and technologies in combat situations. His books are always enriched by original first-hand interviews and unpublished illustrative material. Peter has also been a contributor to publications such as Aeroplane Monthly, Aviation News and Aircraft Illustrated. He lives in Bristol, UK.Jim Laurier is a native of New England and lives in New Hampshire. He attended Paier School of Art in Hamden, Connecticut, from 1974–78, and since graduating with Honours, he has been working professionally in the field of Fine Art and Illustration. He has been commissioned to paint for the US Air Force and has aviation paintings on permanent display at the Pentagon.Gareth Hector is a digital artist of international standing and has also enjoyed a successful career in computer animation. He is an aviation history enthusiast and has contributed to numerous Osprey titles such as B-52 Stratofortress Units in Combat 1992–2025
and RAF Lightning Units of the Cold War. He lives in Perthshire, Scotland.
