Day 8 - Dec. 26, 1972

Day 8 began with the largest formation of B-52s ever assembled into a single wave. One Hundred Twenty B-52's, 78 from Andersen (45 B-52G's and 33 B-52D's) along with 42, B-52D's from U-Tapao. The better ECM equipped B-52D's were used to strike targets in Hanoi. Of the 72, B-52D's attacking Hanoi targets, the Duc Noi rail yards was struck by 9 B-52D's entering Hanoi from the North West. The Kinh No vehicle complex was struck by 9 B-52D's entering the target area from the North West. The Hanoi rail yards was struck by 9 B-52D's arriving on the target area from the North East. Hanoi petroleum product storage facility was struck by 9 B-52D's flying into Hanoi from the North East. 18, B-52D's arriving to the area from the South West struck the rail yards of Giap Nhi. A Vietnamese SAM site, VN 549, was struck by 3, B-52D's from the South East. Also arriving from the South East was 15 B-52D's that hit the Van Dien vehicle repair depot in Hanoi.

The B-52G's were used to strike the Thai Nguyen rail yards north of Hanoi. This target was struck by 15, B-52G's accompanied by 3, B-52D's arriving on the target area from the North West. The remaining B-52G's arriving from Andersen approached the coastal city of Haiphong in two attack formations. One, a 15 plane group of B-52G's from the North East targeting the Haiphong transformer station, and another identical group arriving from the South East bombing the Haiphong rail yards.

Hanoi air defense launched 45 SAMs at the attacking B-52s.

EBONY cell was a two ship cell flying at 36,500 feet, bombing the Giap Nhi rail yards located in the South Eastern part of Hanoi. EBONY 01 had TWS and uplink signals four minutes prior to the bomb release point (BRL), and employed maximum jamming against the TWS with two transmitters on the downlink frequency. EBONY 02, a B-52D, tail number 6674, was hit at 11:42PM local Hanoi time, and downed while in the post-target turn by one of a barrage of four SAMs probably fired from the North Vietnamese SAM battery 257/76. EBONY cell penetrated a very dense SAM environment with several SAMs observed from 3 minutes prior to until 3 minutes after release of their bombs. EBONY 02 was broadside to SAM site 257/76 at this point. The broadside aspect, insufficient down-link jamming, and insufficient mutual support caused by the two ship cell were all contributing factors to the loss of EBONY 02.

Three minutes later at 11:45PM Hanoi time, ASH cell, also a two ship cell flying at 36,500 feet was approaching its target, the Kinh No vehicle complex just north of Hanoi. It is reported that MiGs may have been attacking ASH cell as they began making hard evasive maneuvers prior to the BRL. These maneuvers caused ASH cell to veer 8 to 11 NM left of their intended track to the target. It was know that ASH 02 had one E/F transmitter that was inoperable at the time. Prior to BRL, ASH 02 had three uplink signals and no TWS. ASH 02 employed two jammers against the downlink. ASH 01 jamming considerations are unknown. ASH 01, a B-52D, tail number 6584, was hit approximately eleven NM left of planned track by a SAM launched by 261/93 and damaged. Separation from the wave and burn-through by several SAM sites were contributing factors to this incident. The crew of the strickened bomber continued to fly the B-52 towards U-Tapao. ASH 02 crashed while attempting to land at U-Tapao as it overshot the runway and burst into flames approximately one mile beyond the end of the runway.

A heroic effort was made by another B-52 crewman who had just landed from his mission to rescue the co-pilot of ASH 02 from the burning wreckage. Also surviving the ordeal was the gunner who managed to escape from his turret in the back of the aircraft.

Two more B-52D's were damaged by SAMs while bombing the Hanoi rail yards.

CREAM cell was approximately three to five NM left of fragged track inbomnd and on track on the outbound leg from the target. CREAM 01, a B-52D, tail number 5062, was flying at 31,000 feet. CREAM 02, a B-52D, tail number 5090, was at an altitude of 31,500 feet. ECM was degraded by the loss of two E/F transmitters in CREAM 02. CREAM 02 and CREAM 03 had TWS signals while CREAM 01 and CREAM 03 had an uplink approximately seven minutes prior to BRL. All three aircraft employed maximum jamming against the TWS signals and each aircraft had two transmitters on the downlink frequency. The cell penetrated a dense SAM enviroment with four SAMs observed by CREAM 02 at the time of the engagement. The exact location where the damage occurred is difficult to determine since the damage was very minor and only discovered during a post flight inspection of the aircrafts. Site burnthrough and broadside profile to the SAM sites were contributing factors to the engagement.

BLACK 03 B-52D 56-0629 was hit over Duc Noi at 37,000 MSL. Landed at U-Tapao.
63 manhours was required to repair fourteen external holes plus three dents.


Hpasp
Free SAM Simulator, "Realistic to the Switch"

(U-2 over Sverdlovsk, B-52's over Hanoi, F-4 Phantoms over the Sinai, F-16's and the F-117A Stealth bomber over the Balkans.)
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Book from the author - Soviet Nuclear Weapons in Hungary 1961-1991
https://sites.google.com/view/nuclear-weapons-in-hungary/

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