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31 USAF B-52 Stratofortress Bombers were lost in the Vietnam War; however the US Air Force only acknowledges 30. North Vietnamese Air Force MIG-21 pilot, Lt. Gen. Pham Tuan reportedly shot down a B-52 with an Air to Air missile on 26 December 1972, during the Nixon's Christmas Bombing over North Vietnam. However, the USAF states that that B-52 was shot down by part of Hanoi's Air Defense Ground Systems; a SAM (Surface to Air Missile).

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15y ago
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14y ago

Approximately 30 (some sources state 31) B52 Stratofortress's were lost in the Vietnam War. Nearly half of them were shot down by SAMs (Surface to Air Missiles) during the last month of 1972 during President Nixon's "Christmas Bombing" campaign (operation linebacker & Linebacker II). One NVAF MiG21 pilot, MAJ Pham Tuan claimed a B52 kill with his air to air missile on 26 Dec '72. If the aerial victory could be confirmed, he would be the only airman in history to have downed a B52 in combat. The USAF confirmed that a Stratofortress had been downed on that date and location; but credited the shoot down to a SAM. MAJ Pham Tuan went on to become Vietnam's first cosmonaut when he and Soviet cosmonaut Viktor Gorbatko were launched into space from the Baikonur Cosmodrome on 23 July 1980.

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10y ago

Yes, B-52's did drop Napalm and other incendiary weapons during the Vietnam War.

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Q: Was a B-52 shot down in Vietnam?
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In Vietnam, the rumor was the B52's killed him.


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The most spectacular footage that may have been censored by the government, since it hasn't been seen again; but it was aired on television many years ago (10 or 20 yrs). Flights of B52 Stratofortress bombers over North Vietnam, possibly during President Nixon's Linebacker II campaign. One or more of the B52's were shown in flight being struck by SAMs (Surface to Air Missiles). One B52 in particular was struck where the wing connected with the fuselage and the bomber's wing folded upwards as the aircraft began it's downward dive to earth. During that air campaign, two NVAF MiG-21s were shot down by B52 tail gunners (confirmed aerial kills) and one NVAF MiG-21 claimed a B52 kill. All B52's probably had cameras during that mission, as B52's were critical...and camera coverage was necessary to correct errors and review after action analysis. Consequenly, some of those aforementioned actions may have also been aired during that sequence.


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Used to be an enlisted man. The Vietnam War was the last war to have bomber tailgunners. Two B52 tailgunners shot down two NVAF MiG21s in December 1972; for the last time in history.


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The most spectacular footage that may have been censored by the government, since it hasn't been seen again; but it was aired on television many years ago (10 or 20 yrs). Flights of B52 Stratofortress bombers over North Vietnam, possibly during President Nixon's Linebacker II campaign. One or more of the B52's were shown in flight being struck by SAMs (Surface to Air Missiles). One B52 in particular was struck where the wing connected with the fuselage and the bomber's wing folded upwards as the aircraft began it's downward dive to earth. During that air campaign, two NVAF MiG-21s were shot down by B52 tail gunners (confirmed aerial kills) and one NVAF MiG-21 claimed a B52 kill. All B52's probably had cameras during that mission, as B52's were critical...and camera coverage was necessary to correct errors and review after action analysis. Consequenly, some of those aforementioned actions may have also been aired during that sequence.


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When was the B-52 bomber first used?

Although the first B52s were lost to operational causes during the Vietnam War in 1965; the first loss to a SAM (Surface to Air Missile) occurred on 22 November 1972. The first probable kill (USAF disputes claim, states B52 was downed by a SAM) of a Stratofortress to an enemy jet (MiG21) flown by NVAF MAJ Pham Tuan was on 26 December 1972.