{"product_id":"9781472865038","title":"B-52 Stratofortress Units in Combat 1992-2025 by Gareth Hector","description":"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.\u003cbr\u003eBinding: Paperback \/ softback","brand":"Gardners","offers":[{"title":"Default Title","offer_id":55897385238901,"sku":"9781472865038","price":16.99,"currency_code":"GBP","in_stock":true}],"thumbnail_url":"\/\/cdn.shopify.com\/s\/files\/1\/0612\/7193\/3106\/files\/9781472865038.jpg?v=1756999864","url":"https:\/\/backstory.london\/products\/9781472865038","provider":"Backstory","version":"1.0","type":"link"}