“Building a Strategic Bombing Force.” U.S. Air Force ad in “Life Magazine,” April 7, 1952. Color print of the Boeing XB-52 by John T. McCoy, Jr.
The B-52 Stratofortress is a U.S. long-range, subsonic, jet-powered heavy bomber designed by the Boeing Company in 1948. The magazine ad appeared just about a week before the XB-52 prototype was first flown, on April 15, 1952. The ad proclaims the long, hard job of building a strategic bombing force:
“The amount of time, money and effort that must go into building up just one part of this force – the Strategic Air Command – should give American citizens some idea of the huge task your armed forces and the aircraft industry are tackling in rebuilding American Air Power. . .
“To succeed, the Air Force needs a realistic public understanding of the time factors involved in Air Power expansion . . . and recognition of the hard fact that Air Power must be consistently maintained in peace if it is to be relied upon to help prevent – or meet – the terrible emergency of war.” [Excerpt from the ad copy]
The ad was sponsored by the United Aircraft Corporation, makers of Pratt & Whitney jet engines, 8 of which power up the B-52. Multiply 8 by the 744 bombers that were built and the result is a pretty big chunk of change. So, United Aircraft was not exactly a disinterested party in building B-52s. It was part of that military-industrial complex Dwight Eisenhower warned against, hard at work influencing public policy.
“Building a Strategic Bombing Force.” U.S. Air Force ad in “Life Magazine,” April 7, 1952. Color print of the Boeing XB-52 by John T. McCoy, Jr.
The B-52 Stratofortress is a U.S. long-range, subsonic, jet-powered heavy bomber designed by the Boeing Company in 1948. The magazine ad appeared just about a week before the XB-52 prototype was first flown, on April 15, 1952. The ad proclaims the long, hard job of building a strategic bombing force:
“The amount of time, money and effort that must go into building up just one part of this force – the Strategic Air Command – should give American citizens some idea of the huge task your armed forces and the aircraft industry are tackling in rebuilding American Air Power. . .
“To succeed, the Air Force needs a realistic public understanding of the time factors involved in Air Power expansion . . . and recognition of the hard fact that Air Power must be consistently maintained in peace if it is to be relied upon to help prevent – or meet – the terrible emergency of war.” [Excerpt from the ad copy]
The ad was sponsored by the United Aircraft Corporation, makers of Pratt & Whitney jet engines, 8 of which power up the B-52. Multiply 8 by the 744 bombers that were built and the result is a pretty big chunk of change. So, United Aircraft was not exactly a disinterested party in building B-52s. It was part of that military-industrial complex Dwight Eisenhower warned against, hard at work influencing public policy.