How many bombers were shot down in Vietnam? Fifteen B-52s were destroyed (the North Vietnamese claim to have shot down 34), resulting in the deaths of 43 airmen. Another 49 Americans were captured.
The eight-engine bomber was brought down by a North Vietnamese surface-to-air missile near Vinh on the day when B-52s flew their heaviest raids of the war over North Vietnam. The Communistss claimed 19 B-52s shot down to date.

How many B-52s were shot down in one day?

Now just imagine 60 B-52 bombers shot down in one day. Or even 16 aircraft, which would be 28 percent of the Air Force’s current fleet of 58 B-52Hs. The U.S. produced an amazing 276,000 aircraft during World War II, with 16 new B-17s per day rolling out of the factories per day by April 1944.

Was a US B-52 Stratofortress shot down over Hanoi?

Soviet specialists inspect the wreckage of the B-52 Stratofortress which was shot down near Hanoi on 23 December 1972. The wreckage of a US Air force B-52 Stratofortress, shot down over Hanoi in 1972.

How much does it cost to fly a B-52 bomber?

The B-52’s $72,000 cost per hour of flight is more than the B-1B’s $63,000 cost per hour, but less than the B-2’s $135,000 per hour. The Long Range Strike Bomber program is intended to yield a stealthy successor for the B-52 and B-1 that would begin service in the 2020s; it is intended to produce 80 to 100 aircraft.

How many bombers were shot down in Vietnam?

All told, the U.S. Air Force flew 5.25 million sorties over South Vietnam, North Vietnam, northern and southern Laos, and Cambodia, losing 2,251 aircraft: 1,737 to hostile action, and 514 in accidents. 2,197 of the losses were fixed-wing, and the remainder rotary-wing.

How many phantoms were shot down in Vietnam?

List of US aircraft losses to missiles during the Vietnam War

Year / aircraft / totals	SAM type	Altitude struck: low to high in feet
Year total: 13
1966
F-4B, F-4C Phantom II (8)	SA-2	4,000 to 25,000
F-8E Crusader (2)	SA-2	6,000 and 12,000

How many US helicopters were shot down in Vietnam?

According to the Vietnam Helicopter Pilots Association, a total of 11,846 helicopters were shot down or crashed during the war, resulting in nearly 5,000 American pilots and crew killed. Of those servicepeople, 2,382 were killed while serving aboard UH-1 Iroquois, better known as the ubiquitous “Huey.”

How many f4 Phantoms were lost in Vietnam?

When combined with U.S. Navy and Marine Corps losses of 233 Phantoms, 761 F-4/RF-4 Phantoms were lost in the Vietnam War. On 28 August 1972, Captain Steve Ritchie became the first USAF ace of the war.

How many F 105s shot down in Vietnam?

The F-105 was one of the primary attack aircraft of the Vietnam War; over 20,000 Thunderchief sorties were flown, with 382 aircraft lost including 62 operational (non-combat) losses (out of the 833 produced).

Republic F-105 Thunderchief.

F-105 Thunderchief
Number built	833

What was the life expectancy of a helicopter pilot in Vietnam?

Did you know the average life expectancy of a US Army Huey pilot in combat in Vietnam was only 19 minutes? Some interesting facts about UH-1 aircrew training during the Vietnam War.

How many MiG 21 shot down in Vietnam?

From April 1965 to November 1968, over 268 air battles occurred over the skies of North Vietnam. North Vietnam claimed 244 downed U.S. aircraft while admitting to the loss of 85 MiGs. Of these, 46 air battles conducted between F-4s and MiG-21s – the losses were 27 F-4 Phantoms and 20 MiG-21s.

How many Huey helicopters were lost in Vietnam?

Helicopter Losses During the Vietnam War

There are specific tail numbers for 11,827 total helicopters that served in the Vietnam War from all branches of the service. 1,925 Hueys were lost in combat, while 1,380 were lost in operational accidents.

How many MiG-21s did Vietnam have?

The North Vietnamese fighter fleet stood at 40, of which only 12 were MiG-21s. However, the losses were soon replenished by the Soviets and the Chinese. When the air war resumed in 1972 after the bombing halt, the VPAF MiG total was up to 206, an all-time high.

How many a1 Skyraiders were shot down in Vietnam?

The Skyraider in Vietnam pioneered the concept of tough, survivable aircraft with long loiter times and large ordnance loads. The USAF lost 201 Skyraiders to all causes in Southeast Asia, while the Navy lost 65 to all causes.

What was the life expectancy of a helicopter door gunner in Vietnam?

Over 10% of Vietnam casualties were helicopter crew members, and most of those were the door gunners that protected the helicopter, its crew, and its transports, from their exposed position. The average lifespan of a door gunner on a Huey in Vietnam was just two weeks.

How many wounded soldiers were evacuated by helicopters during the Vietnam War?

This marked enhancement in battlefield medical care resulted in a reduction of the mortality rate to one death per 100 casualties. During the Vietnam War, helicopter ambulances moved over 900,000 wounded troops.

How many North Vietnamese planes were shot down in Vietnam?

The North Vietnamese Air Force (VPAF) had between 60 and 75 aircraft in service at most points during the war. Yet the MiG-17s, MiG-19s, and MiG-21s shot down 67 USAF aircraft against a loss of 137 of their own, leaving the US Air Force with barely a two-to-one exchange ratio over the course of the war.

How many helicopter pilots served in Vietnam?

The Vietnam Helicopter Pilots Association (VHPA) estimates that over 100,000 helicopter pilots and crew members served during the Vietnam War. Over 4,800 helicopter pilots and crew members were killed in action, and more than 300 are buried at Arlington National Cemetery.

How many B-52 bombers does America have?

The B-52 has been in service with the USAF since 1955. As of June 2019, there are 76 aircraft in inventory; 58 operated by active forces (2nd Bomb Wing and 5th Bomb Wing), 18 by reserve forces (307th Bomb Wing), and about 12 in long-term storage at the Davis-Monthan AFB Boneyard.