Show notes
The story of the missing B-52 is about Cold War readiness and the sacrifices that families make. MEAL-88 is on a night-time exercise, practicing evasion of enemy radar and simulating bombing runs when the plane and crew disappear. A search by the Air Force and Coast Guard comes up empty. Then, a crew member’s wife scours the waters and beaches of the Texas gulf coast and makes an incredible discovery.
Highlighted moments
The United States had the SR-71 photograph all airports where the airplane could land within range of Matagorda Island.
“There was one black guy on the crew. And the aircraft commander was of Latino descent. So all those prejudices were working.”
“And when that happens, the aircraft turns from an airplane into a brick. And the aircraft falls out of the sky.”
“They had aircraft problems, but they kept leaning forward. The aircraft problem, Cliff references here, was a malfunctioning radar, which the crew managed to reset just prior to the first RBS bombing run. They kept leaning forward, and they could have easily aborted the mission. But because of the culture of bombs on target no matter what, they kept leaning forward, and that bit them in the butt.”
Transcript
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