Introduction

The following introduction is taken from the Pen and Sword website:

When the B-52 Stratofortress entered operational service with the US Air Force in 1955, work was already underway on defining its successor. The B-70 Valkyrie, a Mach 3 jet bomber, was one option. Although two XB-70A prototypes flew, the B-70 never went into production. Out of the subsequent Advanced Manned Strategic Aircraft program came the B-1A bomber, which flew at high speed and low altitude to evade enemy air defences. The B-1A was cancelled in favour of fitting the B-52 with cruise missiles. The B-1, known as the BONE, was revived in 1981 as the improved B-1B to boost American military power and be a symbol of American strength at the peak of Cold War tensions. The B-1B entered service in 1986 with several deficiencies. The resolution of most of these issues coincided with the end of the Cold War.

After the Cold War, the B-1B lost its primary nuclear mission but remained relevant by transforming into a high-speed, long-range, high-payload delivery platform for conventional precision-guided munitions. The first combat use of the B-1B was in 1998 in Iraq. The BONE has proved a highly effective combat aircraft in Afghanistan, Iraq, Libya, Syria and the former Yugoslavia.

This superbly researched and illustrated book traces the BONE’s long development and operational history in fascinating detail.

Review

This offering from Pen and Sword, covering the B1 bomber is authored by Kenneth P Katz. This is a hard backed book, that protects 392 pages of a high gloss paper which shows off the photographs of which there are many to good effect. The text provided in this release is entirely in English, with the contents provided as follows:

Chapter   1    Rise of the American Strategic Bomber

Chapter   2    B-70 Valkyrie

Chapter   3    B-1A 

Chapter   4    From A to B

Chapter   5    The Supersonic Cadillac

Chapter   6    Nuclear Weapons

Chapter   7    B-1B Development and Testing

Chapter   8    Building the B-1B

Chapter   9    SAC Service

Chapter   10  After the Cold War

Chapter   11  Combat Debut

Chapter   12   The Global War on Terror

Chapter   13   Maintaining and Modernising the Bone

Chapter   14   The B-1B and Air Force Global Strike Command

Chapter   15   Global Presence

Chapter   16   Twilight of the Bone

The text in this offering from Pen and Sword, covering the life of the B1 bomber is written in a text of a good size and clear font that makes it easily readable, by those whose eyes are getting old and less capable than once they were. This book tells the story of how the B1 bomber failed to go into service, having originally being designed as the Valkyrie, an aircraft that was basically a delta wing with a huge engine assembly bolted on the bottom and half a fuselage that was raised above the wing with the cockpit out front and a part of the aircraft that almost looked like an after thought. Despite the Valkyrie being unsuccessful the book continues to tell the story of how the B1-A came into service as a low level high speed strategic bomber. The story continues with the progression to the B-1B and its successful missions during the war in Iraq, where the aircraft proved itself to be an effective bomber hitting its targets and returning home ready for its next mission. 

The book closes with the story of how the B1B is coming to the end of its service life, due primarily to airframe stress from its primary use as a low level high speed bomber, but also from the stresses pressed upon the airframe from loitering in combat areas with its wings extended, awaiting direction to a possible target. According to the figures provided in the book, approximately a third of the aircraft have been broken down and used for spares, and this makes me wonder how long before swing wing aircraft become just a part of history with the demise of the Tomcat, Tornado and F-111 having already being consigned to history.

As a modeller I was particularly pleased at the number of photographs provided in this release with 300 photographs being listed as included, most of which are in full colour with a very high clarity to them. Some technical drawings are included in the title, providing specific detail such as crew placement, and geometry of the aircraft. Each of the photographs are accompanied with well written captions, providing good levels of information. Perhaps one aspect this book brings to life, is that the aircraft the B1 was originally intended to replace was the B-52 and these aircraft are still in service under the H variant, well after the B1B is consigned to history, with further alterations planned for the B-52 resulting in an aircraft that is quickly heading towards 100 years in service.

Conclusion

This offering from Pen and Sword authored by Kenneth P Katz, does a good job of providing the reader with a written guide to the B1 bomber from its original conception right the way through and on to its ultimate demise. The text is not overly taxing, and in my opinion good consideration has been given to the size and font used, making it a book that is easily read. For the modeller specifically the high number of high quality images should allow the modeller to find good quality images of any specific detail being sought. At the same time increasing the pleasure that somebody wishing to read about the aircraft. Due to all of these features the result is a book that I believe will meet the expectations of both the person interested in the aircraft and the person who wants images of the aircraft.