USAF Boeing B-52G 596th BS Operation Secret Squirrel

Herpa Wings 1:200 / HE572767

On January 15, 1991, after the ultimatum issued by the United Nations Security Council to Iraq to withdraw from occupied Kuwait had expired, seven B-52 bombers with a crew of 57 took off from Barksdale Air Force Base in Louisiana in the early morning hours of January 16 for the up to then longest combat mission in history. It took the seven Stratofortresses four aerial refuelings to cover the 14,000 miles, more than 22,000 kilometers, of the at the time highly classified mission. After no less than 35 hours in the air, the exhausted crews of the 596th Bomber Squadron were back on American soil. The mission, called "Operation Secret Squirrel", was the prelude to the large-scale "Operation Desert Storm" for the liberation of Kuwait. With their GPS-guided cruise missiles, the B-52s, including the B-52G with the nose art "El Lobo II", incapacitated critical Iraqi command, communications and surveillance infrastructure, which greatly facilitated the advance of the ground forces of the international coalition.

Boeing B-52G Stratofortress
Designed to meet an Air Materiel Command requirement for a long-range, strategic bomber, the B-52 Stratofortress was first flown on April 15, 1952. First envisioned as a straight wing, six turboprop aircraft, the B-52 underwent a number of design changes before becoming the swept-wing, eight turbojet aircraft it is today. Originally built for Cold War era "deterrence" missions, this aircraft is capable of carrying nuclear weapons but in actual combat has only dropped conventional munitions. Its long service career has included Vietnam, the Persian Gulf and Afghanistan and Iraq, and it is expected to continue serving until at least 2040.

HERPA Wings 1:200 diecast airplanes feature:

• Molded metal construction with plastic components.
• Realistic panel lines, antennas, access panels and surface details.
• Inscriptions and posters printed with a stamp that do not fade or fall off like decals.
• opening of awnings, revealing detailed within the cockpit.
• Extended / retracted interchangeable landing gear.
• Display stand to display the aircraft "in flight".
• Authentic detachable artillery cargoes complete with placards.