This is coolbert: It made for a very impressive sight. Row after row of jet bombers [usually B-47], all in line on the taxi way, each waiting it's turn for take off. And plane after plane taking to the air, very regimented. Also, pictures of the flight crews, in an orderly room, reading newspapers and magazines. An alarm would go off, lights would flash, and the crews would jump into their planes for quick take off. This was all a show to impress the world that the U.S. had thousands of aircraft on ready nuclear alert, ready to take to the air. This was a myth. At the height of the cold war, the U.S. Air Force had in the air and on the ground about twenty five (25) bombers on instantaneous nuclear alert. I think the public got the impression that most of the force, or a very large percentage at least was always on alert and ready to go at a moments notice. This was not so. Would have been prohibitively expensive to maintain a force at this level of posture. In time of crisis or alert, the manned bomber force could be brought to a high state of alert and readiness. But this was a very rare occurrence, and almost never happened. Only at the most acute of times would this have been so, during the Cuban missile crisis, for instance. But an impression was established and maintained.

coolbert.