Herpa 1:200 Wings 572903 Rockwell B-1B Lancer Diecast Model USAF 28th BW, 34th BS Thunderbirds, #85-0060, Ellsworth AFB, SD, Doolittle Raid 80th Anniversary, 2022. In 2022, B-1B #85-0060 received special tail artwork commemorating the 80th anniversary of famous Doolittle raid. On April 18, 1942, 16 B-25 Mitchell bombers, under the command of Lieutenant Colonel James Doolittle took off from the deck of the aircraft carrier USS Hornet to attack the capital of the Japanese Empire. The damage to the military and industrial targets in Tokyo caused by the raid itself was minor. Morale in the United States however received a strong boost, while Japan’s belief in its own invulnerability received a very first damper. The 28th Bomb Wing is a United States Air Force unit assigned to the Eighth Air Force of the Air Force Global Strike Command and is stationed at Ellsworth Air Force Base, South Dakota. The wing is one of only two B-1B Lancer strategic bomber wings in the United States Air Force, the other being the 7th Bomb Wing at Dyess Air Force Base, Texas. The 34th Bomb Squadron is presently the 4th-oldest active squadron in the United States Air Force, being formed on 10 May 1917. Designed as a replacement for the B-52 Stratofortress, the B-1 Lancer was first flown on December 23, 1974 but did not enter service until 1986. First envisioned in the 1960s, this aircraft took two decades to begin its career. Today, the B-1 operates as a long-range, supersonic low-level penetrator. Its speed and survivability are superior to the B-52, and its high-speed strike and large payload capabilities give it a unique role in modern strategic bombing operations. Herpa 1:200 Wings. The Herpa “1:200 Wings” range presents detailed, ready-made diecast models of civilian and military aircraft in 1:200 scale. Herpa “1:200 Wings” diecast airplanes feature. Diecast metal construction with some plastic components. Realistic panel lines, antennas, access panels and surface details. Pad printed markings and placards that won’t fade or peel like decals. Permanently extended landing gear with non-rotating wheels. Some releases feature interchangeable open/closed canopies. Authentic fixed ordnance loads. Accurately detailed underside with concealed screwheads.
