1956 B-47 disappearance

The 1956 B-47 disappearance was an aviation incident during the Cold War in which a United States Air Force Boeing B-47 Stratojet vanished over the Mediterranean Sea on March 10, 1956, during a routine mission.

Despite extensive search efforts, no aircraft or device remains were recovered.

A Boeing B-47 Stratojet, call-sign Inkspot 59, from the 306th Bombardment Wing/369th Bomb Squadron, took off from MacDill Air Force Base, Florida, in the United States for a non-stop flight to Ben Guerir Air Base, Morocco.

[2] After descending through solid cloud cover 90 miles southwest of Oran, to begin the second refueling at 14,000 feet (4,300 m), B-47E serial number 52-534,[1] ceased communication with the KC-97 tanker aircraft.

[3] The unarmed aircraft was transporting two capsules of nuclear weapons material in carrying cases.