The longest-serving front-line warplane in history, the B-52 Stratofrotress was the right aircraft
at the right time. It flew on April 15, 1952, and became the backbone of the West's nuclear preparedness; the had the need arisen, hundreds
of B-52's would have headed for the Soviet Union to drop hydrogen bombs on key strategic targets.
The speical "Big Belly" B-52D could also carry a load of 108 conventional bombs, and during the Vietnam War 129 B-52s of several models carried out the December
1972 "Christmas Bombing," which was designed to force North Vietnam to the conference table.
B-52Gs flew the longest combat missions in history during Operation Deasert Strom, from Louisiana to the Middle East. Today, B-52Hs have both nuclear and conventional roles.
The "Buff" (Big Ugly Fat Fella) is one of the best-loved of all aircraft and can also operate at high levels or at very low levels on a terrain-avoidance, under-the-radar missions.
Other pages I have made
My main page
The A-4 Skyhawk II
The AV-8B Harrier II
The F-5 Tiger Shark
The F-14 Tomcat
The F-15 Egale
The F-16 Falcon
The F/A-18 Hornet
The F-22 Raptor
The YF-23
The EuroFighter 2000
The Dassault Rafale
The Mirage F1
The Mirage 2000
The JAS 39 Gripen
The B-2 Spirit
The MiG-29 Fulcrum
The Su-27 Flanker
The Su-35 Flanker
The X-29
Air Combat Manouvres