Boeing B-52 Stratofortress

The B-52 Stratofortress is a bomber which, with in-air refueling, can fly long distances to reach targets anywhere in the world. The B-52 can carry up to 70000 lbs of bombs and weapons in its large bomb bays, and on wing hard points.

This airplane is one of the most significant in modern aviation history on several levels. It was created in 1948 as a strategic nuclear bomber, and first flew in the early 1950s. The B-52 fought its first war, under the code name of "Arc Light" in Vietnam from 1965 through 1973. The B-52 is a direct ancestor of many of the airliners which have made Boeing Aircraft, one of the most successful privately owned aerospace company in the world. The B-52 will stay in military service until around 2040. It is not clear what will replace it as the United States Air Force's main strategic bomber.