9. The B-52 Stratofortress
Joined the Service in 1955
Producing company: Boeing
Price: * $14.43 million
1952 saw the inaugural flight of the B-52 Stratofortress, which was later introduced to NASA and the USAF in the mid-1950s. 744 have been built thus far. Originally intended to be a straight-wing aircraft with six engines, the B-52 currently features eight turbo-jet engines with spread wings. The Cold War saw the construction of the B-52.
B-52 Stratofortress | Youtube.com / MOTORIZADO
During the Cold War, Boeing first designed the B-52 to carry nuclear weapons on deterrent missions. Thus yet, the B-52 has only ever dropped conventional—not nuclear—munitions during combat. Rarely is the term “Stratofortess” used; the official Air Force moniker for the B-52 is “B.U.F.F.”
The exceptional performance of the Stratofortess is the reason it has remained in service despite the existence of numerous more sophisticated bombers, such as the B-58 Hustler, B-70 Valkyrie, and B-1 Lancer, to name a few. It also offers high subsonic speeds and lower running expenses. The 2050s will see the use of these bombers.
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