The B-52 is America’s longestserving plane – and the most badass
LIKE MANY OF AMERICA’S legendary aircraft, the B-52 was built to offset the Soviet threat that characterised the Cold War. The US needed a bomber to reach far-flung Soviet targets, defeat their air defences, and carry a massive atomic payload.
Boeing’s initial 1948 designs included swept wings and six massive turboprop engines – a nod to the Soviets’ long-range bomber,
