60 years in the skies... and still going strong. The amazing career of the B52 bomber

The B52 Stratofortress, the colossal bomber which was one of the defining pieces of Cold War military technology, yesterday celebrated 60 years of military service.

The aircraft took its maiden flight in April 15, 1952, and until 1991 a flotilla of nuclear armed B52s patrolled the skies constantly, ready for nuclear armageddon.

And there is no end in sight for the iconic war machine. With upgrades slated for between 2013 and 2015, the U.S. Air Force's 30-year forecast envisions a role for the B52 into the 2040s.

Six decades of destruction: A B52G/H Stratofortress flies at high altitude. The colossal bomber yesterday marked 60 years of service with the U.S. military

Read more: http://www.dailymail.co.uk/sciencetech/article-2130465/60-years-skies--going-strong-The-amazing-career-B52-bomber.html