TOP 10 BOMBERS OF ALL TIME

WHY SHOULD YOU READ THIS BLOG ?

• Before starting anything we should know what is BOMBER?

A bomber is a military aircraft designed to attack ground and sea targets, by dropping bombs on them, firing torpedoes at them, or – in recent years – by launching cruise missiles at them.

• What was there Role during different wars? 

Bombers are primarily designed for long-range bombing missions against strategic targets such as supply bases, bridges, factories, shipyards, and cities themselves, in order to diminish an enemy's ability to wage war by limiting access to resources through crippling infrastructure or reducing industrial output.

• What are there limitations? :-

1. Bombers are not intended to attack other aircraft although most were fitted with defensive weapons
2. Engine power is one of their major limitation.

• ALL THE BOMBERS LISTED HERE ARE RANKED ON THE BASIS OF THEIR :-

1. FIREPOWER
2. ENGINE & SPEED
3. GENERAL CHARACTERISTICS

INTRODUCTION :-

The first use of an air-dropped bomb (actually a hand grenade) was carried out by the Italians, by Lieutenant Giulio Gavotti,during the 1911 Italo-Turkish war in Libya.

While mainly used as a trainer, Avro 504s were briefly used as bombers at the start of theFirst World War by the Royal Naval Air Service (RNAS) when they were used for raids on the German airship sheds.

The Caproni Ca 1 was a twin-boom trimotor biplane that first saw action in 1915, when one was used to attack the Austrian air base at Aisovizza.

The Sikorsky Ilya Muromets, became the first four-engine bomber to equip a dedicated strategic bombing unit during World War I. 

From that time many bombers have designed and Retired but no one could compete with the following listed bombers.So, here is the list :-

LIST OF TOP TEN BOMBERS :-

10) Boeing B-17 Flying Fortress :-

Firepower :-

1. Guns: 13 × .50 in (12.7 mm) M2 Browning machine guns in 8 turrets in dorsal, ventral, nose and tail, 2 in waist positions, 2 in "cheek" positions, and 1 in the post-dorsal position
2. Bombs:-

• Short range missions (<400 mi): 8,000 lb (3,600 kg)

• Long range missions (≈800 mi): 4,500 lb (2,000 kg)

• Overload: 17,600 lb (7,800 kg)

ENGINE &  SPEED :-

• Maximum speed: 287 mph (249 kn, 462 km/h)

• Cruise speed: 182 mph (158 kn, 293 km/h)

• Range: 2,000 mi (1,738 nmi, 3,219 km) with 2,700 kg (6,000 lb) bombload

• Service ceiling: 35,600 ft (10,850 m)

• Rate of climb: 900 ft/min (4.6 m/s)

• Wing loading: 38.0 lb/sq ft (185.7 kg/m²)

• Power/mass: 0.089 hp/lb (150 W/kg)

GENERAL CHARACTERISTICS :-

• Crew: 10: Pilot, co-pilot, navigator, bombardier/nose gunner,top turret gunner, radio operator, waist gunners (2), ball turret gunner, tail gunner

• Length: 74 ft 4 in (22.66 m)

• Wingspan: 103 ft 9 in (31.62 m)

• Height: 19 ft 1 in (5.82 m)

• Wing area: 1,420 sq ft (131.92 m²)

• Airfoil: NACA 0018 / NACA 0010

• Aspect ratio: 7.57

• Empty weight: 36,135 lb (16,391 kg)

• Loaded weight: 54,000 lb (24,500 kg)

• Max. takeoff weight: 65,500 lb (29,700 kg)

• Powerplant: 4 × Wright R-1820-97 "Cyclone" turbosupercharged radial engines, 1,200 hp (895 kW) each.

The Boeing B-17 Flying Fortress is a four-engine heavy bomber aircraft developed in the 1930s for the United States Army Air Corps (USAAC). Competing against Douglas and Martin for a contract to build 200 bombers, the Boeing entry outperformed both competitors and more than met the Air Corps' expectations. Although Boeing lost the contract because the prototype crashed, the Air Corps was so impressed with Boeing's design that they ordered 13 more B-17s for further evaluation. From its introduction in 1938, the B-17 Flying Fortress evolved through numerous design advances.

The B-17 Flying Fortress has become, for many reasons, an icon of American power and a symbol of its Air Force. During the 1930s, the USAAC, as articulated by then-Major General Frank Maxwell Andrewsand the Air Corps Tactical School, touted the bomber as a strategic weapon. General Henry H. Arnold, Chief of the Air Corps, recommended the development of bigger aircraft with better performance and the Tactical School agreed completely.

9) HANDLEY PAGE TYPE O :-

Firepower :-

• Guns: 5 × 0.303 in (7.7 mm) Lewis Guns (2 on nose Scarff ring, 2 on dorsal position and 1 at ventral hatch).

• Bombs: Up to 2,000 lb (907 kg) of bombs.

ENGINE & SPEED :-

• Maximum speed: 97.5 mph (84.7 kn, 157 km/h)
• Range: 608 nmi (700 mi, 1,120 km)
• Service ceiling: 8,500 ft (2,600 m)
• Rate of climb: 23 min to 5,000 ft
• Endurance: 8 hours

GENERAL CHARACTERISTICS :-

Crew: 4 or 5

Length: 62 ft 10¼ in (19.16 m)

Wingspan: 100 ft (30.48 m)

Height: 22 ft (6.71 m)

Wing area: 1,648 ft² (153.1 m²)

Empty weight: 8,502 lb (3,856 kg)

Max. takeoff weight: 13,360 lb (6,060 kg)

Powerplant: 2 × Rolls-Royce Eagle VIII inline piston, 360 hp (268 kW) each

The Handley Page Type O was an early biplane bomber used by Britain during the First World War. At the time, it was the largest aircraft that had been built in the UK and one of the largest in the world. It was built in two major versions, theHandley Page O/100 (H.P.11) and Handley Page O/400 (H.P.12).

The impression made by the Type O was such that for many years after the war, any large aircraft came to be called a "Handley Page" in Britain and entered the dictionary as such.

8) JUNKERS JU 88 :-

Firepower :-

• Guns:
  • 1 × 7.92 mm MG 81J machine gun on flexible mount in front windscreen, firing forward with 1,000 rounds.
  • 1 × 7.92 mm MG 81J machine gun on flexible mount in lower fuselage nose glazing, firing forward with 1,000 rounds.
  • 2 × 7.92 mm MG 81J machine guns on flexible mount in the rear of the cockpit canopy, firing aft with 1,000 rounds each.
  • 1 × 7.92 mm MG 81Z twin machine gun on flexible mount in the rear ventral Bola position, firing aft with 1,000 rounds.

• Bombs: Up to 1,400 kilograms (3,100 lb) of ordnance internally in two bomb bays rated at 900 kg (2,000 lb) and 500 kg (1,100 lb) or up to 3,000 kg (6,600 lb) externally. Carrying bombs externally increased weight and drag and impaired the aircraft's performance. Carrying the maximum load usually required rocket-assisted take-off.

ENGINE & SPEED :-

Maximum speed: 510 km/h (317 mph) at 5,300 m (17,389 ft) without external bomb racks or 433 km/h (269 mph) at 4,500 m (14,765 ft) at 14,000 kg (30,865 lb)

Range: 2,430 km (1,429 mi) maximum internal fuel

Service ceiling: 9,000 m (29,500 ft) at average weight, without bombs

Rate of climb: 235 m/min (770 ft/min)

GENERAL CHARACTERISTICS :-

Crew: 4 (pilot, bombardier/front gunner, radio operator/rear gunner, navigator/ventral gunner)

Length: 14.36 m (47 ft 2⅞ in)

Wingspan: 20.08 m (65 ft 10½ in)

Height: 5.07 m (16.63 ft)

Wing area: 54.7 m² ( 587 ft²)

Loaded weight: 8,550 kg  (18,832 lb) 

Max. takeoff weight: 14,000 kg (30,865 lb) 

Powerplant: 2 × Junkers Jumo 211J liquid-cooled inverted V-12, 1,044 kW (1,420 PS, 1,401 hp) each

The Ju 85 was a twin-engined bomber aircraft prototype, designed by Junkers in 1935. The Reich Air Ministry requested the aircraft, which differed from the Ju 88 due to the use of a twin fin tail unit. The aircraft was never put into service.

In August 1935, the German Ministry of Aviation submitted its requirements for an unarmed, three-seat, high-speed bomber, with a payload of 800-1,000 kg (1,760-2,200 lb).Junkers presented their initial design in June 1936, and were given clearance to build two prototypes (Werknummer 4941 and 4942). The first two aircraft were to have a range of 2,000 km (1,240 mi) and were to be powered by two DB 600s. Three further aircraft, Werknummer 4943, 4944 and 4945, were to be powered by Jumo 211 engines.The first two prototypes, Ju 88 V1 and V2, differed from the V3, V4 and V5 in that the latter three models were equipped with three defensive armament positions to the rear of the cockpit, and were able to carry two 1,000 kg (2,200 lb) bombs, one under each inner wing panel.

7) TUPOLEV TU-95 :-

Firepower :-

• Radar-controlled Guns: 1 or 2 × 23 mm AM-23 autocannon in tail turret.
• Missiles: Up to 15,000 kg (33,000 lb), including the Raduga Kh-20, Kh-22, Kh-26, andKh-55/101/102 Air-to-surface missiles.

ENGINE & SPEED :-

• Maximum speed: 920 km/h (510 knots, 575 mph)
• Range: 15,000 km (8,100 nmi, 9,400 mi) unrefueled
• Service ceiling: 13,716 m (45,000 ft)
• Rate of climb: 10 m/s (2,000 ft/min)
• Wing loading: 606 kg/m² (124 lb/ft²)
• Power/mass: 235 W/kg (0.143 hp/lb).

GENERAL CHARACTERISTICS :-

• Crew: 6–7; pilot, co pilot, flight engineer, communications system operator, navigator, tail gunner plus sometimes another navigator.
• Length: 46.2 m(151 ft 6 in)
• Wingspan: 50.10 m(164 ft 5 in)
• Height: 12.12 m (39 ft 9 in)
• Wing area: 310 m² (3,330 ft²)
• Empty weight: 90,000 kg (198,000 lb)
• Loaded weight: 171,000 kg (376,200 lb)
• Max. takeoff weight: 188,000 kg (414,500 lb)
• Powerplant: 4 × Kuznetsov NK-12M turboprops, 11,000 kW (14,800 shp) each

The Tupolev Tu-95  is a large, four-engine turboprop-poweredstrategic bomber and missile platform. First flown in 1952, the Tu-95 entered service with the Soviet Union in 1956 and is expected to serve the Russian Air Force until at least 2040.A naval development of the bomber is designated Tu-142.

The aircraft has four Kuznetsov NK-12 engines, developed by the Kuznetsov Design Bureau with participation of Ferdinand Brandner and other captured German engineers, each driving contra-rotating propellers. An airliner variant Tu-114 holds the record as the world's fastest propeller-driven aircraft.

6) B-47 STRATOJET :-

Firepower :-

• Guns: 2× 20 mm (0.787 in) M24A1 autocannons in a remote controlled tail turret with AN/APG-39 Gun-laying radar
• Bombs: 25,000 lb (11,000 kg) of ordnance, including:
  • 2 × Mk15 nuclear bombs (3.8 megaton yield each), or
  • 1 × B41 nuclear bomb (25 megaton yield), or
  • 1 × B53 nuclear bomb (9 megaton yield), or
  • 28 × 500 lb (227 kg) conventional bombs

ENGINE & SPEED :-

Maximum speed: 607 mph (528 kn, 977 km/h)

Cruise speed: 557 mph (484 kn, 896 km/h)

Combat radius: 2,013 mi (1,749 nmi, 3,240 km) with 20,000 lb (9,000 kg) bombload

Ferry range: 4,647 mi (4,037 nmi, 6,494 km)

Service ceiling: 33,100 ft (10,100 m)

Rate of climb: 4,660 ft/min (23.7 m/s)

Wing loading: 93.16 lb/ft² (454.8 kg/m²)

Thrust/weight: 0.22

Lift-to-drag ratio: 20.0 (estimated)

GENERAL CHARACTERISTICS :-

Crew: 3

Length: 107 ft 1 in (32.65 m)

Wingspan: 116 ft 0 in (35.37 m)

Height: 28 ft 0 in (8.54 m)

Wing area: 1,428 ft² (132.7 m²)

Airfoil: NACA 64A(0.225)12 mod root and tip

Empty weight: 79,074 lb (35,867 kg)

Loaded weight: 133,030 lb (60,340 kg)

Max. takeoff weight: 230,000 lb (100,000 kg)

Powerplant: 6 × General Electric J47-GE-25 turbojets, 7,200 lbf (32 kN) each

Zero-lift drag coefficient: 0.0148 (estimated)

Drag area: 21.13 ft² (1.96 m²)

Aspect ratio: 9.42

The Boeing Model 450 B-47 Stratojet was a long-range, six-engined, jet-powered strategic bomber designed to fly at high subsonic speeds and at high altitudes to avoid enemy interception. The B-47's mission was primarily to drop nuclear bombs on the Soviet Union. With its engines carried in pods under the swept wing, the B-47 was a major innovation in post-World War II combat jet design, and helped lead to modern jet airliners.

5) AVRO LANCASTER :-

Firepower :-

• Guns: 8× 0.303 in (7.7 mm) Browning machine guns in nose, dorsal and tail turrets, with variations
• Bombs: Maximum normal bomb load of 14,000 lb (6,300 kg) or 22,000 lb (10,000 kg) Grand Slam with modifications to bomb bay.

ENGINE & SPEED :-

Maximum speed: 282 mph at 63,000 lb (28,576 kg) and 13,000 ft ( 3,962 m) altitude  (246 knots, 455.6 km/h)

Cruise speed: 200 mph (174 knots, 322 km/h)

Range: 2,530 mi (2,200 nmi, 4,073 km)

Service ceiling: 21,400 ft at 63,000 lb (32,659 kg) (6523 m)

Rate of climb: 720 ft/min at 63,000 lb (28,576 kg) and 9200ft (2,804 m) altitude (3.66 m/s)

GENERAL CHARACTERISTICS :-

Crew: 7: pilot, flight engineer, navigator, bomb aimer/nose gunner, wireless operator, mid-upper and rear gunners

Length: 69 ft 4 in (21.11 m)

Wingspan: 102 ft 0 in (31.09 m)

Height: 20 ft 6 in (6.25 m)

Wing area: 1,297 sq ft (120.5 m²)

Empty weight: 36,457 lb (16,571 kg)

Loaded weight: 68,000 lb (30,909 kg) 

Max. takeoff weight: 72,000 lb (32,727 kg) with 22,000 (10,000 kg) bomb

Powerplant: 4 × Rolls-Royce Merlin XX liquid-cooled V12 engines, 1,280 hp (954 kW) each

The Avro Lancaster is a British four-engined Second World War heavy bomber designed and built by Avro for the Royal Air Force (RAF). It first saw active service with RAF Bomber Command in 1942 and, as the strategic bombing offensive over Europe gathered momentum, it became the main heavy bomber used by the RAF, the RCAF, and squadrons from otherCommonwealth and European countries serving within the RAF, overshadowing its close contemporaries the Handley Page Halifax and Short Stirling. The "Lanc", as it was affectionately known, thus became the most famous and most successful of the Second World War night bombers, "delivering 608,612 long tons of bombs in 156,000 sorties."

4) DE HAVILLAND MOSQUITO :-

Firepower :-

• Guns: 4 × 20 mm (.79 in) Hispano Mk II cannon (fuselage) and 4 × .303 in (7.7 mm) Browning machine guns (nose)

Avionics

• AI Mk IV or Mk V radar (NF variants)

ENGINE & SPEED :-

Maximum speed: 318 kn (366 mph (589 km/h)) at 21,400 ft (6,500 m)

Range: 782 nmi (900 mi (1,400 km)) with 410 gal (1,864-litre) fuel load at 20,000 ft (6,100 m)

Service ceiling: 29,000 ft (8,839 m)

Rate of climb: 1,740 ft/min (8.8 m/s)

Wing loading: 39.9 lb/ft² (195 kg/m²)

Power/mass: 0.189 hp/lb (311 W/kg)

GENERAL CHARACTERISTICS :-

Crew: 2: pilot, navigator/radar operator

Length: 41 ft 2 in (13.57 m)

Wingspan: 54 ft 2 in (16.52 m)

Height: 17 ft 5 in (5.3 m)

Wing area: 454 ft² (42.18 m²)

Empty weight: 13,356 lb (6,058 kg)

Loaded weight: 17,700 lb (8,028 kg)

Max. takeoff weight: 18,649 lb (8,549 kg)

Powerplant: 2 × Rolls-Royce Merlin 21/21 or 23/23 (left/right) liquid-cooled V12 engine, 1,480 hp (21 & 23) (1,103 kW) each

The de Havilland DH.98 Mosquito was a British multi-role combat aircraft, with a two-man crew, that served during theSecond World War and the postwar era. The Mosquito was one of the few operational, front-line aircraft of the World War II era to be constructed almost entirely of wood and, as such, was nicknamed "The Wooden Wonder". The Mosquito was also known affectionately as the "Mossie" to its crews Originally conceived as an unarmed fast bomber, the Mosquito was adapted to many other roles during the air war, including: low- to medium-altitude daytime tactical bomber, high-altitude night bomber, pathfinder, day or night fighter, fighter-bomber, intruder, maritime strike aircraft, and fast photo-reconnaissance aircraft. It was also used by the British Overseas Airways Corporation (BOAC) as a transport.

When the Mosquito entered production in 1941, it was one of the fastest operational aircraft in the world.

3) BOEING B29 - SUPERFORTRESS :-

Firepower :-

Guns:

• 10× .50 caliber (12.7mm) Browning M2/ANs in remote-controlled turrets.
• 2× .50 BMG in and 1× 20 mm M2 cannon in tail position (the cannon was later removed)

Bombs: 20,000 lb (9,000 kg) standard loadout.

ENGINE & SPEED :-

Maximum speed: 357 mph (310 knots, 574 km/h)

Cruise speed: 220 mph (190 knots, 350 km/h)

Stall speed: 105 mph (91 knots, 170 km/h)

Combat range: 3,250 mi (2,820 nmi, 5,230 km)

Ferry range: 5,600 mi (4,900 nmi, 9,000 km, )

Service ceiling: 31850 ft  (9,710 m)

Rate of climb: 900 ft/min (4.6 m/s)

Wing loading: 69.12 lb/sqft (337 kg/m²)

Power/mass: 0.073 hp/lb (121 W/kg)

Lift-to-drag ratio: 16.8

GENERAL CHARACTERISTICS :-

Crew: 11 (Pilot(A/C), Co-pilot(P), Bombardier(B), Flight Engineer(FE), Navigator(N), Radio Operator(RO), Radar Observer(Rad Ob), Right Gunner(RG), Left Gunner(LG) Central Fire Control(CFC), Tail Gunner(TG))

Length: 99 ft 0 in (30.18 m)

Wingspan: 141 ft 3 in (43.06 m)

Height: 27 ft 9 in (8.45 m)

Wing area: 1,736 sq ft (161.3 m²)

Aspect ratio: 11.50

Empty weight: 74,500 lb (33,800 kg)

Loaded weight: 120,000 lb (54,000 kg)

Max. takeoff weight: 133,500 lb (60,560 kg) ; 135,000 lb plus combat load

Powerplant: 4 × Wright R-3350-23 and 23A Duplex Cyclone turbosupercharged radial engines, 2,200 hp (1,640 kW) each

Zero-lift drag coefficient: 0.0241

Drag area: 41.16 ft² (3.82 m²)

The B-29 Superfortress is a four-engine propeller-driven heavy bomber designed by Boeing that was flown primarily by the United States toward the end of World War II and during the Korean War. It was one of the largest aircraft to see service during World War II and a very advanced bomber for its time, with features such as a pressurized cabin, an electronic fire-control system, and remote-controlled machine-gun turrets. The name "Superfortress" was derived from that of its well-known predecessor, the B-17 Flying Fortress. Although designed as a high-altitude strategic bomber, and initially used in this role against the Empire of Japan, these attacks proved to be disappointing; as a result the B-29 became the primary aircraft used in the American firebombing campaign, and was used extensively in low-altitude night-time incendiary bombing missions. One of the B-29's final roles during World War II was carrying out the atomic bombs that completely destroyed Hiroshima and Nagasaki.

2) NORTHROP GRUMMAN B-2 SPIRIT :-

Firepower :-

• 2 internal bays for 50,000 lb (23,000 kg) of ordnance and payload

• 80× 500 lb class bombs (Mk-82) mounted on Bomb Rack Assembly (BRA)
• 36× 750 lb CBU class bombs on BRA
• 16× 2000 lb class weapons (Mk-84, JDAM-84, JDAM-109) mounted on Rotary Launcher Assembly (RLA)
• 16× B61 or B83 nuclear bombs on RLA
• 16× AGM-158 Joint Air-to-Surface Standoff Missile (JASSM) on RLA

ENGINE & SPEED :-

Maximum speed: Mach 0.95 (550 knots, 630 mph, 1,010 km/h) at 40,000 ft altitude / Mach 0.95 at sea level

Cruise speed: Mach 0.85 (487 knots, 560 mph, 900 km/h) at 40,000 ft altitude

Range: 6,000 nmi (11,100 km (6,900 mi))

Service ceiling: 50,000 ft (15,200 m)

Wing loading: 67.3 lb/ft² (329 kg/m²)

Thrust/weight: 0.205

General characteristics :-

• Crew: 2: pilot and commander (co-pilot)
• Length: 69 ft (21.0 m)
• Wingspan: 172 ft (52.4 m)
• Height: 17 ft (5.18 m)
• Wing area: 5,140 ft² (478 m²)
• Empty weight: 158,000 lb (71,700 kg)
• Loaded weight: 336,500 lb (152,200 kg)
• Max. takeoff weight: 376,000 lb (170,600 kg)
• Powerplant: 4 × General Electric F118-GE-100 non-afterburning turbofans, 17,300 lbf (77 kN) each
• Fuel Capacity: 167,000 pounds (75,750 kg)

The Northrop Grumman B-2 Spirit, also known as the Stealth Bomber, is an American strategic bomber, featuring low observable stealth technology designed for penetrating dense anti-aircraft defenses; it is able to deploy both conventionaland nuclear weapons. The bomber has a crew of two and can drop up to eighty 500 lb (230 kg)-class JDAM GPS-guided bombs, or sixteen 2,400 lb (1,100 kg) B83 nuclear bombs. The B-2 is the only aircraft that can carry large air-to-surfacestandoff weapons in a stealth configuration.

1) BOEING B-52 STRATOFORTRESS :-

Firepower :-

Guns: 1× 20 mm (0.787 in) M61 Vulcan cannon originally mounted in a remote controlled tail turret on the H-model, removed from all current operational aircraft in 1991

Bombs: Approximately 70,000 lb (31,500 kg) mixed ordnance; bombs, mines, missiles, in various configurations

ENGINE & SPEED :-

Maximum speed: 560 kt (650 mph, 1,047 km/h)

Cruise speed: 442 kt (525 mph, 844 km/h)

Combat radius: 4,480 mi (3,890 nmi, 7,210 km)

Ferry range: 10,145 mi (8,764 nmi, 16,232 km)

Service ceiling: 50,000 ft (15,000 m)

Rate of climb: 6,270 ft/min (31.85 m/s)

Wing loading: 120 lb/ft² (586 kg/m²)

Thrust/weight: 0.31

Lift-to-drag ratio: 21.5 (estimated)

GENERAL CHARACTERISTICS :-

Crew: 5 (pilot, copilot, radar navigator (bombardier), navigator, and Electronic Warfare Officer)

Length: 159 ft 4 in (48.5 m)

Wingspan: 185 ft 0 in (56.4 m)

Height: 40 ft 8 in (12.4 m)

Wing area: 4,000 sq ft (370 m²)

Airfoil: NACA 63A219.3 mod root, NACA 65A209.5 tip

Empty weight: 185,000 lb (83,250 kg)

Loaded weight: 265,000 lb (120,000 kg)

Max. takeoff weight: 488,000 lb (220,000 kg)

Powerplant: 8 × Pratt & Whitney TF33-P-3/103 turbofans, 17,000 lbf (76 kN) each

Fuel capacity: 47,975 U.S. gal (39,948 imp gal; 181,610 L)

Zero-lift drag coefficient: 0.0119 (estimated)

Drag area: 47.60 sq ft (4.42 m²)

Aspect ratio: 8.56

The Boeing B-52 Stratofortress is a long-range, subsonic, jet-powered strategic bomber. The B-52 was designed and built by Boeing, which has continued to provide support and upgrades. It has been operated by the United States Air Force(USAF) since the 1950s. The bomber carries up to 70,000 pounds (32,000 kg) of weapons.

Beginning with the successful contract bid in June 1946, the B-52 design evolved from a straight-wing aircraft powered by six turboprop engines to the final prototype YB-52 with eight turbojet engines and swept wings. The B-52 took its maiden flight in April 1952. Built to carry nuclear weapons for Cold War-era deterrence missions, the B-52 Stratofortress replaced the Convair B-36. Although a veteran of several wars, the Stratofortress has dropped only conventional munitions in combat. Its Stratofortress name is rarely used outside official contexts; it has been referred to by Air Force personnel as the BUFF(Big Ugly Fat/Flying Fucker/Fellow).

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