The Boeing B-52 is an American long-range subsonic, jet-powered strategic bomber. The B-52 was designed and built by Boeing, which has continued to provide support and upgrades. The B-52 has been operated by the United States Air Force (USAF) since the 1950s. The bomber is capable of carrying up to 70,000 lb (32,000 kg) of weapons and has a typical combat range of more than 8,800 mi (14,080 km) without aerial refueling. The B-52 has been in active service with the USAF since 1955. As of December 2015, 58 were in active service with 18 in reserve. The B-52 flew under the Strategic Air Command (SAC) until it was disestablished in 1992 and its aircraft absorbed into the Air Combat Command (ACC) . In 2010 all B-52 Stratofortresses were transferred from the ACC to the newly created Air Force Global Strike Command (AFGSC). The B-52 completed sixty years of continuous service with the original operator in 2015. After being upgraded between 2013 and 2015, it is expected to serve into the 2040s. A total of 742 B-52s were built between 1954 and 1963. A total of 170 D models were built between 1956 and 1958. The D model was the most widely used model in Southeast Asia. The lower part of the aircraft were painted black to make them less visible to ground based search lights. When I first came to SEA in 1966 all B-52 missions were flown out of Anderson AFB, Guam, a 4,000 mi round trip and KC-135 tanker support out of Kadena AB, Okinawa. In early 1967 a new base was completed in U Tapao, Thailand, and bombing missions were flown out of there. Usually, SAC bases have runways at least 10,000-ft long, more often longer, 11,000, 12,000 feet and even longer than that. On July 8, 1967 a B-52 D, AF Ser. No. 56-0601, out of U Tapao, overran the runway at Da Nang during an emergency landing, went over the perimeter road and crashed in a minefield. The aircraft had suffered an electrical malfunction that led to a flame-out of two engine. The runways at Da Nang were 9,000-ft long and the aircraft, due to hydraulic problems landed 4,000-ft down the runway and had no brakes. According to our night crew, the aircraft was doing about 90 kts when it went over the perimeter road and into the mine field. Because the B-52 D had similar engines to our aircraft (F-102), J 57s, we were asked to take a look the following morning. A sickening sight, impact from the four engine pods plus the main gear, and the only thing left was the black vertical stabilizer with the red tail number on it. Of the crew of six, only the tail gunner survived because in the D model the tail gunner actually sat in the tail. Specifications (B-52 H) Crew: 6 Pilot, copilot, weapon systems officer, navigator, electronic warfare officer, and tail gunner 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 sq m) Empty weight: 185,000 lb (83,250 kg) Loaded weight: 265,000 lb (120,000 kg) Maximum takeoff weight: 488, 000 lb (220,000 kg) Fuel capacity: 47,975 US gal (39,948 Imp gal, 181,610 l) Power plant: 8 x Pratt & Whitney TF-33P-3/113 turbofan, 17,000 lbf each Performance Maximum speed: 560 kts, (650 mph, 1047 km/h) Cruise speed: 442 kts (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) Guns 1 x 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 This picture was taken on 29 October 2016, Sig...