Book excerpt: More than any other weapon system, the legendary Boeing B-52 Stratofortress is the embodiment of US military power. Perhaps the most impressive aspect of the B-52 has been its longevity. It first flew in 1952 and entered operational service with the US Air Force in 1955. Boeing delivered the last B-52 in 1962. Five decades later, the B-52 remains in front-line service, most recently taking part in combat over Afghanistan and Iraq. Even more amazingly, current plans are for the B-52 to remain in service until 2040. This volume is packed with historical and recent photographs of the B-52, including some that were released by the US Air Force and its contractors just for use in the book. As part of his research, the author flew on a B-52 training mission, and the flight report in this volume is the most detailed description of a B-52 mission ever published.