@Nellis Air Force Base, Las Vegas, NV
November 2007
Seen here on static display during the 2007 Aviation Nation airshow, the very first B-52H (AF Ser. No. 60-0001) was named “Memphis Belle IV” and is currently assigned to the 2nd Bomb Wing at Barksdale Air Force Base, Louisiana. The name “Memphis Belle” traces back to the name of the first US Army Air Force B-17 bombers to complete 25 combat missions with her crew intact during WWII. First flown in 1952, the Stratofortress is expected to serve into the 2040s. Superior performance at high subsonic speeds and relatively low operating costs have kept the B-52 in service despite the advent of newer, more advanced aircraft. As of 2015, 76 of the original 744 B-52 aircraft were operational in the U.S. Air Force. Nikon D70 w/28-85mm.
