The Boeing B-52 reigned as America's premier long range strategic bomber for a number of decades. Nicknamed the "BUFF" (Big Ugly Fat F****r) for it huge, lumbering appearance, no one can argue with the massive weapons load it can deploy. In spite of the arrival of high tech supersonic aircraft, like the B-1, the B-52 remains in service after more than 50 years, due to its low operating cost, superior high subsonic performance, and massive payload capacity.