B-52 Stratofortress taxi and take off, air crew race to launch multiple B-52 Stratofortress at Barksdale Air Force Base, US Air Force, Louisiana, United States.

Not bad for an aircraft designed in the '40's and first flown in the '50's. I lived at Edwards A.F.B. back in the mid-sixties. I used to watch one of these beautiful birds take-off from the dry lake bed with the X-15 tucked under its wing. Later, the X-15 would come back to land. Great experience!

Many years ago a B52 came into the airport I work at for an airshow. I was surprised about the size, although it's a sizable aircraft, I was expecting it to be more along the length of a 747, but it's significantly smaller. The best part of my job is seeing different aircraft both military & civilian. I've been fortunate to have seen the B-52, B-1b, B-2, B-117, B-17, B-25, P51, F-14, F-16, F-18, Corsair, a Constellation, plus numerous other military, passenger, and cargo planes.

Great look at the overall process! I was at C-130 maintenance school at Sheppard AF in '61, and in the early a.m., a 52 would sometimes come warbling up the apron to a takeoff spot , run engines up to full power, and start its takeoff. Talking about not needing an alarm clock to wake up! I can still clearly hear those sounds in my mind! A beautiful aircraft. A MSgt once told me that a B52 lifted off without needing the pilot to "roll off" by lifting the nose.