“Flexibility is the key to airpower,” quoth the maxim by early 20th century airpower theorist General Giulio Douhet. Going hand-in-hand with flexibility is versatility, and the B-52 Stratofortress AKA the “BUFF” (“Big Ugly Fat Fellow” or “Big Ugly Fat F*ck*r,” depending on whether you’re in polite company) has exemplified both of these crucial airpower tenets, which explains why this big bomber is still going strong in the US Air Force arsenal after seven decades.