Designed and built by Boeing as a long-range, subsonic bomber, the YB-52 prototype first flew on 12 April 1952. Going operational it was later designated the B-52 and has been in continuous active service with the USAF since 1955! That's 63 years and is expected to stay in service into the 2050s - WOW! It's not often the government gets its money's worth, and then some, for any of the weapons systems it buys but they sure got it with this one.
B-52's are one of my favorite aircraft and we see them fly right over the house on those occasions when they come to Nellis for exercises. It always amazes me how an aircraft with 8 jet engines could be so much quieter than any of those with one or two. :-) The Linemar rendition of this classic bird is pretty faithful to the original but I can find no reference to the 'Flagship Nardina' designation and none of the photos of that era show it on the fuselage. A fancy by Linemar's designers or was 'Flagship Nardina' painted on it at one time??? As Marx pretty much kept up with current trends in the Air Force, even releasing toy planes based on real aircraft that never made it beyond the prototype stage, I can hazard a guess that this toy had to have come out hot on the heels of the real one making it perhaps 1952-53. 13" (33.02cm) L x 14 3/4" (37.46cm) wingspan x 4 7/8" (12.38cm) H. Enjoy! Opa Fritz and Oma Bettina
Courtesy Wikipedia
Courtesy Wikipedia
Courtesy Pinterest
Some shots of the YB-52 and the Marx SAC hangar on my shelf display. The Marx hangar is too tall to fit under the shelf above, and the two radar units removed - and besides, I have never seen an Air Force hangar with a control tower and radar dishes on it! Those belong elsewhere on the installation
Because the wings sit so high up on the fuselage they are assembled differently from many other tin-litho aircraft of the era
Nice plane, but the hanger's nicer!
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hahahaha Thanx Hugh The hangar is nice to be sure It's a big Hunk O' Tin
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