Refueling the BUFF
A B-52 Stratofortress assigned to the 307th Bomb Wing, Barksdale Air Force Base, La., approaches the refueling boom of a KC-135 Stratotanker from the 931st Air Refueling Group, McConnell Air Force Base, Kan., during an air refueling training exercise, May 12, 2014. The two Air Force Reserve aircrews rendezvoused in the sky over west Texas to practice air refueling technique and to maintain proficiency.
The B-52 and KC-135 are two of the oldest airframes in the Air Force fleet. The first B-52 flew in 1954, and the first KC-135 flew in 1956. More than 50 years later, both aircraft continue to play a vital role in the global reach of the United States Air Force. (U.S. Air Force photo by Capt. Zach Anderson)