The first prototype B-52 took to the air on 15 April 1952. Nearly 750 B-52s were eventually built, including 170 B-52Ds. Records set by B-52s included the world’s first non-stop round-the-world flight by a jet aircraft and the first hydrogen bomb drop. B-52s began flying combat missions in Southeast Asia in June 1965, and by August 1973 they had flown 126,615 combat sorties, with 17 B-52s lost to enemy action. This aircraft flew combat missions in Southeast Asia while assigned to Andersen AFB, Guam. After further assignments to Dyess AFB and Carswell AFB, Texas, it was flight delivered to the museum on 14 Sep 83. Restoration was carried out by the Strategic Systems Maintenance Branch.