India, June 16 -- Eight people, including military personnel and contractors - died on Monday when a B-52 Stratofortress crashed and burst into flames shortly after take off from Edwards Air Force Base in California's Mojave Desert. The aircraft went down at 11:20 am local time, leaving behind a charred scar larger than a football field and virtually no recognisable wreckage. The US Air Force has opened an investigation that could take up to six months.

All about the B-52 - what it is, what it has done across decades, and why an old combat aircraft is still being flown, and still being tested.

The bomber that went down at Edwards on Monday was a Boeing B-52H Stratofortress assigned to the 412th Test Wing - the unit that runs Edwards and...