8 presumed dead after Air Force bomber crashes on takeoff at California base

A long-range bomber crashed shortly after takeoff Monday from the Edwards Air Force Base in California.

The B-52 Stratofortress went down around 11:20 a.m. local time and there were no immediate reports of casualties, officials at the base posted on Facebook.

Emergency crews were responding to the crash, the post said.

Built by Boeing, the Stratofortress is a long-range bomber capable of carrying nuclear weapons.

Nicknamed “the Buff,” for Big Ugly Fat Fellow, it’s been the go-to bomber for the U.S. military since 1955, according to Air Force Global Strike Command.