Cold War-era American supersonic bomber
The
Convair B-58 Hustler
, designed and produced by American aircraft manufacturer
Convair
, was the first operational
bomber
capable of
Mach 2
flight.
[1]
The B-58 was developed during the 1950s for the
United States Air Force
(USAF)
Strategic Air Command
(SAC). To achieve the high speeds desired, Convair chose a
delta wing
design used by contemporary interceptors such as the
Convair F-102
. The bomber was powered by four
General Electric J79
engines in underwing pods. It had no bomb bay; it carried a single
nuclear weapon
plus fuel in a combination bomb/fuel pod underneath the fuselage. Later, four external
hardpoints
were added, enabling it to carry up to five weapons.
The B-58 entered service in March 1960, and flew for a decade with two SAC bomb wings - the
43rd Bombardment Wing
and the
305th Bombardment Wing
.
[2]
It was considered difficult to fly, imposing a high workload upon its three-man crews. Designed to replace the
subsonic
Boeing B-47 Stratojet
strategic bomber, the B-58 became notorious for its
sonic boom
heard on the ground by the public as it passed overhead in supersonic flight.
[3]
The B-58 was designed to fly at high altitudes and supersonic speeds to avoid
Soviet
interceptors
, but with the Soviet introduction of
high-altitude surface-to-air missiles
, the B-58 was forced to adopt a low-level penetration role that severely limited its range and strategic value. It was never used to deliver conventional bombs. The B-58 was substantially more expensive to operate than other bombers, such as the
Boeing B-52 Stratofortress
, and required more frequent
aerial refueling
. The B-58 also suffered from a high rate of accidental losses. These factors resulted in a relatively brief operational career of ten years. The B-58 was succeeded in its role by the smaller, swing-wing
FB-111A
.
[4]
Development
[
edit
]
Origins
[
edit
]
The genesis of the B-58 was the Generalized Bomber Study (GEBO II) issued in February 1949 by the
Air Research and Development Command
(ARDC) at
Wright-Patterson AFB
, Ohio, for the development of a supersonic, long-range, manned bomber aircraft. ARDC sought the best attainable quantitative data, challenging the industry to devise their own solutions to attain the stated goal.
[5]
Work on the proposed bomber's design was to begin less than two years after sustained supersonic flight had been achieved.
[6]
According to aviation authors
Bill Gunston
and Peter Gilchrist, while some military officials were keenly interested in the prospective use of supersonic bombers, others held doubts about the propulsion systems and
materials science
required for supersonic operations, as well as the much higher fuel consumption relative to subsonic counterparts.
[7]
Despite the skepticism, multiple contractors submitted bids for GEBO II, which was viewed as an influential step towards a development contract. These included
Boeing
,
Convair
,
Curtiss
,
Douglas
,
Martin
, and
North American Aviation
. Most of the submissions were relatively straightforward, unambitious, and expensive.
[5]
Convair, which had built the
XF-92A
and other
delta-wing
fighters, evaluated swept and semidelta configurations, then settled on the delta wing, which offered good internal volume for support systems and fuel. It also provided low wing loading for the airframe size, permitting supersonic flight in the midstratosphere at 50,000 to 70,000 ft (15,000 to 21,000 m).
[6]
Most of the configurations studied mated the delta wing to a relatively slender fuselage housing a crew of two and powered by a pair of jet engines.
[5]
The Convair proposal, coded
FZP-110
, was a radical, two-place, delta-wing bomber powered by three
General Electric J53
turbojet
engines. The performance estimates included a 1,000 mph (1,600 km/h) speed and a 3,000-mile (4,800 km) range.
[6]
A key feature of the design was to store consumables, both weaponry and most of the fuel, within a large external pod, which enabled a smaller fuselage. In January 1951, Convair submitted the FZP-110 proposal, which was received later than other competing bids.
[5]
During December 1951, a revised
FZP-016
proposal was submitted, which deleted the third engine on the tail, increased the remaining two engines' thrust, and added a third crew member to operate defensive systems.
[5]
Selection
[
edit
]
The USAF chose Boeing's
MX-1712
and Convair
MX-1626
design studies to proceed to a phase 1 study. During this period, Convair took advantage of recent developments by General Electric and replaced the two large J53 engines with four smaller
J79s
optimized for supersonic flight.
[8]
The recently formulated
area rule
was also applied to the design, resulting in aerodynamic reprofiling and an even more slender fuselage. Having been refined, Convair redesignated their renewed submission
MX-1964
.
[9]
In August 1952, Convair's design was judged superior.
[10]
According to Gunston and Gilchrist, Boeing's submission was viewed as equally good, but their separate contract to produce the Boeing B-52 Stratofortress had undoubtedly influenced this competition.
[9]
In December 1952, Convair was chosen to meet the new SAB-51 (Supersonic Aircraft Bomber) and SAR-51 (Supersonic Aircraft Reconnaissance) standards, the first general operational requirements for supersonic bombers. In February 1953, the USAF issued a contract for Convair's design, designated
B-58
on 10 December 1952.
[11]
[12]
The B-58 program, unlike those for prior military aircraft, was the first weapon-system contract.
[13]
Under this arrangement, Convair acted as the prime contractor responsible for all program elements, not just the aircraft. Convair was required to devise or
subcontract
everything associated with the aircraft's operation, from the engines to training manuals, spare components, and software, in excess of one million items.
[13]
Early on, the contract was modified to build a pair of
XB-58
prototypes, 11
YB-58A
preproduction aircraft, and 31 mission pods including a free-fall bomb pod, a
rocket
-propelled controllable bomb pod, a
reconnaissance
pod, and an
electronic reconnaissance
pod.
[13]
Into flight
[
edit
]
The first prototype, serial number 55-660, was rolled out on 31 August 1956.
[14]
The program was performed under high security; prior to the roll out, no unauthorized individual had knowledge of its shape or basic configuration.
[15]
On 11 November 1956, the
maiden flight
occurred. The prototype exceeded Mach 1 for the first time on 30 December of that year.
[16]
The difficult and protracted flight-test program involving 30 aircraft continued until April 1959.
[17]
In total, 116 B-58s were produced - 30 trial aircraft and 86 production
B-58A
models. Most of the trial aircraft were later upgraded to operational standards. Eight were equipped as
TB-58A
training aircraft.
[18]
Convair sought further development of the B-58, proposing variants and derivatives for both military and civilian applications.
[18]
Most never went beyond the drawing board, having been ordered prior to the decision to terminate multiple contracts. The
B-58B
,
B-58C
,
B-58D
, and
B-58E
variants were all terminated prior to completion of any production aircraft. During the late 1960s, some refinements to the existing fleet were developed and introduced, such as slender bomb racks (known as "multiple weapons capability") and additional pods.
[18]
The final B-58 was delivered in October 1962.
[17]
[19]
Design
[
edit
]
Overview
[
edit
]
The Convair B-58 Hustler was a high-speed strategic bomber, capable of routinely attaining Mach 2 at altitude. It incorporated a large delta wing with a leading-edge sweep of 60°, and was powered by an arrangement of four General Electric J79-GE-1 turbojet engines. Although its sizable wing generated relatively low
wing loading
, it proved to be surprisingly well suited for low-altitude, high-speed flight. To protect against the heat generated while cruising at Mach 2, the crew compartment, wheel wells, and electronics bay were pressurized and air conditioned. The B-58 was one of the first extensive applications of
aluminum
honeycomb panels
, which bonded outer and inner aluminum skins to a honeycomb of aluminum or
fiberglass
.
[20]
Various features of the B-58 were considered to be record-breaking, according to Gunston and Gilchrist.
[21]
The structure itself made up 13.8% of the aircraft's gross weight, an exceptionally low figure for the era, while the wing was considered to be extremely thin, as well. Several key features of the engine, including the nacelle and the inlet, were unlike any existing aircraft, having been devised from guidance by aerodynamicists.
[21]
Specifically, the inlets used moving conical spikes, being fully aft on the ground and at low speeds to maximize air intake, then driven forward while being flown at high speeds to minimize the annular gap. This movement was automatically controlled, but significant noise and asymmetric thrust were generated in the event of a single inlet malfunctioning.
[22]
Crew provisions
[
edit
]
The B-58 was operated by a crew of three - pilot (the aircraft commander or "AC"), radar navigator/bombardier ("Nav"), and defense systems operator ("DSO").
[23]
They were seated in separated tandem cockpits. The AC's cockpit, which was provided with very deep windows, was considered to be mostly conventional for a large multiengine aircraft.
[24]
[22]
The DSO was provisioned with a complex arrangement of different systems, which Gunston and Gilchrist describe as being the most complicated of any aircraft of the era. The space allocated to the crew, despite being roughly half of the fuselage's internal volume, was typically considered to be cramped and claustrophobic.
[25]
Later versions of the B-58 provided each crew member with a novel
ejection capsule
that could eject at an altitude of 70,000 ft (21,000 m) at speeds up to
Mach
2. Unlike standard
ejection seats
of the period, a protective clamshell enclosed the seat and the control stick with an attached oxygen cylinder, allowing the AC to continue to fly even "turtled up" and ready for immediate egress. The capsule was buoyant; the crewmember could open the clamshell and use it as a life raft.
[15]
[26]
Unusually, the ejection system was tested with live
bears
and
chimpanzees
;
[27]
it was qualified for use during 1963 and a bear became the first living being to survive a supersonic ejection.
[15]
The electronic controls were ambitious and advanced for the day. The Nav and DSO's cockpits featured wraparound dashboards with warning lights and buttons, and automatic voice messages and warnings from a tape system were audible through the helmet sets. Research during the era of all-male combat aircraft assignments revealed that a woman's voice was more likely to gain the attention of young men in distracting situations. Nortronics Division of
Northrop Corporation
selected actress and singer
Joan Elms
to record the automated voice warnings. To those flying the B-58, the voice was known as "Sexy Sally".
[28]
[29]
The original voice recordings are archived.
[30]
Adverse flight characteristics
[
edit
]
While the B-58's performance and design were exceptional for the era, it was not an easy aircraft to fly. This was caused by the 60° leading-edge sweepback of its wing and was inherent in these types of delta-wing platforms. It required a much higher
angle of attack
than a conventional aircraft, up to 9.4° at Mach 0.5 at low altitudes. If the angle of attack was too high, in excess of 17°, the bomber could
pitch up
and enter a
spin
. Several factors could prevent a successful recovery; if the pilot applied
elevon
, if the center of gravity was not correctly positioned, or if the spin occurred below 15,000 ft (4,600 m), recovery might not be possible. The B-58 also possessed unconventional
stall
characteristics; if the nose was elevated, the bomber maintained forward motion without pitching down. Unless large amounts of power were applied, the descent rate increased rapidly.
[31]
Another problem pilots faced was called "fuel stacking", taking place whenever the B-58 accelerated or decelerated. It was caused by fuel movement within the tanks, which led to sudden changes in the aircraft's center of gravity. This could cause the B-58 to abruptly pitch or bank, potentially resulting in a loss of control.
[32]
The aircraft had unusual takeoff requirements, with a 14° angle of attack needed for the
rotation
near 203.5 knots (376.9 km/h; 234.2 mph) for a 150,000-pound (68,000 kg) combat weight.
[33]
This poor takeoff performance was evident with the high landing speed, necessitating a
drogue parachute
for braking, which was also required for B-47 and B-52 aircraft.
[
citation needed
]
To accommodate the high landing speed, the specially configured
landing gear
had to handle excessive conditions; both the inflation pressure and wheel
rotation speed
were far greater than prior units to cope.
[21]
Weapons systems
[
edit
]
The
Sperry
AN/ASQ-42 bombing/navigation system combined a sophisticated
inertial navigation system
with the KS-39
star tracker
(
astro-inertial navigation system
) to provide a heading reference, the AN/APN-113
Doppler radar
to provide
ground speed
and
windspeed
data, a
search radar
to provide range data for bomb release and trajectory, and a
radar altimeter
.
[34]
The AN/ASQ-42 was estimated to be 10 times more accurate than any previous bombing/navigation system.
[34]
Defensive armament consisted of a single 20 mm (0.79 in)
T-171E-3
rotary cannon with 1,200 rounds of ammunition in a radar-aimed tail barbette.
[34]
[35]
It was remotely controlled through the Emerson MD-7 automated radar
fire-control system
, only requiring the DSO to lock on a selected target blip on his scope and then fire the gun. The system computed aiming, velocity, or
heading differential
, and range compensation.
[34]
Offensive armament typically consisted of a single
nuclear weapon
, along with fuel tanks, in a streamlined
MB-1C
pod under the fuselage. Incurable difficulties with fuel leakage resulted in the replacement of the MB-1C with the two-component pod (TCP), which placed the nuclear weapon in an upper section, while the lower fuel component could be independently jettisoned.
[36]
This had the added benefit of allowing the pilot to "clean up" the aircraft for fuel efficiency or in case of emergency, while still retaining the (somewhat) slimmer weapon.
[
citation needed
]
From 1961 to 1963, the B-58 was retrofitted with two tandem stub pylons under each wing root, adjacent to the centerline pod,
[37]
for
B43
or
B61
nuclear weapons. This allowed for a total of five nuclear weapons per aircraft. Although the USAF looked at using the B-58 for conventional strikes, it was never equipped for carrying or dropping conventional bombs. A photo
reconnaissance
pod, the LA-331, was also fielded. Several other specialized pods for
electronic countermeasures
or an early
cruise missile
were considered, but not adopted. The late-1950s
High Virgo
air-launched ballistic missile
was designed to be launched from the B-58; a Hustler carried out four test launches to determine ballistic missile and
antisatellite weapon
-system capability.
[38]
[39]
Operational history
[
edit
]
Introduction
[
edit
]
On 1 August 1960, the B-58 was declared operational, nine months after the delivery of the first aircraft to the USAF.
[18]
One month later, a single B-58 participated in the annual SAC Combat Competition at
Bergstrom
; it proved itself to be superior to competing
Boeing B-47 Stratojets
and Boeing B-52 Stratofortresses, securing first place in both high-level and low-level radar bombing exercises.
[18]
Crews were typically chosen from other strategic bomber squadrons. Due to some characteristics of delta-winged aircraft, new pilots used the
Convair F-102 Delta Dagger
as a conversion trainer before moving to the TB-58A trainer.
[40]
The B-58 was found to be difficult to fly, and its three-man crews were constantly busy, but its performance was exceptional. A lightly loaded Hustler could climb at nearly 46,000 ft/min (235 m/s).
[41]
Excessive program expenditure
[
edit
]
In addition to its much smaller weapons load and more limited range than the B-52, the B-58 had been extremely expensive to acquire.
[
citation needed
]
Through
FY
1961, the total cost of the B-58 program was $3 billion ($24 billion in 2023 dollars).
[42]
[43]
A highly complex aircraft, it also required considerable maintenance, much of which required specialized equipment and ground personnel. For comparison, the average maintenance cost per flying hour for the B-47 was $361, for the B-52 it was $1,025, and for the B-58 it was $1,440.
[44]
The B-58 cost one-third more to operate than the B-52.
[45]
The cost of maintaining and operating the two operational B-58 wings (39 aircraft per wing) equaled that of six wings of B-52s (only 15 aircraft per wing). Because of the support costs of six wings vs only two wings, the actual cost per aircraft of the B-52s was $1.42 million per year vs $1.21 million per year for the B-58 (this figure included special detailed maintenance for the nose landing gear, which retracted in a complex fashion to avoid the center payload).
[31]
Compounding these exorbitant costs, the B-58 had a high accident rate; 26 B-58 aircraft were lost in accidents, or 22.4% of total production, and more than half of the losses occurred during flight tests. The SAC senior leadership had been doubtful about the aircraft type from the beginning, although its crews eventually became enthusiastic about the aircraft.
General Curtis LeMay
was never satisfied with the bomber, and after a flight in one declared that it was too small, far too expensive to maintain in combat readiness, and required an excessive number of
aerial refuelings
to complete a mission.
[46]
Although the high-altitude ferry range of the B-58 was better than that of the B-47, the lack of forward basing resulted in a requirement for more
KC-135 tanker
support.
[47]
Operational wings and retirement
[
edit
]
Two SAC bomb wings operated the B-58 during its operational service - the
43rd Bombardment Wing
(which later transitioned to the 43rd Airlift Wing), based at
Carswell AFB
, Texas, from 1960 to 1964, and
Little Rock AFB
, Arkansas, from 1964 to 1970; and the
305th Bombardment Wing
, based at
Bunker Hill AFB
(later
Grissom AFB
), Indiana, from 1961 to 1970. The 305th also operated the B-58 combat crew training school, the predecessor of the USAF's formal training units.
[
citation needed
]
By the time the early problems had largely been resolved and SAC interest in the bomber had solidified,
Secretary of Defense
Robert McNamara
decided that the B-58 was not a viable weapon system.
[48]
During the B-58's introduction, high-altitude Soviet
surface-to-air missiles
became a threat, especially the
SA-2 Guideline
, a system the
Soviet Union
extensively deployed. The "solution" to this problem was to fly at low altitudes, minimizing the radar line-of-sight and reducing exposure time.
[
citation needed
]
Because of dense air at low altitudes, the B-58 could not fly at supersonic speeds and its moderate range was reduced further, negating the costly high-speed performance of the aircraft. Despite shortcomings, the type had its advocates within the service; according to Gunston and Gilchrist, when Secretary McNamara had requested proposals for a new manned Mach 2 bomber,
General Thomas S. Power
responded with a request for the B-58 to be put back into production.
[49]
In late 1965, McNamara ordered retirement of the B-58 by 1970; the principal reason given for this directive was the high sustainment cost for the fleet. On 29 October 1969, the Department of Defense announced that the type would be withdrawn from service on 31 January 1970.
[49]
Despite efforts of some officials within the USAF to secure a reprieve, the phaseout proceeded on schedule. The last B-58s were retired in January 1970, after which they were placed into storage with the
Military Aircraft Storage and Disposition Center
at
Davis-Monthan Air Force Base
. The fleet survived intact until 1977, when nearly all remaining aircraft were sold to Southwestern Alloys for disposal.
[50]
[51]
As a weapon system, the B-58 was replaced by the
FB-111A
. This aircraft was designed for low-altitude attack, to be more flexible with the carriage of conventional weapons, and less expensive to produce and maintain.
[
citation needed
]
Since B-58 pilots were the only USAF pilots experienced in long-duration supersonic flight, several former Hustler crew members were selected by Colonel Douglas Nelson to fly the
Lockheed SR-71 Blackbird
at the start of that program.
[
citation needed
]
Test aircraft
[
edit
]
Several B-58s were used for special trials. One was specially modified to test the
Hughes
radar system intended for the
Lockheed YF-12
interceptor
and the
North American F-108 Rapier
, which had an extended nose to accommodate the radar and was nicknamed "Snoopy" (see
Aircraft on Display
). Several improved (and usually enlarged) variants, named
B-58B
and
B-58C
by the manufacturer, were proposed, but never built.
[
citation needed
]
World records
[
edit
]
The B-58 set 19 speed records, including
cross-US
, and the longest supersonic flight in history. In 1963, it flew from Tokyo to London (via Alaska), a distance of 8,028 miles (12,920 km), with five aerial refuelings in 8 hours, 35 minutes, 20.4 seconds, averaging 938 mph (1,510 km/h). As of 2016
[update]
, this record still stands.
[52]
[53]
The aircraft was serving in an operational unit, and had not been modified in any way besides being washed and waxed. One of the goals of the flight was to push the limit of its new honeycomb construction technique. The speed of the flight was limited only by the speed at which they believed the honeycomb panels would delaminate, although one of the afterburners malfunctioned and the last hour of the flight was continued at subsonic speed. This reduced the average speed to roughly Mach 1.5, despite most of the flight being at Mach 2.
[54]
[55]
This B-58 was called
Greased Lightning
, which was the codename for the record attempt.
A B-58 set the FAI record for altitude with a 5000-kg payload: 26000 m.
[56]
Some of the record-winning aerospace trophies the B-58 won were the Bleriot Trophy, the
Thompson Trophy
, the
Mackay Trophy
, the
Bendix Trophy
, and the
Harmon Trophy
.
[57]
[58]
Singer
John Denver
's father, Lieutenant Colonel Henry J. Deutschendorf Sr., USAF, held several speed records as a B-58 pilot.
[59]
Variants
[
edit
]
- XB-58
: Prototype; two built
- YB-58A
: Pre-production aircraft; 11 built
- B-58A
: Three-seat medium-range strategic bomber aircraft; 86 built
- TB-58A
: Training aircraft, eight conversions from YB-58A
- NB-58A
: This designation was given to a YB-58A used to test the General Electric
J93
engine, originally intended for the
North American XB-70 Valkyrie
Mach 3
bomber.
- RB-58A
: Variant with ventral reconnaissance pod; 17 built
- B-58B
: Unbuilt. Larger and faster than the B-58A, this version would have had uprated J79-GE-9 engines, a longer fuselage for extra fuel capacity,
canards
, and the ability to carry conventional weapons.
[32]
[60]
A prototype B-58B was ordered (S/N 60-1109) and a total purchase of 185 envisioned, but the entire project was canceled before construction began, due to budgetary considerations.
[61]
The B variant was also planned to be the
mothership
for a Mach 4
parasite
called the
FISH
, for First Invisible Super Hustler. That FISH had three
ramjets
that would be ignited at an altitude of at least 35,000 feet (11,000 metres) and speeds over Mach 2.
[62]
The Super Hustler would then drop from the B-58B, climb to 90,000 feet (27,000 metres), and accelerate to Mach 4.2 to complete its mission.
[63]
[64]
- B-58C
: Unbuilt. Proposed as a cheaper alternative to the XB-70, this enlarged version would have carried more fuel and 32,500 lbf (145 kN)
J58
engines, the same ones used on the Lockheed SR-71. Design studies were conducted with two- and four-engine designs. Capable of carrying conventional weapons, the C model had an estimated top speed approaching Mach 3, a
supercruise
capability of about Mach 2, a service ceiling of about 70,000 ft (21,000 m), and a maximum range of 5,200 nautical miles (6,000 mi; 9,600 km). As enemy defenses against high-speed, high-altitude penetration bombers improved, the value of the B-58C diminished and the program was canceled in early 1961.
[65]
- B-58D
: Unbuilt. Proposed as an
interceptor aircraft
, taking advantage of its speed and high altitude performance.
[18]
- B-58E
: Unbuilt. Proposed as a multi-mission platform, to have been armed with numerous
air-launched ballistic missiles
(ALBM).
[18]
- Convair Model 58-9
:
a proposed supersonic transport. First developed by
Convair
in 1961, it was intended to carry 58 passengers at speed in excess of Mach 2. Multiple revisions of this proposal was submitted to
Congress
as Convair's bid for the
National Supersonic Transport program
.
[18]
Operators
[
edit
]
-
United States
Accidents and incidents
[
edit
]
Out of 116 B-58 Hustlers produced, 24 were lost in crashes. This represents a loss rate of approximately 21% of the total number produced.
[66]
On October 27, 1959, a Convair B-58 Hustler jet bomber was being flown from
Carswell Air Force Base
near
Fort Worth, Texas
, to
Eglin Air Force Base
in Florida. Three civilian crew members were aboard: the pilot, Everette Wheeler, and two flight engineers, Michael Keller and Harry Blosser. At about 7:30 p.m., the plane was flying at about 25,000 feet when it developed a problem, and all three crew members ejected from the plane. Keller and Wheeler both landed safely, though Wheeler suffered a broken arm, but Blosser didn't survive. His body was found early the next morning in a field, still strapped into his ejection seat and the parachute open. The plane crashed in Mississippi, on a field in
Lake Shady
(today
Lake Serene
) about two miles south of
U.S. Route 98
, leaving a crater 30 feet deep and 75 feet wide. After the crash, between 30 and 40 Air Force personnel were sent to investigate. They set up a temporary headquarters in the
Oak Grove
School auditorium. Anyone who found wreckage was asked to turn it in.
[67]
[68]
[69]
On April 22, 1960, a B-58 crashed into Great Salt Lake, Utah. Only the DSO survived.
[70]
[71]
On June 3, 1961, B-58A
59-2451
Firefly
crashed near the
Paris Air Show
, killing all three on board. The aircraft had, only 8 days earlier and with a different crew, made a supersonic transatlantic crossing between Washington, D.C. and Paris in a
Federation Aeronautique Internationale
(FAI) World Record Speed of 1,687.69 kilometers per hour (1,048.68 miles per hour) in 3 hours, 39 minutes, 49 seconds.
[72]
In September 1961, a B-58 on training flight from
Carswell Air Force Base
suffered a fire and failure of the left main gear. A chase aircraft was sent to examine the aircraft in flight. Through the night, eight sessions of aerial refuelling were conducted, using an improved technique and, once daylight broke, a successful emergency landing was made at
Edwards Air Force Base
. The Air Force made a training film about the incident, including a film of the landing.
[73]
On December 8, 1964, a B-58 carrying
nuclear weapons
slid off an icy runway on
Bunker Hill Air Force Base
in
Bunker Hill, Indiana
and caught fire during a training drill. The five nuclear weapons on board were burned, including one 9-megaton
thermonuclear weapon
, causing
radioactive contamination
of the crash area.
[74]
On June 15, 1965, at the Paris Air Show, Lieutenant Colonel Charles D. Tubbs was killed and two other crewmen injured when their B-58 crashed. The aircraft landed short of the runway, struck the instrument approach beacons, and burst into flames.
[75]
On July 22, 1965, B-58 #60-1128 departed runway during landing and was destroyed. All three occupants were unharmed.
[76]
On December 12, 1966, a B-58 crashed in field near McKinney, Kentucky killing all three crew members.
[77]
On June 14, 1967, Aircraft abandoned in flight. Three crew members ejected, and one of them was killed when parachute did not open.
[78]
On April 3, 1969, The aircraft crashed near Rokeby, Nebraska. Aircraft's left wing was torn off before crashing. All three crew members managed to eject and parachute to safety.
[79]
On April 18, 1969, B-58A #61-2056 crashed in field near Danville, Illinois. All three occupants were able to eject and parachute to safety.
[80]
Aircraft on display
[
edit
]
Today there are eight B-58 survivors:
[81]
[82]
- TB-58A
- B-58A
- 55-0665
Snoopy
?
Edwards Air Force Base
,
California
,
34°48′58″N
117°51′49″W
/
34.816163°N 117.863709°W
/
34.816163; -117.863709
. Built as a YB-58A, later redesignated B-58A. This aircraft sits derelict as a photo target on Edwards AFB's photo range.
[85]
- 55-0666 ? Built as a YB-58A, later redesignated B-58A. Under restoration at
Castle Air Museum
at the former
Castle Air Force Base
in
Atwater, California
. Formerly on display at
Octave Chanute Aerospace Museum
,
Rantoul, Illinois
.
[86]
[87]
[88]
[89]
- 59-2437
Firefly II
?
Lackland AFB
/Kelly Field Annex (former
Kelly Air Force Base
),
San Antonio, Texas
.
[90]
- 59-2458
Cowtown Hustler
?
National Museum of the United States Air Force
,
Wright-Patterson Air Force Base
,
Dayton, Ohio
. This aircraft flew from
Los Angeles
to
New York City
and back on 5 March 1962, setting three separate speed records, and earning the crew the
Bendix Trophy
and the
Mackay Trophy
for 1962. The aircraft was flown to the Museum on 1 March 1969. The aircraft is on display in the Museum's Cold War gallery.
[91]
- 61-2059
Greased Lightning
?
Strategic Air Command & Aerospace Museum
near
Ashland, Nebraska
. It averaged 938 nmph flying 8,028 nmi. from Tokyo to London in 8 hours and 35 minutes in October 1963.
[92]
- 61-2080 ?
Pima Air & Space Museum
, adjacent to
Davis-Monthan Air Force Base
, in
Tucson, Arizona
. It was the last B-58 to be delivered.
[93]
Specifications (B-58A)
[
edit
]
MB-1C original combined expendable underbelly fuel and weapon pod
A front view of the B-58A in the "clean" configuration
Cutaway diagram of the J79 with components labeled
Data from
Quest for Performance
[94]
General characteristics
- Crew:
Three
- Length:
96 ft 10 in (29.51 m)
[95]
- Wingspan:
56 ft 9 in (17.30 m)
[95]
- Height:
29 ft 11 in (9.12 m)
- Wing area:
1,542 sq ft (143.3 m
2
)
- Aspect ratio
:
2.09
- Airfoil
:
root:
NACA 0003.46
;
tip:
NACA 0004.08
[96]
- Empty weight:
55,560 lb (25,202 kg)
- Gross weight:
67,871 lb (30,786 kg)
- Max takeoff weight:
176,890 lb (80,236 kg)
- Zero-lift drag coefficient
:
C
D
0.0068
- Frontal area:
10.49 sq ft (0.975 m
2
)
- Powerplant:
4 ×
General Electric J79-GE-5A
afterburning turbojet
, 10,400 lbf (46 kN) thrust each dry, 15,000 lbf (67 kN) with afterburner
Performance
- Maximum speed:
1,146 kn (1,319 mph, 2,122 km/h) at 40,000 ft (12,000 m)
[95]
- Maximum speed:
Mach 2.0
- Cruise speed:
530 kn (610 mph, 980 km/h)
- Range:
4,100 nmi (4,700 mi, 7,600 km)
- Combat range:
1,740 nmi (2,000 mi, 3,220 km)
- Service ceiling:
63,400 ft (19,300 m)
- Rate of climb:
17,400 ft/min (88 m/s) at gross weight
[97]
- Lift-to-drag:
11.3 (subsonic, "clean configuration")
- Wing loading:
44 lb/sq ft (210 kg/m
2
)
- Thrust/weight
:
0.919
Armament
Avionics
Notable appearances in media
[
edit
]
Jimmy Stewart
, a bomber pilot during World War II and a brigadier general in the
Air Force Reserve
, appeared in the Air Force documentary film
B-58 Champion of Champions
. In the film, Stewart flew in the back seat of the B-58 on a typical low-altitude attack.
[103]
In the film
Fail Safe
, the attack on Moscow is made by a squadron of "Vindicator" bombers, fictitious aircraft.
[104]
While exterior shots of the plane relied on footage of B-58s, interior shots depicted a three-man crew, similar to that of a conventional airliner, and distinct from the tandem seating on a real B-58. The fictional Vindicator bomber was again represented by the B-58 in
Fail Safe
, a 2000 made-for-TV remake starring
George Clooney
.
60's Model Kits of the B58 from Aurora & Revell were modified and used/partially used in the Anderson Science Fiction series "
Fireball XL5
", "
Stingray
" and "
Thunderbirds
" as spacecraft or futuristic aircraft.
See also
[
edit
]
Related development
Aircraft of comparable role, configuration, and era
Related lists
References
[
edit
]
Citations
[
edit
]
- ^
Wilson 2000, p. 38.
- ^
Martin, Douglas (2011-07-02).
"Robert H. Widmer, Designer of Military Aircraft, Dies at 95"
.
The New York Times
.
- ^
"B-58's Sonic Boom Rattles Kentuckians"
.
Chicago Daily Tribune
. 1961-12-19
. Retrieved
2009-11-02
.
- ^
Morrison, David C. (February 1984).
"The Weapons Tutorial: Air-Breathing Nuclear Delivery Systems"
.
Bulletin of the Atomic Scientists
.
40
(2): 34.
doi
:
10.1080/00963402.1984.11459180
.
- ^
a
b
c
d
e
Gunston and Gilchrist 1993, p. 173.
- ^
a
b
c
Miller 1976, p. 24.
- ^
Gunston and Gilchrist 1993, p. 172.
- ^
Gunston and Gilchrist 1993, pp. 173-174.
- ^
a
b
Gunston and Gilchrist 1993, p. 174.
- ^
Miller 1985, p. 26.
- ^
Miller 1985, p. 28.
- ^
Gunston and Gilchrist 1993, p. 175.
- ^
a
b
c
Gunston and Gilchrist 1993, pp. 174-175.
- ^
Miller 1985, p. 39.
- ^
a
b
c
Gunston and Gilchrist 1993, p. 177.
- ^
Miller 1985, p. 42.
- ^
a
b
Miller 1985, p. 54.
- ^
a
b
c
d
e
f
g
h
Gunston and Gilchrist 1993, p. 178.
- ^
"U.S. halts jet bomber production"
.
Eugene Register-Guard
.
Oregon
.
UPI
. 1962-11-02. p. 4A.
- ^
Loftin, Laurence K. Jr.
"Quest for Performance: The Evolution of Modern Aircraft. Part II: The Jet Age. Chapter 12: Jet Bomber and Attack Aircraft. Two Pioneering Explorations."
National Aeronautics & Space Administration
, 2004. Retrieved: 1 December 2014.
- ^
a
b
c
Gunston and Gilchrist 1993, pp. 175-176.
- ^
a
b
Gunston and Gilchrist 1993, p. 176.
- ^
Brewer, Alex P. Jr.; Brewer, Randy A.
"Crew stations in the B-58"
. The B-58 Hustler Page
. Retrieved
August 7,
2022
.
- ^
Miller 1985, p. 94.
- ^
Gunston and Gilchrist 1993, pp. 176-177.
- ^
Force, United States Air (1 January 2008).
Convair B-58 Hustler Pilot's Flight Operating Instructions
. Lulu.com. p. 107.
ISBN
9780981652658
.
- ^
Miller 1985, pp. 53?54.
- ^
"Voice warning systems message priority."
Archived
2017-11-16 at the
Wayback Machine
palaamar.com
. Retrieved: 14 September 2015.
- ^
"Sexy Sally Sounds Off."
San Francisco Examiner
, 30 July 1966, reprinted in
United States Naval Institute Proceedings
, November 1966.
- ^
"B-58 Voice Alert Audio"
.
- ^
a
b
Hall, R. Cargill.
"The B-58 Bomber."
Archived
2015-02-14 at the
Wayback Machine
Air University Review
, Research Division, at the Albert F. Simpson Historical Research Center, Maxwell AFB, Alabama, November?December 1981. Retrieved: 14 February 2015.
- ^
a
b
Slade
2012, p. 238.
- ^
Force, United States Air; Usaf (2008-01-01).
Convair B-58 Hustler Pilot's Flight Operating Instructions
. Lulu.com.
ISBN
9780981652658
.
- ^
a
b
c
d
Miller 1985, p. 105.
- ^
"Convair B-58 Hustler Strategic Bomber."
AeroSpaceWeb.org
, 2012. Retrieved: 12 December 2014.
- ^
Miller 1985, p. 109.
- ^
Hansen 1988, pp. 158, 161.
- ^
"Designation systems."
designation-systems.net
. Retrieved: 8 December 2009.
- ^
"B-58 Air Launched Ballistic Missile"
.
Archived
from the original on 2021-11-06 – via www.youtube.com.
- ^
Miller 1985, p. 62.
- ^
Higham 1975, p. 31.
- ^
Miller 1985, p. 48.
- ^
Hall, R. Cargill.
"To acquire strategic bombers ? The case of the B-58 Hustler."
Air University Review
, Research Division, at the Albert F. Simpson Historical Research Center, Maxwell AFB, Alabama, Sept?Oct 1980. Retrieved: 15 February 2015.
- ^
Converse
2012, p. 517.
- ^
Miller 1985, p. 69.
- ^
Adams
2009, p. 41.
- ^
"B-58 Hustler United States Nuclear Forces."
FAS (Federation of American Scientists)
, 29 May 1997. Retrieved: 15 February 2015.
- ^
Sorenson
1995, p. 131.
- ^
a
b
Gunston and Gilchrist 1993, p. 179.
- ^
Miller 1985, p. 70.
- ^
Veronico and Strong
2010, p. 112.
- ^
QUALA MATOCHA. "
Former Hillje man holds longest supersonic flight record after 50 years
"
El Campo Leader News
, October 23, 2013. Accessed: December 15, 2013.
- ^
Comstock, Charles.
"The B-58's record flights."
Archived
2015-01-02 at the
Wayback Machine
456fis.org
(456th Fighter Interceptor Squadron), Seymour Johnson Air Field North Carolina. Retrieved: 2 January 2015.
- ^
Wayne Thomis, Aviation editor, Chicago Tribune. November 24, 1963.
- ^
Haynes, Leland R.
"B-58 Hustler records & 15,000 miles non-stop in the SR-71."
wvi.com
(SR-71 Blackbirds), 1996. Retrieved: 12 December 2014.
- ^
"Fitzhugh L. Fulton (USA) (14652)"
. 10 October 2017.
- ^
website=b58hustlerassn.net "Trophies won and records set by the B-58."
B-58 Hustler Association HomePage
. Retrieved: 2 January 2015.
- ^
Gunston and Gilchrist 1993, pp. 178-179.
- ^
Tope, Jessica.
"Pope Air Force Base Record Breaking Day."
Pope Air Force Base
, 12 January 2007. Retrieved: 5 September 2007.
- ^
Goebel, Greg.
"The General Dynamics B-58 & North American XB-70."
AirVectors.net
, 1 August 2014. Retrieved: 26 January 2015.
- ^
"Factsheet: Convair B-58B."
NationalMuseum.AF.mil
(National Museum of the United States Air Force). Retrieved: 9 July 2017.
- ^
"Convair Super Hustler, Fish & Kingfish."
AeroSpaceWeb.org
, 2012. Retrieved: 11 December 2014.
- ^
Hehs, Eric.
"Super Hustler, FISH, Kingfish, and Beyond (Part 1: Super Hustler)."
CodeOneMagazine.com
(Lockheed Martin Aeronautics Company), 15 March 2011. Retrieved: 11 December 2014.
- ^
Burrows, William E.
"The Real X-Jet."
AirSpaceMag.com
, 1 March 1999. Retrieved: 13 December 2014.
- ^
"Factsheet: Convair B-58C Hustler."
National Museum of the United States Air Force
. Retrieved: 9 July 2017.
- ^
"Flight Safety and the B-58"
.
The B-58 Hustler Page
. Retrieved
2023-05-19
.
- ^
"The airplane crash in Lake Serene"
.
Hattiesburg Memory
.
Archived
from the original on 2022-02-05
. Retrieved
2022-02-04
.
- ^
Lowrey, Leonard (1959-10-28). "Two Survive Bomber Crash".
Hattiesburg American
.
Hattiesburg, Mississippi
.
- ^
Hubbard, Sylvia (1992-10-01).
Ghosts! Personal Accounts of Modern Mississippi Hauntings
. Quail Ridge Press.
ISBN
0937552461
.
- ^
Kevin Noonan (July 28, 2022).
"The Time A Navy Sub Hunter Found A Lost B-58 Hustler In Great Salt Lake"
. The Drive
. Retrieved
August 8,
2022
.
- ^
"Great Salt Lake Site of Jet Crash"
.
The New York Times
. April 24, 1960. p. 32.
- ^
"The Firefly, 3 June 1961"
.
thisdayinaviation.com
. June 3, 2023
. Retrieved
2023-12-02
.
- ^
Video
on
YouTube
- ^
"Indiana's 'broken arrow' ? that time 5 nuclear bombs caught on fire"
.
The Indianapolis Star
. 2018-12-13.
- ^
"ASN Wikibase Occurrence #154902"
.
Aviation Safety Network
. Retrieved
2020-01-26
.
- ^
"ASN Wikibase Occurrence #154910"
.
Aviation Safety Network
. Retrieved
2023-05-18
.
- ^
"Crash of the B-58 Hustler"
.
Kentucky History
. Retrieved
2023-05-18
.
- ^
"ASN Wikibase Occurrence # 154914"
.
Aviation Safety Network
. Retrieved
2023-05-19
.
- ^
"ASN Wikibase Occurrence # 154911"
.
Aviation Safety Network
. Retrieved
2023-05-19
.
- ^
"ASN Wikibase Occurrence #154912"
.
Aviation Safety Network
. Retrieved
2023-05-18
.
- ^
"B-58 Aircraft History ? serial numbers and summary"
(PDF)
. The B-58 Hustler Association. Archived from
the original
(PDF)
on 2014-12-22
. Retrieved
2014-12-04
.
- ^
Brewer, Randy A.; Brewer, Alex P. (2014).
"The B-58 Hustler Page ? Surviving Inventory"
.
B-58.com
. Archived from
the original
on 2014-12-18
. Retrieved
2014-12-18
.
- ^
"B-58 Hustler/55-0663"
.
Grissom Air Museum
. Retrieved
2012-12-04
.
- ^
"B-58 Hustler/55-0668"
.
aerialvisuals.ca
. Retrieved
2015-06-04
.
- ^
"B-58 Hustler/55-0665"
.
aerialvisuals.ca
. Retrieved
2013-05-20
.
- ^
"Vintage Fort Worth-built B-58 Bomber headed to California museum"
Fort Worth Star Telegram
Retrieved 18 December 2017
- ^
"B-58 Hustler/55-0663."
Castle Air Museum.
Retrieved: 18 December 2017.
- ^
"USAF Serial Number Search (55-666)"
. Retrieved
2018-02-14
.
- ^
"Glory of former base slowly dimming as another AF plane leaves"
. Rantoul Press. 2017-08-15.
- ^
"B-58 Hustler/59-2437."
aerialvisuals.ca
Retrieved 4 June 2015.
- ^
"B-58 Hustler/59-2458."
National Museum of the USAF.
Retrieved: 18 December 2017.
This article incorporates
public domain material
from the
United States Air Force
- ^
"B-58 Hustler/61-2059."
Strategic Air and Space Museum.
Retrieved 18 December 2017.
- ^
"B-58 Hustler/61-2080."
Pima Air & Space Museum.
Retrieved: 17 June 2021.
- ^
Loftin, Laurence K. Jr.
"SP-468: Quest for Performance: The Evolution of Modern Aircraft".
NASA
, Retrieved: 4 April 2006.
- ^
a
b
c
d
Grant and Dailey 2007, p. 293.
- ^
Lednicer, David.
"The Incomplete Guide to Airfoil Usage"
.
m-selig.ae.illinois.edu
. Retrieved
16 April
2019
.
- ^
Gunston 1986, p. 162.
- ^
"AN/APA to AN/APD ? Equipment Listing."
Designation-Systems.net.
Retrieved: 3 July 2010.
- ^
a
b
"AN/APN ? Equipment Listing."
Designation-Systems.net.
Retrieved: 3 July 2010.
- ^
"AN/ASQ ? Equipment Listing."
Designation-Systems.net.
Retrieved: 3 July 2010.
- ^
a
b
"AN/APR to AN/APS ? Equipment Listing."
Designation-Systems.net.
Retrieved: 3 July 2010.
- ^
"AN/APQ ? Equipment Listing."
Designation-Systems.net.
Retrieved: 3 July 2010.
- ^
"Convair B-58 Hustler, Champion of Champions."
YouTube
(United States Air Force), 3 December 2014.
- ^
"The B-58 Hustler: America's Cold War Nuclear Bomber Blunder".
The National Interest
, 10 June 2016.
Bibliography
[
edit
]
- Adams, Chris.
Deterrence: An Enduring Strategy
. New York: IUniverse, Inc., 2009
ISBN
978-1-44016-9786
- Convair B-58 Hustler Pilot's Flight Operating Instructions
. Washington, D.C.: United States Air Force, 2008.
ISBN
978-0-9816526-5-8
.
- Converse, Elliott V.
Rearming for the Cold War, 1945?1960 (History of Acquisition in the Department of Defense)
. Washington, D.C.: Office of the Secretary, Historical Office, 2012.
ISBN
978-0-16091-132-3
.
- Donald, David and Jon Lake, eds.
Encyclopedia of World Military Aircraft
. London: AIRtime Publishing, 1996.
ISBN
1-880588-24-2
.
- Grant, R.G. and John R. Dailey.
Flight: 100 Years of Aviation
. Harlow, Essex: DK Adult, 2007.
ISBN
978-0-7566-1902-2
.
- Gunston, Bill
.
American Warplanes
. New York: Crown Publishers Inc., 1986, p. 162.
ISBN
0-517-61351-4
.
- Gunston, Bill.
Bombers of the West
. London: Ian Allan Ltd., 1973, pp. 185?213.
ISBN
0-7110-0456-0
.
- Gunston, Bill and Peter Gilchrist.
Jet Bombers: From the Messerschmitt Me 262 to the Stealth B-2
. Osprey, 1993.
ISBN
1-85532-258-7
.
- Hansen, Chuck.
U.S. Nuclear Weapons: The Secret History.
Arlington, Texas: Aerofax, 1988.
ISBN
0-517-56740-7
.
- Higham, Robin, Carol Williams and Abigail Siddall, eds.
Flying Combat Aircraft of the USAAF-USAF (Vol. 1)
. Andrews AFB, Maryland: Air Force Historical Foundation, 1975.
ISBN
0-8138-0325-X
.
- Miller, Jay.
Convair B-58 Hustler (Aerograph 4)
. Midland, UK: Aerofax, 1985.
ISBN
0-942548-26-4
.
- Miller, Jay. "History of the Hustler."
Airpower
, Vol. 6, No. 4, July 1976.
- Slade, Stuart.
United States Strategic Bombers 1945?2012
. Newtown, Connecticut: Defense Lion Publications, 2012.
ISBN
978-0-5781-0525-3
.
- Sorenson, David S.
The Politics of Strategic Aircraft Modernization
. Westport, Connecticut: Praeger, 1995.
ISBN
978-0-2759-5258-7
.
- Swanborough, Gordon and Peter M. Bowers.
United States Military Aircraft Since 1909
. Washington, D.C.: Smithsonian, 1989.
ISBN
0-87474-880-1
.
- United States Air Force Museum Guidebook
. Wright-Patterson AFB, Ohio: Air Force Museum Foundation, 1975.
- Veronico, Nicholas A. and Ron Strong.
AMARG: America's Military Aircraft Boneyard
. North Branch, Minnesota: Specialty Press, 2010.
ISBN
978-1-5800-7139-0
.
- Wagner, Ray.
American Combat Planes of the Twentieth Century
. Reno, Nevada: Jack Bacon and Co., 2004.
ISBN
0-930083-17-2
.
- Wilson, Stewart.
Combat Aircraft since 1945
. Fyshwick, ACT, Australia: Aerospace Publications Pty Ltd, 2000, p. 38.
ISBN
1-875671-50-1
.
- Winchester, Jim, ed. "Convair B-58 Hustler."
Military Aircraft of the Cold War
(The Aviation Factfile). Rochester, Kent, UK: The Grange plc., 2006.
ISBN
1-84013-929-3
.
External links
[
edit
]
|
---|
Manufacturer
designations
| |
---|
Bombers
| |
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Fighters and
attack aircraft
| |
---|
Civilian transports
| |
---|
Military transports
| |
---|
Experimental aircraft
| |
---|
General Dynamics
| |
---|
|
---|
Original sequences
(1924?1930)
| Light Bomber
| |
---|
Medium Bomber
| |
---|
Heavy Bomber
| |
---|
|
---|
Main sequence
(1930?1962)
| |
---|
Long-range Bomber
(1935?1936)
| |
---|
Tri-Service sequence
(1962?current)
| |
---|
Non-sequential
| Redesignated A-series
| |
---|
Fighter-bomber, in F-series
| |
---|
Other
| |
---|
|
---|
|
---|
100?199
| |
---|
200?299
| |
---|
300?399
| |
---|
400?499
| |
---|
500?599
|
- 500
- 501?519
1
- 520
- 521?529
1
- 530
- 531?541
1
- 542
- 543?549
1
- 550
- 551?559
1
- 560
- 561?569
1
- 570
- 571?579
1
- 580
- 581?589
1
- 590
- 591
- 592
- 593?599
1
|
---|
600?699
| |
---|
700?799
| |
---|
800?899
|
- 800
1
- 801
1
- 802
- 803
1
- 804
1
- 805
1
- 806
- 807
- 808?816
1
- 817
- 818
1
- 819
1
- 820
1
- 821
1
- 822
1
- 823
- 824?831
1
- 832
- 833
1
- 834
- 835?845
1
- 846
- 847?899
1
|
---|
900?999
|
- 900?951
1
- 952
- 853
1
- 854
1
- 855
1
- 956
- 957?967
1
- 968
|
---|
1
Unknown or not assigned
|