| B-58 Hustler | |
|---|---|
.jpg) Convair B-58 of the United States Air Force | |
| General information | |
| Type | Supersonic strategic bomber |
| National origin | United States |
| Manufacturer | Convair |
| Status | Retired |
| Primary user | United States Air Force |
| Number built | 116 |
| History | |
| Introduction date | 15 March 1960 |
| First flight | 11 November 1956 |
| Retired | 31 January 1970 |
| Developed into | Convair Model 58-9 |
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]
- ^ 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. Archived from the original on July 25, 2012. 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.