Martin B-57 Canberra

"RB-57" redirects here. For specific variants of the aircraft, see Martin RB-57D Canberra and Martin/General Dynamics RB-57F Canberra. For the Swedish anti-tank weapon, see NLAW.

B-57 Canberra
B-57E of 556th Reconnaissance Squadron in 1970.
Role Tactical bomber
Manufacturer Martin
First flight 20 July 1953[1]
Introduction 1954
Retired 1983 (USAF)
1985 (Pakistan)
Status Retired from military service; 3 in use by NASA[2]
Primary users United States Air Force
Pakistan Air Force
Republic of China Air Force
Republic of Vietnam Air Force
Number built 403
Developed from English Electric Canberra
Variants Martin RB-57D Canberra
Developed into Martin/General Dynamics RB-57F Canberra

The Martin B-57 Canberra is an American-built, twin-engined tactical bomber and reconnaissance aircraft that entered service with the United States Air Force (USAF) in 1953. The B-57 is a license-built version of the British English Electric Canberra, manufactured by the Glenn L. Martin Company. Initial Martin-built models were virtually identical to their British-built twinjet counterparts; Martin later modified the design to incorporate larger quantities of US-sourced components and produced the aircraft in several variants.

The B-57 Canberra holds the distinction of being the first jet bomber in U.S. service to drop bombs during combat.[3] The Canberra was used extensively during the Vietnam War in a bombing capacity; specialized versions of the type were also produced and served as high-altitude aerial reconnaissance platforms (the Martin RB-57D Canberra), and as electronic warfare aircraft. The B-57 Canberra was also sold to export customers abroad; further combat use was seen by the Pakistani Air Force during the Indo-Pakistani War of 1965 and the Indo-Pakistani War of 1971.

In 1983, the USAF opted to retire the type; the B-57 Canberra's retirement marked the ending of the era of the tactical bomber. The three remaining flightworthy WB-57Fs are technically assigned to the NASA Johnson Space Center, next to Ellington Field in Houston, as high-altitude scientific research aircraft but have also been used for testing and electronic communications in the U.S. and Afghanistan.[2][4]

  1. ^ Cite error: The named reference bomber 150 was invoked but never defined (see the help page).
  2. ^ a b "WB-57." NASA. Retrieved: 10 March 2014.
  3. ^ Bell 2011, p. 15.
  4. ^ Axe, David. "America’s most important warplane is old, ugly ... and flown by NASA." wired.com, 10 September 2012.