Convair B-58 "Hustler"
| The B-58 project began in 1949 when the US Air Force issued a
request for a supersonic bomber. The resulting design featured a delta wing mated to a slender fuselage incorporating the area-rule concept to reduce transonic drag. One of the aircraft's most novel features was a large centerline pod mounted beneath the fuselage carrying fuel as well as a nuclear bomb. The idea underlying this concept was that the entire pod would be dropped over the target giving the B-58 a cleaner, more aerodynamic shape thereby allowing the aircraft to escape at higher speeds. Following the first flight of the XB-58 prototype, the aircraft soon began setting a number of speed records, including the first bomber to exceed Mach 1. A total of 116 B-58s were constructed between 1956 and 1962, and the last was withdrawn from service on 31 January 1970. Performance: Max Level Speed at altitude: 1,385 mph (2,230 km/h) at 40,000 ft (12,190 m), Mach 2.1 |
3view drawing by Josef Hueber / Airborne Grafix,
enlarged
version
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One of the most published photos of the YB-58.
