{{Infobox Aircraft |name=Convair B-58 Hustler |type=[[Strategic bomber]] |manufacturer=[[Convair]] |image=Image:B-58 Hustler.jpg |caption= |designer= |first flight=[[1956-11-11]] |introduced=[[1960-03-15]] |retired=[[1970-01-31]] |number built=116 |status= |unit cost=US$12.44 million{{cite book|author=Knaack, Marcelle Size|title=Post-World War II bombers, 1945-1973|publisher=Office of Air Force History|year=1988|id=ISBN 0-16-002260-6}} |variants with their own articles= |primary user=[[United States Air Force]] |more users= }} The '''Convair B-58 Hustler''' was a high-speed jet [[bomber]] capable of [[supersonic]] flight. The aircraft was developed for the [[Strategic Air Command]] of the [[United States Air Force]] during the late 1950s and was in service from 1960 to 1969. It received a great deal of notoriety due to its [[sonic boom]], which was often heard by the public as it passed overhead in supersonic flight. ==Design== The B-58 had a [[delta wing]] with a leading-edge sweep of 60°. With four [[General Electric J79]]-GE-1 [[turbojet]] engines, it was capable of flying at twice the speed of sound. Although its large wing made for relatively low [[wing loading]], it proved to be surprisingly well suited for low-altitude, high-speed flight. It seated three (pilot, bombardier/navigator, and defensive systems operator) in separated tandem cockpits, equipped with a novel [[escape crew capsule|ejection capsule]] that made it possible to eject at an altitude of 21,000 m (70,000 ft) at speeds up to [[Mach (speed)|Mach]] 2 (2,450 km / 1,320 mph), something impossible with standard [[Ejector seat|ejection seat]]s of the period. The B-58 typically carried a single [[nuclear weapon]] in a streamlined [[MB-1C]] pod under the fuselage. From [[1961 in aviation|1961]] to [[1963 in aviation|1963]] it was retrofitted with two tandem stub pylons under each wing, inboard of the engine pod, for [[B43 nuclear bomb|B43]] or [[B61 nuclear bomb|B61]] nuclear weapons for a total of 5 nuclear weapons per airplane. A single [[M61 Vulcan]] cannon was mounted in a [[radar]]-directed tail [[gun turret|turret]] for defense. Although the USAF explored the possibility of using the B-58 for the conventional strike role, it was never equipped for carrying or dropping conventional bombs in service. A photo-[[reconnaissance]] pod, the LA-331, was also fielded. Several other specialized pods for [[ECM]] or an early [[cruise missile]] were considered, but not adopted. ==Operational history== The B-58 crews were elite, hand-picked from other strategic bomber squadrons. Due to some unique aspects of flying a delta-winged aircraft, the pilots used the [[F-102 Delta Dagger]] in their transition to the Hustler. The aircraft was difficult to fly and its three-man crews were constantly busy but the performance of the aircraft was exceptional. A lightly loaded Hustler would climb at nearly 46,000 ft/min (235 m/s), comparable to the best contemporary fighters, and it could cruise with a payload at 85,000 ft (26,000 m) (Higham 1975). Nevertheless, it had a much smaller weapons load and limited range than the [[B-52 Stratofortress]]. It had been extremely expensive to acquire (in [[1959 in aviation|1959]] it was reported that each of the production B-58As was worth more than its weight in gold). It was a complex aircraft that required considerable maintenance, much of which required specialized equipment, which made it three times as expensive to operate as the B-52. Also against it was an unfavorably high accident rate: 26 aircraft were lost in accidents, 22.4% of total production. SAC had been dubious about the type from the beginning, although its crews eventually became enthusiastic about the aircraft (its performance and design were appreciated, although it was never easy to fly). [[Image:XB-58.jpg|thumb|250px|center|XB-58|float|right|This was the original XB-58. Accumulating 150 flights, it was the first B-58 to reach both Mach 1 and Mach 2. This particular craft was used for ALBM testing before being scrapped.]] 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 going to be a viable weapon system. Its early retirement, slated for [[1970 in aviation|1970]], was ordered in [[1965 in aviation|1965]], and despite efforts of the [[USAF]] to earn a reprieve, proceeded on schedule. The last B-58s in operational service retired [[16 January]] [[1970 in aviation|1970]]. A total of 116 B-58s were produced: 30 trial aircraft and 86 production '''B-58A''' models. Most of the trial aircraft were later brought up to operational standard. Eight were equipped as '''TB-58A''' training aircraft. A number of B-58s were used for special trials of various kinds, including one used for testing the radar system intended for the [[Lockheed YF-12]] [[interceptor aircraft|interceptor]]. Several improved (and usually enlarged) variants, dubbed '''B-58B''' and '''B-58C''' by the manufacturer, were proposed, but never built. ==Popular culture== In the 1964 film ''[[Fail-Safe (1964 film)|Fail-Safe]]'', stock footage of B-58s was used to represent "Vindicator" bombers which attacked [[Moscow]]. Singer [[John Denver]]'s father was a noted B-58 pilot. ==Variants== * '''XB-58''': Prototype. Two built. * '''YB-58A''': Pre-production aircraft. 11 built. * '''B-58A''': Three-seat medium-range strategic bomber aircraft. * '''TB-58A''': Training aircraft. * '''NB-58A''': This designation was given to a YB-58A, which was used for testing the J93 engine. The engine was originally intended for the [[B-70 Valkyrie]] bomber. * '''B-58B''': Unbuilt version. * '''B-58C''': Unbuilt version. ==Specifications (B-58A)== [[Image:B-58 3view.png|right|250px|Orthographically projected diagram of the B-58 Hustler.]] {{aircraft specifications |plane or copter?=plane |jet or prop?=jet |ref=Quest for Performance{{cite web|author=Loftin, LK, Jr.|title=Quest for performance: The evolution of modern aircraft. NASA SP-468|url=http://www.hq.nasa.gov/pao/History/SP-468/cover.htm|accessdate=2006-04-22}} |crew=3: pilot; observer (navigator, radar operator, bombardier); defense system operator (DSO; electronic countermeasures operator and pilot assistant). |length main=96 ft 9 in |length alt=29.5 m |span main=56 ft 9 in |span alt=17.3 m |height main=29 ft 11 in |height alt=8.9 m |area main=1,542 ft² |area alt=143.3 m² |airfoil=[[NACA airfoil|NACA 0003.46-64.069]] root, NACA 0004.08-63 tip |empty weight main=55,560 lb |empty weight alt=25,200 kg |loaded weight main=67,871 lb |loaded weight alt=30,786 kg |max takeoff weight main=176,890 lb |max takeoff weight alt=80,240 kg |more general= * '''[[Zero-lift drag coefficient]]:''' 0.0068 * '''[[zero-lift drag coefficient|Drag area:]]''' 10.49 ft² (0.97 m²) * '''[[Aspect ratio (wing)|Aspect ratio]]:''' 2.09 |engine (jet)=[[General Electric J79]]-GE-5A |type of jet=[[turbojet]]s |number of jets=4 |thrust main=15,600 lbf |thrust alt=69.3 kN |max speed main=[[Mach number|Mach]] 2.1 |max speed alt=1,600 mph, 2,600 km/h |max speed more=at 40,000 ft (12,000 m) |cruise speed main=610 mph |cruise speed alt=530 knots, 985 km/h |combat radius main=1,740 mi |combat radius alt=1,510 nm, 3,220 km |ferry range main=4,720 mi |ferry range alt=4,100 nm, 7,590 km |ceiling main=63,400 ft |ceiling alt=19,300 m |climb rate main=2,700 ft/min |climb rate alt=13.7 m/s |loading main=44.01 lb/ft² |loading alt=214.9 kg/m² |thrust/weight=0.919 |more performance= * '''[[Lift-to-drag ratio]]:''' 11.3 (without weapons/fuel pod) |guns=1× [[20 mm caliber|20 mm]] (0.787 in) [[M61 Vulcan|T171]] [[autocannon|cannon]] |bombs=4× [[B43 nuclear bomb|B-43]] or [[B61 nuclear bomb]]s; maximum weapons load was 19,450 lb (8,823 kg) }} ==References==
* {{cite book|last=Donald|first=D.|coauthors=Lake, J. (eds.)|year=1996|title=Encyclopedia of world military aircraft.|publisher=AIRtime Publishing.|id=ISBN 1-880588-24-2}} * {{cite book|last=Higham|first=Robin|coauthors=Abigail Siddall, Carol Williams (eds.)|year=1975|title=Flying combat aircraft of USAAF-USAF (vol.1)|publisher=Iowa State University Press|id=ISBN 0-8138-0325-X}} * {{cite book|last=Swanborough|first=G.|couathors=Bowers, P. M.|year=1989|title=United States Military Aircraft Since 1909|publisher=Smithsonian|id=ISBN 0-87474-880-1}} * {{cite book|last=Wagner|first=Ray|year=2004|title=American Combat Planes of the Twentieth Century|publisher=Jack Bacon and Co.|id=ISBN 0-930083-17-2}} ==External links== * [http://www.aerospaceweb.org/aircraft/bomber/b58/ Aerospaceweb.org profile of the B-58] * [http://www.xs4all.nl/~mvburen/b-58/ Convair B-58 Hustler Rendezvous] * [http://www.aviation-history.com/convair/b58.html Aviation-history.com profile of the B-58] * [http://members.cox.net/dschmidt1/ Hustler House] == Related content == {{aircontent |similar aircraft= * [[A-5 Vigilante]] * [[Avro Vulcan]] * [[Boeing XB-59]] * [[Mirage IV]] * [[Tupolev Tu-22]] |sequence= * [[Boeing XB-55|XB-55]] - [[Boeing B-56|B-56]] - [[B-57 Canberra|B-57]] - '''B-58''' - [[Boeing XB-59|XB-59]] - [[Convair YB-60|YB-60]] - [[MGM-1 Matador|TM-61]] |lists= * [[List of bomber aircraft]] * [[List of military aircraft of the United States]] |see also= }} [[Category:Delta-wing aircraft]] [[Category:U.S. bomber aircraft 1950-1959]] [[cs:B-58 Hustler]] [[de:Convair B-58]] [[fr:Convair B-58]] [[it:Convair B-58 Hustler]] [[ja:B-58 (爆撃機)]] [[no:Convair B-58 Hustler]] [[fi:B-58 Hustler]]