Hustler: The B-58 Bomber

Emerging from a Cold War requirement for an aircraft capable of striking targets deep behind the Iron Curtain, the Convair B-58 Hustler was the world's first bomber capable of sustained Mach 2 flight. This is just a taste of the forthcoming rocket.aero DVD "Hustler: The B-58 Bomber." Visit the rocket.aero website at www.rocket.aero for more information! Many thanks to Neill Hitchcock for graciously providing the soundtrack for this trailer.

Category:

Science & Technology

Tags:

• B-58
• bomber
• mach 2
• airplane
• fighter
• supersonic

[jasduffy]

The event at 00:58 is an ejection seat test, using a simulated B-58 forward fuselage. A section of Hustler fuselage was mounted to a high-speed test track, then accelerated to speed using JATO rocket bottles. When the fuselage section reached the appropriate speed, the ejection seat was ignited.

[63gstone]

That jet isn't sexy, it's pornographic!

[HoundmanV]

saw a 58 making a simulated photo recon run at a war college air show in 67'. Announcer said it would pass at 1300mph, and to look for a speck in the distance that grew. It passed silently till reaching the end of runway, lit the afterburners one at a time, which was when the sound reached us and rumbled, and it nosed up.

[WrathofWotan]

@xTomcatsForeverVF84x That reminds me - my 10th grade English literature teacher was one Mrs. Kubesch. On Oct. 16, 1963, her hubby, Maj. Sid Kubesch, with Maj John Barrett and Capt Gerard Williamson flew a B-58, assigned to the 305th BW, on the longest supersonic flight to date. The flight was called Operation Greased Lightning. They flew 8,028 mi. Tokyo to London in eight hr., 35 minutes. Using five inflight refuelings they averaged 938 mph. They each received the DFC. She was way cool.

[WrathofWotan]

@xTomcatsForeverVF84x UHHH, that big honkin' thing under the belly IS the nuclear ordnance pod. We had one of two wings stationed about 25 miles from my hometown at Bunker Hill AFB, and my father would take me over to the backside of the base at night to watch them come down the taxi strip, turn around just in front of us, and light the afterburners! What a thrill for a 14 yr. old kid! I remember after one trip we could barely hear for a week. It's rumored one dropped a pod on the base.

[hermitcrabbot]

The Hustler was always my favorite bomber, as it made an indelible impression on me growing up. In early June 1965, my family made their annual vacation trip by car from Indianapolis to our summer home near Syracuse, Indiana. On the way there, we passed through the completely destroyed remnants of Russiaville ( Palm Sunday Tornado ). Shaken, we later passed close by Grissom AFB, and a B58 Hustler ( with weapons pod ) took off right over our car! I can vouch for the tremendous roar...

[harryzain]

if only people looked as good 50+ years on.... this is for sure the top 10 most sexiest aircraft ever built.

[scottwins2]

I saw the one take off in Paris and crash when I was a kid. Sad day for me an airforce brat.

it had just set the record across the Atlantic, took off at the World famous air show and rolled twice flew awhile then went down. I have a pic of the plane.

[DAYTONACOUPE651]

SAW THAT B58 AT CHANUTE AFB ROAAAARRR

[CHONDURAS]

@xTomcatsForeverVF84x You had two options, extra fuel under the belly or a weapons pod.

[userdenied58]

@xTomcatsForeverVF84x The largest of the belly tanks had a nuke warhead in its nose. Therefore, it would make a Mach 2+ run inbound using its belly tank, drop it as a weapon, and then egress on internal fuel. Cool idea as long as you weren't shot down.

[Dbusdriver71]

It was such a remarkable aircraft. Such a shame it had such a short operational life. With advances in soviet surfacr to air missles and ultimately the MIG 25 plus technological problems cut its lifespan. Although I have no faith in the MIGs, their either falling out of the sky at some airshow or being shot down in record numbers over the world, the did pose a serious threat that couldn't be avoided or ignored. Fantastic bomber though.