The Convair B-58 Hustler was the first operational supersonic jet bomber capable of Mach 2 flight. The aircraft was designed by Convair engineer Robert H. Widmer and developed for the United States Air Force for service in the Strategic Air Command (SAC) during the 1960s. It used a delta wing, which was also employed by Convair fighters such as the F-102, with four General Electric J79 engines in pods under the wing. It carried a nuclear weapon and fuel in a large pod under the fuselage rather than in an internal bomb bay. Replacing the Boeing B-47 Stratojet medium bomber, it was originally intended to fly at high altitudes and supersonic speeds to avoid Soviet fighters. The B-58 received a great deal of notoriety due to its sonic boom, which was often heard by the public as it passed over
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| - The Convair B-58 Hustler was the first operational supersonic jet bomber capable of Mach 2 flight. The aircraft was designed by Convair engineer Robert H. Widmer and developed for the United States Air Force for service in the Strategic Air Command (SAC) during the 1960s. It used a delta wing, which was also employed by Convair fighters such as the F-102, with four General Electric J79 engines in pods under the wing. It carried a nuclear weapon and fuel in a large pod under the fuselage rather than in an internal bomb bay. Replacing the Boeing B-47 Stratojet medium bomber, it was originally intended to fly at high altitudes and supersonic speeds to avoid Soviet fighters. The B-58 received a great deal of notoriety due to its sonic boom, which was often heard by the public as it passed over
- Development of the Convair B-58 started in the year 1949. It competed with the XB-59, made by Boeing. But the project for the XB-59 was cancelled and development of the Convair B-58 could be continued. The first flight of the B-58 Hustler took place on 11th November 1956. Until the appearance of the MiG-21 Fishbed, the Hustler was faster than all Soviet Interceptor aircraft. All in all 116 aircraft were built, 30 of them were used for testing and the remaining 86 were operational bombers. The B-58 was in service with the US Air Force until 31st December 1969. The introduction of new Soviet Air Defence systems called for new abilities, the B-58 was not designed for: Even if the B-58 was able to fly low-level bombing raids, it could only do that with decreased range and performance. Those di
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| - NACA 0003.46-64.069 root, NACA 0004.08-63 tip
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| - *Lift-to-drag ratio: 11.3
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| - Cutaway of an air start system of a General Electric J79 turbojet. The small turbine and epicyclic gearing are clearly visible.
- Cutaway diagram of the J79 with components labeled
- A front view of the B-58A in the "clean" configuration
- Original combined expendable underbelly fuel and weapon pod
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| - Convair B-58A Hustler front view 061101-F-1234P-021.jpg
- Air starter GE J79-11A by BMW.JPG
- B-58 weapons pod castle.jpg
- J79 components.jpg
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| - General Electric J79-GE-5A
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| avionics
| - *AN/APB-2 Bombing radar
*AN/APN-110 Doppler navigational radar
*AN/APN-170 Terrain-following radar
*AN/APR-12 Radar warning receiver
*Hughes Aircraft AN/APQ-69 podded side-looking aperture radar
*Goodyear AN/APS-73 podded synthetic aperture radar
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| - Zero-lift drag coefficient: 0.0068
*Drag area: 10.49 ft²
*Aspect ratio: 2.09
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| abstract
| - The Convair B-58 Hustler was the first operational supersonic jet bomber capable of Mach 2 flight. The aircraft was designed by Convair engineer Robert H. Widmer and developed for the United States Air Force for service in the Strategic Air Command (SAC) during the 1960s. It used a delta wing, which was also employed by Convair fighters such as the F-102, with four General Electric J79 engines in pods under the wing. It carried a nuclear weapon and fuel in a large pod under the fuselage rather than in an internal bomb bay. Replacing the Boeing B-47 Stratojet medium bomber, it was originally intended to fly at high altitudes and supersonic speeds to avoid Soviet fighters. The B-58 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. The introduction of highly accurate Soviet surface-to-air missiles forced the B-58 into a low-level penetration role that severely limited its range and strategic value, and it was never employed to deliver conventional bombs. This led to a brief operational career between 1960 and 1970, when the B-58 was succeeded by the smaller, swing-wing FB-111A.
- Development of the Convair B-58 started in the year 1949. It competed with the XB-59, made by Boeing. But the project for the XB-59 was cancelled and development of the Convair B-58 could be continued. The first flight of the B-58 Hustler took place on 11th November 1956. Until the appearance of the MiG-21 Fishbed, the Hustler was faster than all Soviet Interceptor aircraft. All in all 116 aircraft were built, 30 of them were used for testing and the remaining 86 were operational bombers. The B-58 was in service with the US Air Force until 31st December 1969. The introduction of new Soviet Air Defence systems called for new abilities, the B-58 was not designed for: Even if the B-58 was able to fly low-level bombing raids, it could only do that with decreased range and performance. Those disadvantages - the high accident rate as well as the high maintenance cost - were the reasons for the termination of the program and the retirement, which started in 1965.
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