Convair B-58 Hustler has become a real revolution in military aviation. In 1960, he made history as the first supersonic bomber to reach the speed of 2 Mach. This powerful aircraft, designed for the US Strategic Air Command in the Cold War, demonstrated incredible opportunities, becoming a symbol of speed and innovation in aviation.
The creation of the B-58 was a response to the need to effectively fight the Soviet air defense, which was actively developing in the 1950s. Its design was unique and revolutionary at that time: a tailless delta, thin fuselage and heat -resistant stainless steel used to make the main parts of the aircraft. The peculiarity of this bomber was the lack of space for bombs in his fuselage. Instead, a unique capsule for nuclear weapons and additional fuel was located under the plane. The B-58 became a penner not only in technical terms, but also in the context of records setting. From 1960 to 1970, the aircraft set 19 world records from speed and height, becoming the winner of five prestigious aviation trophies. One of the greatest achievements was the flight of 2703 km, made in only 80 minutes, during which the aircraft overcame a distance at a speed exceeding 2 Mach. The peculiarity of the B-58 was its construction of the cabin cab. The aircraft had three separate sealed cabins for the pilot, navigator and operator of protection systems that were sitting in tandem. Communication between crew members took place through a system of pulleys through which notes were transmitted. However, high speed and huge loads made any technical malfunction of the aircraft potentially fatal. Initially, the catapult was limited, but later the aircraft was equipped with a special sealed catapult system for safe crew removal even at high speeds.
The B-58 was armed with the US Air Force from 1960 to 1970. During this time, it became a symbol of technological progress and reliability for its era. After the service, several copies of the aircraft were saved, and today the National Museum of the US Air Force stores one of the most famous B-58-Cowtown Hustler, which set three speed records in 1962.
