Convair B-58 Hustler
Convair · United States · first flew 1956 · bomber
The first supersonic strategic bomber — a slim Mach 2 tailless delta carrying its weapons in an external pod.
Recognition (WEFT)
| W — Wings | Low-mounted, delta |
|---|---|
| E — Engines | 4 × turbojet, wing-mounted |
| F — Fuselage | Large jettisonable pod slung under the fuselage centreline |
| T — Tail | No tailplane |
WEFT is AircraftIQ's four-point recognition method — how it works.
Spot it by:
- Sharp tailless delta wing with no horizontal tailplane
- Four slim turbojets in individual underwing pods
- Large jettisonable pod slung under the fuselage centreline
The slender tailless delta, four podded engines and the big underslung centreline pod are unmistakable. Unlike the delta V-bombers it is far slimmer and carries its load externally rather than internally.
Specifications
- The Convair B-58 Hustler has a length of 29.5 m (97 ft).
- It has a wingspan of 17.3 m (57 ft).
- Its maximum speed is 2120 km/h (1317 mph).
- Typical crew: 3.
Figures are for the representative variant described above; marks differ. See how AircraftIQ sources figures.
History
Convair developed the B-58 in the 1950s as a high-altitude Mach 2 nuclear penetrator, first flying in 1956 and entering SAC service in 1960. Hugely expensive and tricky to operate, with a notoriously high accident rate, it served barely a decade before the shift to low-level penetration made it obsolete.
Variants
A single production bomber model, the B-58A, supplemented by a handful of TB-58A trainers with a stepped-up second cockpit. Several aircraft set world speed and altitude records during their short careers.
Where you'll see it
An American SAC bomber with no RAF service and no UK basing; it is a Cold War rarity that never operated from or regularly visited Britain.
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