Martin/General Dynamics RB-57F Canberra
Martin / General Dynamics · United States · first flew 1963 · reconnaissance aircraft
The RB-57F is a high-altitude reconnaissance and atmospheric-sampling aircraft rebuilt from the Martin B-57 Canberra, itself a licence-built English Electric Canberra.
Recognition (WEFT)
| W — Wings | Mid-mounted, straight |
|---|---|
| E — Engines | 2 × turbofan, wing-mounted |
| F — Fuselage | 20.8 m fuselage |
| T — Tail | Conventional |
WEFT is AircraftIQ's four-point recognition method — how it works.
Spot it by:
- Enormous wing of more than 122 ft span, far larger than a standard Canberra
- Two Pratt & Whitney TF33 turbofans in the wings
- Detachable J60 turbojet pods on the wings outboard of the main engines
A Canberra-shaped aircraft with a vastly larger wing and turbofan engines, often with extra engine pods beneath the outer wings.
Specifications
- The Martin/General Dynamics RB-57F Canberra has a length of 20.8 m (68 ft).
- It has a wingspan of 37.34 m (123 ft).
- Its maximum speed is 759 km/h (472 mph).
- Typical crew: 2.
Figures are for the representative variant described above; marks differ. See how AircraftIQ sources figures.
History
General Dynamics rebuilt B-57Bs for the USAF in the early 1960s to reach far greater altitude than the RB-57D. The first flight was on 23 June 1963.
Variants
Twenty-one were built. They were redesignated WB-57F in 1968, and some were fitted with signals-intelligence equipment.
Where you'll see it
It was assigned to the Air Weather Service and retired by the USAF in 1974. Three WB-57Fs still fly for NASA as high-altitude research aircraft.
Related aircraft
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