Martin RB-57D Canberra
Martin · United States · first flew 1955 · reconnaissance aircraft
The Martin RB-57D Canberra was a specialised high-altitude strategic reconnaissance aircraft developed from the Martin B-57 Canberra tactical bomber. It was used by the United States Air Force before the U-2 became operational.
Recognition (WEFT)
| W — Wings | Mid-mounted, straight |
|---|---|
| E — Engines | 2 × turbojet, wing-mounted |
| F — Fuselage | 20.1 m fuselage |
| T — Tail | Conventional |
WEFT is AircraftIQ's four-point recognition method — how it works.
Spot it by:
- Greatly enlarged wing of 106 ft span, 42 ft more than the B-57
- Two Pratt & Whitney J57 turbojets in the wings
- Spoilers on the outboard wings to assist the ailerons in roll
It looks like a Canberra with a very much longer, broader wing. The enlarged wing was glued together to avoid the weight of rivets.
Specifications
- The Martin RB-57D Canberra has a length of 20.1 m (66 ft).
- It has a wingspan of 32.3 m (106 ft).
- Its maximum speed is 966 km/h (600 mph).
- Typical crew: 1-2.
Figures are for the representative variant described above; marks differ. See how AircraftIQ sources figures.
History
It originated in a December 1952 USAF study for a turbojet-powered reconnaissance aircraft able to operate at 65,000 feet. The RB-57D first flew on 3 November 1955, with wet-wing fuel cells and the fuselage fuel tanks removed.
Variants
Four basic variants were built across the 20 aircraft, each with mission-specific changes, and the basic configuration was a single-seat aircraft. Three were redesignated WB-57D for weather sampling with the Air Weather Service.
Where you'll see it
The RB-57D remained in service for only about five years. Reconnaissance sorties in West Germany continued until 1964, when wing fatigue problems caused the type to be withdrawn.
Related aircraft
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