In March 1949 the US Air Force's Air Research and Development Command (ARDC) invited proposals for a supersonic bomber, and after submissions had been reduced to two, from Boeing and Consolidated-Vultee's Fort Worth Division, the latter was selected in August 1952 to develop its Convair Model 4 designed to the hardware stage under contract MX-1964. On 10 December 1952 the designation B-58 was allocated and late in that year Convair received a contract for 18 aircraft, to be powered by a new J79 engine for which General Electric received a development contract at the same time. The performance requirement for the new aircraft demanded considerable advances in aerodynamics, structures and materials. The resulting design, one of the first to incorporate the NACA/ Whitcomb-developed area-rule concept, was a delta-winged aircraft with four engines in underslung pods, a slim fuselage and, perhaps its most novel feature, a 18.90m long under-fuselage pod to carry fuel and a nuclear weapon. The three-man crew, in individual tandem cockpits, were provided with jetti-sonable escape capsules.
In June 1954 the 18-aircraft order was reduced to two XB-58 prototypes and 11 YB-58A pre-production examples, together with 31 pods. The first of these was rolled out at Fort Worth on 31 August 1956, making its first flight on 11 November piloted by B. A. Erikson. On 30 December, still without a pod, the XB-58 became the first bomber to exceed Mach 1. A further 17 YB-58As were ordered on 14 February 1958, together with 35 MB-1 bomb pods, to bring to 30 the number of aircraft available for the manufacturer's test programme and ARDC service trials with the 6592nd Test Squadron and the 3958th Operational Test and Evaluation Squadron at Carswell AFB.
A total of 86 production B-58A Hustler bombers was ordered between September 1958 and 1960, supplemented by 10 YB-58As which were brought up to production standard to equip the 43rd Bomb Wing, initially at Carswell but later assigned to Little Rock AFB, Arkansas, and the 305th Bomb Wing at Bunker Hill AFB, Indiana. The first was handed over to the 65th Combat Crew Training Squadron at Carswell on 1 December 1959 and the 43rd Bomb Wing, activated as the first B-58 unit on 15 March 1960, became operational on 1 August 1960. The 116th and last B-58A was delivered on 26 October 1962 and the type was withdrawn from Strategic Air Command service on 31 January 1970.
With such outstanding performance it was clear that the B-58A had record-breaking potential. On 12 January 1961 Major Henry Deutschendorf and his crew secured the 2000km closed-circuit record at 1708.8km/h and on 14 January Major Harold E. Confer's aircraft raised the 1000km record to 2067.57km/h. On 10 May Major Elmer Murphy won the trophy presented by Louis Bleriot in 1930 for the first pilot to exceed 2000km/h for a continuous period of 30 minutes. Sixteen days later Major William Payne and his crew flew from Carswell to Paris setting, en route, record times of 3 hours 39 minutes 49 seconds from Washington and 3 hours 19 minutes 51 seconds from New York; sadly the Hustler crashed at the Paris Air Show on 3 June with the loss of the crew. Other flights included a supersonic endurance record of 8 hours 35 minutes from Haneda, Tokyo to London, on 16 October 1963.
Convair B-58 Hustler on YOUTUBE
Specification
MODEL
B-58
CREW
3
ENGINE
4 x General Electric J79-GE-5A turbo-jets, 69.3kN with afterburner
WEIGHTS
Take-off weight
73936 kg
163002 lb
DIMENSIONS
Wingspan
17.32 m
57 ft 10 in
Length
29.49 m
97 ft 9 in
Height
9.58 m
31 ft 5 in
Wing area
143.25 m2
1541.93 sq ft
PERFORMANCE
Max. speed
2229 km/h
1385 mph
Ceiling
18290 m
60000 ft
Range
3219 km
2000 miles
ARMAMENT
1 x 20mm cannon, nuclear bombs inside the container under the fuselage
Ann Hale: I witnessed the B-58 crash your husband was in. I was 9 years old. My dad, Lt. Col. Elmer Robison, was a KC-135 pilot stationed at Bunker Hill. My friend and I were playing near the cornfield that separated the flight line and the housing where we lived. My friend shouted, "LOOK!" pointing toward the flight line. I turned to see a massive fireball. I'll never forget that scene.
Hi Ms. Hale, I am Ken Walker and I was born in 1962 on Grissom AFB. My Dad is Lt. Col Wallace Joe Walker. He and my mom are in Austin now and I just sent them this link. Nice to come across it while random surfing this morning here in Asia.
My husband was Bill Hale pilot on the B-58 at Grissom AFB. He retired as a LT. Col. and recently passed away. We were in the 305th Bomb Wing from 1955 to 19 70 when the airplane was sent to the boneyard. Bill crashed the first B-58 at Grissom on April 12 1962 on take off. Pete OConnor ejected and landed on the runway Bill ejected sideway out of the plane when it was 80feet from the ground his chute did open and he was not hurt. His navigator Duanne Dickey died in the accident. At the last minute when the B-58 was to leave Grissom forthe boneyard he was assigned to fly it out. So we use to say he crashed the first one at Grissom and flew the last one out. He entered the 305th Bomb Wing as a 2nd Lt. after Air Cadets and retired as a Lt. Col. from the Bomb Wing. He loved the B-58 said what a great plane it was. I was so proud to be a part of the great airplane. Ann Hale
I was stationed at Cannon, AFB, NM in 1958 as an Airborne Radio Repairman. One Friday evening in December, 1968 I was one of several Airmen who stayed on Base for the week end and was requested to volunteer for a search and rescue operation involving a crashed B-58 Bomber about 38 miles NE of Cannon AFB. I was 18 and now 75 years old.
I recall picking up maps and other cockpit materials that were spread out over many miles of high desert terrain. We were in groups stretched out for miles looking for anything associated with the flight. We moved in a direction towards the final crash site where there was a huge crater. Parts of the landing gear were visible and no pieces seemed larger than a man's fist. One of the crew died in the crash and I heard that they passed Mach 1 on the way down. The one who dies was unable to eject. They found one still in his ejection seat on the ground, alive. I do not remember the fate of the third crew member. We were all very sad and depressed at the sight of all the damage. It was late in the evening when we were relieved of duty from this event.
I worked mostly on F-100 and F-101 Airborne Communications and Navigation systems and had witnessed several accidents near Cannon, AFB. The B-58 incident is still vivid in my memories.
Does anyone remember my dad Anthony Joseph Wheat (Joe), who was a B58 Pilot from 1965 to 1969 at Little Rock AFB? I am 52 and have such fond memories of that part of my childhood, and considered the men who flew with my dad to be heroes. Dad volunteer for Viet Nam in 1965, went over in 1970 (flying RF101 Voodoo) and was sent back home with Leukemia in 1971. Would love to hear reflections on the B58, life at Little Rock AFB, and my dad as well.
I was stationed at Chanute AFB back in the early 70's (metals Processing Specialist) when we were approached about being a detail to recover parts and items left from the crash of a b58 hustler that had gone down in a field by the Base. When we got there the house by where it hit was really close and the hole it left was rather large. We could see pcs, of the aircraft as you dug into the ground at the hole. There wasn't much left of the plane a twisted gun. Looked like a giant just grabbed it an twisted it. Part of the landing gear. And pcs of rubber tires. Mudd clods were across the field and and pcs all over. They had said that someone was on the phone when it hit and scared them some bad. We'd heard that there had been two pilots and had gotten out before it had come down. If anyone has any more information on this crash please advise at this email.
I crewed 61-2059 which is still alive in Iowa I told my baby she was special y'all know me as bull Harris .i loved my aircraft but we all must go.thank you.
Visitors to this wonderful web site may recall seeing footage of the B58 as the fictional Vindicator Bomber in the 1964 film "Fail Safe" and again in the 2000 made-for-TV remake of that same film. In the novel, aviation fans can infer that the Vindicator Bomber capabilities described on the printed page match up with the Convair B58 Hustler.
Identifying real aircraft featured in TV or motion picture fiction is part of my love for aviation. The love for aviation inspired me to write this book [which includes insights on the B58 Hustler and its place in aviation history among strategic bombers:
HIGH FLIGHT Aviation as a Teaching Tool for Finance, Strategy and American Exceptionalism By George A. Haloulakos, MBA, CFA ISBN: 9780-1007-2738-0 Order your copy online at: ucsandiegobookstore.com Or by phone: 858-534-4557 "Partial proceeds support aviation heritage"
The B-58 program experienced a loss of 26 aircraft (22.4% of production) during its brief operational career. Other insights and information on this high-speed /high-altitude bomber can be found in chapter 3 of my new book.
HIGH FLIGHT Aviation as a Teaching Tool for Finance, Strategy and American Exceptionalism By George A. Haloulakos, MBA, CFA ISBN: 9780-1007-2738-0 Order your copy online at: ucsandiegobookstore.com Or by phone: 858-534-4557 "Partial proceeds support aviation heritage"
I was Crew Chief on B-58, 59-2445 at Little Rock AFB, 1967 TO 1969. Also worked on BPO /PHASE insp team, and Job Control. 43rd Bomb Wing at Carswell and LRAFB. A great organization with the best people I've ever had the privilege of being associated with. I retired in 1976
I left Little Rock AFB in Nov 1966 for a tour in Thailand. Was a crew chief on B-58 112 the last year at LRAFB. My understanding of why the "Hustler" was trashed had to do with metal fatigue in the backbone of the aircraft due to the nose high attitude during landing caused some hard landings. After my tour in Thailand I went to work for General Dynamics as a graphic designer for 36 years. Some of my digital B-58 art is on the USAF web site. While working on designing some of our displays for the FOD program, I got to know some of the guys in the model shop. They built a 10th scale flying model of the B-58 and another beauty the XB-70. I have photos of the Hustler model I can send if anyone is interested,
Why was the life of the Hustler so short? Well apart from the fact that not only had the USA and Britain developed fighters that could keep up with it, but also the Russians. It was at the end of the day money. When isn't it? As one of these cost about 5 times the cost of a B47 and more importantly cost 3 times as much to fly than a B52 coupled to the massive drain on the U.S. defense budget of the Vietnam war there was only one way to go and that was goodbye.Like a lot of women I have known fast and high maitainence!
I too loved the look of this aircraft. Not sure about the accuracy of what I heard was the reason for the Hustler's short life, but I remember being told by someone, during a visit to Davis Monthan, it was because some of the critical electronics in the aircraft were potted in epoxy and could not be replaced when they failed. Perhaps some of you who actually worked on them can tell us whether that was true or not.
I was stationed at Bunker Hill AFB, near Peru, Indiana (it became Grissom AFB in 1967-1968. I worked on the Bunker Hill AFB "Hustler" newspaper, first as a reporter and later as the newspaper editor. Since we worked in the base information department (located in base headquarters) we had free access to the entire base and I interviewed and reported on several projects and interesting people during my time there. One question I have to anyone stationed there during those dates, do you remember the dates and where the crashes were of the B-58's during that time? I know there were a few but I can't remember. The B-58 was truly a remarkable plane but it did have several design flaws that shortened it's life as a SAC bomber.
I was on the ground crew of 61-2072 from 1966-1969 at Grissom AFB. I was the most demanding aircraft I would work on in my 21 year career. It was also the most gratifying experience. My brother worked in the Electronic Countermeasures Shop at Grisson also from 62-65. Everyone I know who was part of the B-58 program are proud to have done so and sad at how short it existed and how quickly they scrapped them at the boneyard. Speculation still abounds about why such a quick removal and disposal from service. I am grateful that a few survive to show rare beauty and grace in Aviation Engineering. I raise a toast to all of my B-58 comrades and affectioatoes.
I was a Bomb /Nav technician on the B-58 at General Dynamics in Ft. Worth from October, 1960 to January, 1962. It was an extremely complex and beautiful airplane. At the time, it's systems were unique very complicated to work on and maintain. Performance standards were very high and each aircraft required a lot of skill and time to get ready for Air Force acceptance. I believe the B-58 that crashed at the 1961 Paris Air Show was the 54th off the assembly line and I recall that it was very problematic- requiring many hours and a lot of individual effort to achieve Air Force acceptance... longer than most other aircraft. Jinx?
I would like to know if you have any record of a B-58 Hustler Bomber crashing in Jennings County Indiana back ithe the 1960s? If you, could you e-mail me the information. Thank you very much for your time. David Klakamp
My dad, Victor Mello, was a Jet Engine Mechanic for the B-58 from 1967-1970 and was wondering if there were any Jet Engine Mechanic boys out there during that time!
