|
Description
| Manufacturer: | Convair | |
| Base model: | B-58 | |
| Designation: | B-58 | |
| Version: | A | |
| Nickname: | Hustler | |
| Designation System: | U.S. Air Force | |
| Designation Period: | 1924-Present | |
| Basic role: | Bomber | |
| First Flew: | 1956/11/11 | |
Specifications
| Length: | 96' 9" | 29.4 m | |
| Height: | 51' 5" | 15.6 m | |
| Wingspan: | 56' 10" | 17.3 m | |
| Wingarea: | 7,542.0 sq ft | 700.6 sq m | |
| Empty Weight: | 55,560 lb | 25,197 kg | |
| Gross Weight: | 163,000 lb | 73,922 kg | |
Propulsion
| No. of Engines: | 4 | ||
| Powerplant: | General Electric J79-GE-5B | ||
| Thrust (each): | 15,600 lb | 7,074 kg | |
Performance
| Range: | 5,028 miles | 8,096 km | |
| Cruise Speed: | 700 mph | 1,127 km/h | 609 kt |
| Max Speed: | 1,385 mph | 2,230 km/h | 1,205 kt |
| Climb: | 17,830 ft/min | 5,434 m/min | |
| Ceiling: | 63,400 ft | 19,323 m | |
History
| Date | Subject | Event |
| 1960/08/01 | The Convair B-58A Huster, the USAF's first supersonic bomber, entered service with the 43rd Bomb Wing at Carxwell AFB, TX. | |
| 1961/05/10 | A USAF Convair B-58A Hustler set a new speed record of 1,302 mph, and was awarded the Bleriot Trophy.
 | |
| 1962/03/05 | The USAF set a new world speed record over a recognized course (Unlimited) for a flight from Los angeles to New York in a Convair B-58A (Sn 59-2458), averaging 1,214.65 mph. This flight earned the USAF the Bendix troph
|
Known serial numbers
Examples of this type may be found at
| Museum | City | State |
| Air Force Flight Test Center Museum | Edwards AFB | California |
| Kelly Field Heritage Museum | Kelly AFB | Texas |
| Pima Air & Space Museum | Tucson | Arizona |
| Strategic Air Command Museum | Ashland | Nebraska |
| United States Air Force Museum | Wright-Patterson | Ohio |
B-58A on display
Air Force Flight Test Center Museum | Kelly Field Heritage Museum | Pima Air & Space Museum | Strategic Air Command Museum | |
United States Air Force Museum |
Recent comments by our visitors
| Topgun10 tyler, TX | if anybody has any helpful pics of a B-58 paint scheme please email it to lennkv@sbcglobal.net,thank you very much. 01/29/2008 @ 17:36 [ref: 19468] |
| Howard Keck, TSgt, USAF, (RET) St. Augustine, FL | I was stationed at Carswell AFB, Tex. from '59 to '64. Was acft. mech. on B-58's, 43rd OMS. Org. moved to Little Rock AFB, Ark. in '64, Assigned as Crew Chief on B-58 Ser. No. 59-2445 for about 3 yrs. Also worked in Job Cont. and Maint. Debriefing. Stayed with the 43rd BW till de-activation of the B-58. Like to hear from guys who worked on this fantastic, ahead of it's time, aircraft. Later was assigned to 319th BW, Grand Forks ND, 6 mo. TDY to Guam, worked Job Cont. (B-52G's) Later spent a tour at Kadena AB, Okinawa in Job Cont. on KC-135's. Retired in Aug. '76 12/22/2007 @ 15:21 [ref: 19014] |
| Craig Clary Hemet, CA | My Dad former U.S. Air Force SSgt Dave Clary was stationed at Nellis AFB between 1966 and 1970 (I was borne 7 months after he got of the service), as an Air Traffic Controller with the 2069th Communications Squadron, (back in the day when the USAF Thunderbirds were flying F-100 aircraft) he had a rare but very positive encounter with a B-58 Bomber and it's crew while working in the tower there at Nellis, before the B-58 Bomber and it's crew flew back to there home base, my Dad asked the aircraft commander if he could do a fly by with the aircraft over the runway and he & his crew did, it was an experience that my Dad would never forget.
This past November 10th and 11th 2007 we went back to Nellis AFB for the Aviation Nation Airshow and my Dad went with us, it was the first time in little over 36+ years since he's set foot back on his old stomping grounds, Base Operations is still there, but his old tower was gone, but a F-4E Phantom II flew during the show and that made him very happy, alot of good memories for him and me. 12/06/2007 @ 07:52 [ref: 18814] |
| J C Horton , TX | In late 1959 my family and I were on a picnic inspite of the cool weather. We heard a jet go over and it seem to climb at a high rate of speed. Since I loved airplanes, I told my parents I thought it was a B-58 Hustler. It had a distinctive delta wing. Without warning the there appeared a big ball of smoke from which debris feel in all directions.
My father had us all get in our 1953 Ford station wagon for protection. Nothing landed near us. I later heard that 3 civilian crewmen were killed when the aircraft ingested a weather balloon. It was reported the crew had only a fraction of a second to eject.Too little time I have always wondered about the crew and the weather ballon story. If anyone knows please email me. 12/04/2007 @ 14:28 [ref: 18787] |
| J C Horton , TX | In late 1959 my family and I were on a picnic inspite of the cool weather. We heard a jet go over and it seem to climb at a high rate of speed. Since I loved airplanes, I told my parents I thought it was a B-58 Hustler. It had a distinctive delta wing. Without warning the there appeared a big ball of smoke from which debris feel in all directions.
My father had us all get in our 1953 Ford station wagon for protection. Nothing landed near us. I later heard that 3 civilian crewmen were killed when the aircraft ingested a weather balloon. It was reported the crew had only a fraction of a second to eject.Too little time I have always wondered about the crew and the weather ballon story. If anyone knows please email me. 12/04/2007 @ 14:27 [ref: 18786] |
| Tim Carlson Phoenix, AZ | My grandfather, Harold Carlson, worked on the B-58 at Bunker Hill, and then in Germany, as part of a support crew, if I recall the stories correctly. If anyone remembers him, and would care to share a few stories, I'd greatly appreciate it. 11/13/2007 @ 00:01 [ref: 18515] |
| Michael Jepson Coldwater, MI | I was a jet mechanic on the B-58 from November 1962 until June of 1966. I was stationed at Bunker Hill AFB base in 305th Bomb Wing, O.M.S.. I worked on recovery for a period of time, and was also assigned as assistant crew chief on AC 124, 127, and 068. Spent many days on alert duty. This was my only assignment in the Air Force, and I am very proud to have served on the B-58 program. It was an awesome aircraft and was very advanced for it's time, and still is, in many aspects. I also belong to the B-58 Hustler's association and look forward to the reuninons. 08/19/2007 @ 06:47 [ref: 17682] |
| Reid M. , KY | I was stationed at LRAFB- with the 825th during 1964-66. I remember the nightly engine testing- the air crackled for miles. Night take offs were breathtaking- those 4 massive A/B's.. And I remember how young the crews were- and the ones that didn't make it back from the Paris Air Show. The 58 was a beauty!! 07/18/2007 @ 10:06 [ref: 17170] |
| Mike Columbus, OH | I had the distinct pleasure of being a weapons specialist on the Hustler from 11-68 till the last flew off to the boneyard (and Wright-Pat USAF museum) in 1970. Really hurt seeing that future weapon fly away into the sunset. On one of my many uploadings of the '58, I managed to get my foot run over by the 'jammer with an AIR on it's cradle, so I became the first nuclear casualty from the '58. Towing those darn weapon/fuel pods around and trying to line them up for on-loading was a real chore. And as Hutch has said, you couldn't do anything around the '58 without the damned B4 stand. And try to find one that worked was another job. And loading the 20mm rounds in the gun way way up in the tail cone - well, I'm glad I forgot how darned hard it was. But doing the weapons systems checks in the cockpit was fun. Always leary of the clam-shell coming down on me and sending me thru the roof. Still visit the bird at the AF museum and remember how she lit up the night with those 4 burners. 07/17/2007 @ 10:34 [ref: 17154] |
| Vic Mayer Austin, TX | I flew the Hustler as a Defensive Systems Operator (Flight Engineer) from April 1965 to Nov 1969, out of Grissom AFB, Ind. I loved flying this bird. I logged close to 1000 hours but my time was curtailed by an accident, April 18,1969, I was forced to eject at the speed of sound near Danville, Il. 05/31/2007 @ 11:25 [ref: 16686] |
Recent photos uploaded by our visitors
