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B-58 Hustler
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B-58 Hustler

B-58 Hustler
Description
Role
CrewPilot, Navigator, Defensive Systems Operator
Dimensions
Length96 ft 9 in29.5 m
Wingspan56 ft 9 in17.3 m
Height29 ft 11 in8.87 m
Wing area1,542 ft²143.25 m²
Weights
Empty (no pod)55,560 lb25,201 kg
Basic (no pod)57,916 lb26,270 kg
Empty (with MB-1C pod)64,115 lb29,081 kg
Basic (with MB-1C pod)66,471 lb30,150 kg
Maximum (in flight)176,890 lb80,235 kg
Powerplant
Engines4 General Electric J79-GE-5A
Thrust (per engine)15,600 lb69.3 kN
Performance
Max. speed below 25,000 ft (7,620 m)Mach 0.91
Max. speed at 40,000 ft (12,192 m)Mach 2.1
Range (interal fuel)1,738 nautical miles3,219 km
Ferry range4,100 nautical miles4,718 km
Service ceiling63,400 ft19,324 m
Rate of climb (initial)17,400 ft/min5,310 m/min
Armament
GunsOne 20-mm T171 rotary barrel cannon
Bombs

The B-58 Hustler was a high speed jet bomber developed for the Strategic Air Command during the late 1950s. It was in service between 1960 and 1970. It was an aircraft that required a lot of maintenance, and the change of emphasis away from high speed, high altitude penetration of Soviet airspace spelled the end of its service.

Only 86 Hustlers were produced by Convair, excluding the prototypes. The three man crew was seated in a tandem configuration. Each had a novel ejection capsule which made it possible to abandon the plane at the rarefied height of 70,000 feet (21 km) and the speed of mach 2 (2,450 km/h). This was not possible with convential ejection seat designs of the period.

This was the original XB-58. Accumulating 150 flights, it was the first B-58 to reach both Mach 1 and Mach 2. This particular craft was used for ALBM testing before being scrapped.

Related content
Related Development
Similar Aircraft
Designation Series XB-55 - XB-56 - B-57 - B-58 - XB-59 - YB-60 - B-61
Related Lists List of military aircraft of the United States - List of bomber aircraft

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