Air International 2005-12
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L.Peacock - Martin B-57 Canberra in USAF Service /Legend of aviation/
As well as being the only reconnaissance Canberra unit stationed in the United States, the 363rd TRW. at Shaw AFB, was also the first unit to receive Canberras (B-57As).
Серебристо-оранжевые B-57E предназначались для буксировки мишеней. В бомбоотсеках этих машин монтировалось по четыре барабана с тросами длиной 457 м, хотя обычно количество барабанов сокращали до двух. Управление буксирным оборудованием осуществлялось из задней кабины.
Upper surfaces of B-57Es used for towing targets were painted in 'Cadillac Orange', a shade considerably different to the Dayglo orange in widespread use at the time.
Trials, code-named Pave Gat, were carried out in 1971 with a turret-mounted M61 20mm cannon in the bomb bay of B-57G, 53-3906. Although the sensor-slewed cannon was found to be accurate, it was not used operationally.
This B-57G is being prepared for a night mission from its home base at Ubon AB, Thailand, in 1971. The nose houses three sensors (forward looking radar, infra-red and low-light level television) plus a laser designator.
Eight 750lb general purpose bombs being dropped from a B-57B during a Combat Sky Spot mission. On these missions, vectors from ground radar directed the bomb run and the point of bomb drop.
Robert (Bob) Mikesh logged over 2,000 hours in the B-57 during 15 years of flying the Canberra. His assignments included two tours with the 3rd Bombardment Wing in Japan during the Cold War, and the Flight Test Division of RADC
Martin B-57 Genealogy: 1. B-57A, licence-built Canberra with J65-W-5 engines, eight 50 calibre machine guns in initial production aircraft and 1a a Martin-developed rotary bomb bay. 2. B-57B and C (dual control variant) with four 20mm cannon and eight underwing hardpoints. 2a. Nose section of aircraft delivered to Pakistan with RB-1A 'Georgia Peach' all-weather bombing system. 3. B/RB-57D high-altitude reconnaissance aircraft with increased wing span and equipped with P&W J57-PW-27 engines. 3a, b and c. B-57(R)D nose, tail and wing tip antenna housings. 4. B/EB/RB-57E. 4a. Tail section of B-57E fitted with towed target containers, port and starboard. 5. RB/WB-57F with TF33-PW-11A main engines and J60-PW-7 boost engines (for high altitude operations). 6. B-57G equipped with chin-mounted Tropic Moon III sensor suite.
This view of one of NASA's two WB-57F emphasises its huge 122ft wingspan, almost double that of the first B-57 variants. The WB-57s are used for a variety of atmospheric research duties. The recently-applied paint has reduced the drag to such an extent that the performance gain is almost equivalent to that with the underwing auxiliary turbojets fitted.
Martin/General Dynamics RB/WB-57F