Convair B-58 Hustler aka the "Delta Queen

[GON]

"
On February 5th 1962; A Convair B-58 Hustler aka the "Delta Queen"(serial no. 59-2458) of the Forty-third Bombardment Wing smashed a few aeronautical world records by flying from Los Angeles to New York, then back in 4 hours 41 min 14.98 seconds, with the fastest transcontinental crossing between LA and NYC in 2 hours 58.71 seconds at an average blistering speed of 1,214.65 mph.

All that, and she's pretty too!"

 

[Passport1]

Maybe the sleekest aircraft ever made. I remember the interview with the pilot. Check him out!

 

[LouC]

They were also featured in the movie Fail Safe
My dad bought me a model of that plane and I recall him telling me about it setting that record.

 

[Malo83]

Those J79 engines also powered the F104 Starfighter, F4 Phantom and RA5 Vigilante.

 

[Astro14]

Love that airplane.

When my Uncle was in the USAF, he worked on the B-58.

I‘ve got several books on it, and managing CG was an important point in keeping it flying. It had the high induced drag of a Delta as well.

Not an easy airplane to fly. But incredible performance from those 4 J79 engines and the low drag shape.

 

[skyactiv]

Of the 116 Convair B-58's produced, 36 crew members died and the aircraft never saw combat. Is that right?

 

[slo town]

I'm old enough to remember when those transcontinental records were set. We lived under the flight path for Moffett Field. I remember in the early '60s seeing a fleet of various aircraft and bombers fly over, 3 or 4 of them being B-36s.

Scott

 

[chemman]

I can remember the sonic booms from the early 1960s! Every time one occurred, my mother would come looking for me to make sure I had not fallen down or caused something to fall and hit the floor.

 

[97prizm]

Of the 116 Convair B-58's produced, 36 crew members died and the aircraft never saw combat. Is that right?

26 aircraft crashed of the 116 produced. Not a great record. The biggest issue from what I've read was weight and balance of the cg. It needed constant attention to fly.