Douglas EB-66C Destroyer
In 1951, the US Air Force issued a requirement for a tactical bomber capable of carrying nuclear weapons that would also serve as a replacement for the aging A-26 Invader. Several companies submitted designs, but it was Douglas who won the bid: while North American had proposed a modified B-45 Tornado and Boeing a modified B-47 Stratojet, Douglas’ proposal was a USAF variant of the carrier-based, strategic bomber already being built by the company for the US Navy, the A3D Skywarrior.
Since this offered a great deal of cost saving, the USAF ordered five preproduction RB-66A Destroyers, as the A3D was already a proven aircraft and would not need any prototype testing. All that was needed, the USAF assumed, was to convert it from a high-altitude, carrier-based nuclear bomber to a low-altitude, land-based nuclear bomber; the only modifications thought to be needed was stripping out the naval equipment, reinforcing the structure for low-level operations, and equipping the cockpit with ejection seats, which the A3D lacked.
As the modification of the first five Destroyers proceeded, the USAF learned that much more needed to be done. Installing the ejection seats meant completely redesigning the cockpit and the canopy. Strengthening the airframe meant rerouting hydraulic systems. Since the USAF used a different refueling method, the fuel system had to be redesigned. The USAF specification had also called for a more comprehensive electronic warfare suite, requiring the weapons bay to be redesigned; it had called for defensive armament, leading to a redesign of the tail to accommodate two 20mm cannon; it had called for operations from unimproved runways, which meant the landing gear wheels had to be larger. In the end, the list of modifications was so long that the USAF seriously considered cancelling the project. Though it was allowed to continue as too much money had already been spent on it, the USAF got an entirely new aircraft. The RB-66As were only used briefly for testing, and the follow-on B-66B bombers had their initial order cut in half. Deliveries finally began in 1956.
While the B-66 had become something of an albatross for the USAF, it had potential. The bomber version found itself quickly overtaken by faster and more capable aircraft, such as the F-105 Thunderchief, but just as the US Navy had begun modifying its A3Ds into a variety of roles, so did the USAF. Purpose-built RB-66B tactical reconnaissance aircraft were first used in 1962 during the Cuban Missile Crisis, where crews found that the Destroyer’s long range and loiter time made it very valuable to keep an eye on developments. The USAF rapidly converted B-66B bombers and RB-66Bs into RB-66C electronic intelligence and finally EB-66C/E electronic warfare aircraft. The latter could operate both in the jamming role and in intelligence gathering, and had a crew of seven with all armament deleted for ECM equipment. It was not entirely popular with its crews, as pilots found the Destroyer to be difficult to fly and aircrew found it dangerous to bail out of.
As Operation Rolling Thunder began over North Vietnam in 1965, RB-66s were first used as pathfinder bombers for formations of F-105s, using their electronic equipment to mark targets through bad weather. As North Vietnam’s air defenses improved and grew, the RB-66s were withdrawn for EB-66s, which now accompanied strike packages into North Vietnam to jam gunlaying radars, surface-to-air missile sites, and air defense radars, as well as lay down chaff corridors for strike aircraft to fly through. Other RB-66s were modified for use in finding targets over the Ho Chi Minh trail supply network to South Vietnam. EB-66s would remain in service for the duration of the war and afterwards, being finally withdrawn in 1975. The USAF went a few years without a standoff jamming aircraft until the deployment of the EF-111 Raven. 294 B-66s were built, and today seven remain in museums.
This EB-66C Destroyer is an aircraft from the 42nd Tactical Electronic Warfare Squadron, based at Takhli Royal Thai AFB, Thailand. It carries standard Southeast Asia camouflage of two shades of green and tan over light gray.
On 2 April 1972, this aircraft was covering a B-52 Arc Light attack on North Vietnamese forces driving south on Quang Tri, South Vietnam, during the Easter Offensive; it was hit by a SAM with the loss of the entire crew—except navigator Lieutenant Colonel Iceal Hambleton, who was able to eject. Hambleton, using the aircraft’s callsign of Bat 21, had the misfortune of landing in the middle of the NVA offensive, while his background in ICBM targeting procedures made him a high-value target for the North Vietnamese. Over the next ten days, the largest rescue operation of the Vietnam War was executed, and despite the loss of five aircraft and eleven aircrew, Hambleton was rescued, eventually by a US Navy SEAL team; the SEAL team commander, Lieutenant Thomas Norris, was awarded the Medal of Honor. The story has been the subject of several books and one movie to date.
Douglas EB-66C Destroyer
In 1951, the US Air Force issued a requirement for a tactical bomber capable of carrying nuclear weapons that would also serve as a replacement for the aging A-26 Invader. Several companies submitted designs, but it was Douglas who won the bid: while North American had proposed a modified B-45 Tornado and Boeing a modified B-47 Stratojet, Douglas’ proposal was a USAF variant of the carrier-based, strategic bomber already being built by the company for the US Navy, the A3D Skywarrior.
Since this offered a great deal of cost saving, the USAF ordered five preproduction RB-66A Destroyers, as the A3D was already a proven aircraft and would not need any prototype testing. All that was needed, the USAF assumed, was to convert it from a high-altitude, carrier-based nuclear bomber to a low-altitude, land-based nuclear bomber; the only modifications thought to be needed was stripping out the naval equipment, reinforcing the structure for low-level operations, and equipping the cockpit with ejection seats, which the A3D lacked.
As the modification of the first five Destroyers proceeded, the USAF learned that much more needed to be done. Installing the ejection seats meant completely redesigning the cockpit and the canopy. Strengthening the airframe meant rerouting hydraulic systems. Since the USAF used a different refueling method, the fuel system had to be redesigned. The USAF specification had also called for a more comprehensive electronic warfare suite, requiring the weapons bay to be redesigned; it had called for defensive armament, leading to a redesign of the tail to accommodate two 20mm cannon; it had called for operations from unimproved runways, which meant the landing gear wheels had to be larger. In the end, the list of modifications was so long that the USAF seriously considered cancelling the project. Though it was allowed to continue as too much money had already been spent on it, the USAF got an entirely new aircraft. The RB-66As were only used briefly for testing, and the follow-on B-66B bombers had their initial order cut in half. Deliveries finally began in 1956.
While the B-66 had become something of an albatross for the USAF, it had potential. The bomber version found itself quickly overtaken by faster and more capable aircraft, such as the F-105 Thunderchief, but just as the US Navy had begun modifying its A3Ds into a variety of roles, so did the USAF. Purpose-built RB-66B tactical reconnaissance aircraft were first used in 1962 during the Cuban Missile Crisis, where crews found that the Destroyer’s long range and loiter time made it very valuable to keep an eye on developments. The USAF rapidly converted B-66B bombers and RB-66Bs into RB-66C electronic intelligence and finally EB-66C/E electronic warfare aircraft. The latter could operate both in the jamming role and in intelligence gathering, and had a crew of seven with all armament deleted for ECM equipment. It was not entirely popular with its crews, as pilots found the Destroyer to be difficult to fly and aircrew found it dangerous to bail out of.
As Operation Rolling Thunder began over North Vietnam in 1965, RB-66s were first used as pathfinder bombers for formations of F-105s, using their electronic equipment to mark targets through bad weather. As North Vietnam’s air defenses improved and grew, the RB-66s were withdrawn for EB-66s, which now accompanied strike packages into North Vietnam to jam gunlaying radars, surface-to-air missile sites, and air defense radars, as well as lay down chaff corridors for strike aircraft to fly through. Other RB-66s were modified for use in finding targets over the Ho Chi Minh trail supply network to South Vietnam. EB-66s would remain in service for the duration of the war and afterwards, being finally withdrawn in 1975. The USAF went a few years without a standoff jamming aircraft until the deployment of the EF-111 Raven. 294 B-66s were built, and today seven remain in museums.
This EB-66C Destroyer is an aircraft from the 42nd Tactical Electronic Warfare Squadron, based at Takhli Royal Thai AFB, Thailand. It carries standard Southeast Asia camouflage of two shades of green and tan over light gray.
On 2 April 1972, this aircraft was covering a B-52 Arc Light attack on North Vietnamese forces driving south on Quang Tri, South Vietnam, during the Easter Offensive; it was hit by a SAM with the loss of the entire crew—except navigator Lieutenant Colonel Iceal Hambleton, who was able to eject. Hambleton, using the aircraft’s callsign of Bat 21, had the misfortune of landing in the middle of the NVA offensive, while his background in ICBM targeting procedures made him a high-value target for the North Vietnamese. Over the next ten days, the largest rescue operation of the Vietnam War was executed, and despite the loss of five aircraft and eleven aircrew, Hambleton was rescued, eventually by a US Navy SEAL team; the SEAL team commander, Lieutenant Thomas Norris, was awarded the Medal of Honor. The story has been the subject of several books and one movie to date.