Martin RB-57A Canberra
Even before the Korean War broke out in 1950, the US Air Force had been planning for a jet-powered replacement of the B-26 Marauder and A-26 Invader. Korea only exacerbated the need for a new aircraft, and the USAF issued a requirement for a new tactical bomber in late 1950, with the stipulation that it had to be based on an existing design to minimize production delays. Three American designs were considered—the North American AJ-1 Savage and B-45 Tornado, and the completely new Martin XB-51. So pressing was the need that the USAF included, in a rare move, foreign aircraft as well—a modified Avro Canada CF-100 Canuck, and the English Electric Canberra B.2. The Canberra, to the surprise of everyone involved, won the competition easily. The USAF did have misgivings about the design, especially the fact that the bombardier sat behind the cockpit, completely enclosed in the fuselage, but its performance was what won the competition: the Canberra had been designed to replace the deHavilland Mosquito and had the speed and maneuverability to match.
The problem was, English Electric was a small startup company and could barely supply the British Royal Air Force with its Canberras, let alone the much larger USAF. To solve the problem, Martin Aircraft was awarded a contract to build the Canberra as the B-57.
Though the initial batch of B-57As were basically identical to the Canberra B.2, aside from upgraded engines and the deletion of the navigator station, the B-57B was to be fundamentally different and more in line of what the USAF intended. The B-57B had a completely redesigned forward fuselage, eliminating the clear navigator nose and wide side-by-side seating of the Canberra B.2, and replacing it with tandem seating, with the now-combined bombardier/navigator sitting behind the pilot. The Canberra B.2 had been unarmed, but the B-57B could either carry eight machine guns or four 20mm cannon in an underfuselage tray. The internal bomb bay of the Canberra was replaced with a rotary-type developed for the XB-51, which would rotate to expose the bomb load on the target run, enhancing the aerodynamics of the aircraft. USAF B-57Bs entered service in June 1954, replacing the A-26 in the night attack role.
Soon after it entered service, however, the USAF began to question its new bomber’s capabilities. The Canberra had been fast enough when it was designed in the late 1940s, but technology had moved so quickly that it was now vulnerable to surface-to-air missiles. With this in mind, the USAF resolved to replace the B-57 in tactical bomber units with F-100 Super Sabres and delete the entire night interdiction role.
Vietnam was to give the Canberra a temporary stay in retirement. Though it could be a tough aircraft to fly, it was a stable platform, and in the comparatively low threat skies of South Vietnam, its slow speed was more of a help than a detriment. It could carry a heavy bombload, and it was accurate; B-57s were especially deadly over the Ho Chi Minh Trail against enemy trucks. This accuracy made it a welcome sight to troops in contact, but as Viet Cong and North Vietnamese troops increased their antiaircraft capabilities, B-57s began to take heavier losses. Over half the Canberras sent to Vietnam would be shot down. A number were developed into special operations aircraft, such as the RB-57E Patricia Lynn and B-57G Tropic Moon III. The Royal Australian Air Force also flew their own British-version Canberras over Vietnam.
Vietnam would be the B-57's swan song. The survivors were converted to electronic warfare training EB-57s, and these lasted in service until 1983. A few massively modified WB-57Fs atmospheric research aircraft remain in service with NASA.
52-1492, the RB-57A seen here, was the last RB-57A built. It was assigned to the 7499th Support Group at Rhein-Main, in then West Germany. Despite its mundane designation, the 7499th was actually a secret reconnaissance unit: its RB-57As were modified from the standard tactical reconnaissance Canberras for taking pictures across the Iron Curtain into Eastern Europe, or even near the Soviet border. 52-1492 was modified under Project Sharp Cut to carry special long-range cameras in the bomb bay, and given uprated engines for high altitude reconnaissance. These RB-57s would fly along the Soviet or Warsaw Pact borders and use the cameras to take pictures without actually penetrating other nations' airspace. Despite this, overflights did occasionally happen, but the high altitude used by the RB-57s made interception by MiG fighters nearly impossible.
When the 7499th reequipped with the even more advanced (and secretive) RB-57D, 52-1492 was sent across the world to the 6091st Reconnaissance Squadron at Yokota, Japan, where it did much the same job, but this time taking photographs of North Korea and China. While at Yokota, it was often given fake registration numbers to confuse any observers over how many RB-57As the squadron actually had. 52-1492 was retired in 1960 and was placed on display at the National Museum of the USAF, but as the NMUSAF acquired more Canberras, it was surplus to the museum's requirements. In 1990, it was donated to the Hill Aerospace Museum, as Hill AFB had handled B-57 engine parts support.
Hill's official guide book mentions that museum volunteers restored 52-1492 to the way it looked during its Sharp Cut missions, and they did a fantastic job. B-57s look good in the night operations scheme of overall semigloss black with red titling, and 52-1492 is no exception. Hill has gotten crowded as of late and the B-57 has a wide wingspan, hence the accidental inclusion of the museum's HH-1N in the shot to the left.
Martin RB-57A Canberra
Even before the Korean War broke out in 1950, the US Air Force had been planning for a jet-powered replacement of the B-26 Marauder and A-26 Invader. Korea only exacerbated the need for a new aircraft, and the USAF issued a requirement for a new tactical bomber in late 1950, with the stipulation that it had to be based on an existing design to minimize production delays. Three American designs were considered—the North American AJ-1 Savage and B-45 Tornado, and the completely new Martin XB-51. So pressing was the need that the USAF included, in a rare move, foreign aircraft as well—a modified Avro Canada CF-100 Canuck, and the English Electric Canberra B.2. The Canberra, to the surprise of everyone involved, won the competition easily. The USAF did have misgivings about the design, especially the fact that the bombardier sat behind the cockpit, completely enclosed in the fuselage, but its performance was what won the competition: the Canberra had been designed to replace the deHavilland Mosquito and had the speed and maneuverability to match.
The problem was, English Electric was a small startup company and could barely supply the British Royal Air Force with its Canberras, let alone the much larger USAF. To solve the problem, Martin Aircraft was awarded a contract to build the Canberra as the B-57.
Though the initial batch of B-57As were basically identical to the Canberra B.2, aside from upgraded engines and the deletion of the navigator station, the B-57B was to be fundamentally different and more in line of what the USAF intended. The B-57B had a completely redesigned forward fuselage, eliminating the clear navigator nose and wide side-by-side seating of the Canberra B.2, and replacing it with tandem seating, with the now-combined bombardier/navigator sitting behind the pilot. The Canberra B.2 had been unarmed, but the B-57B could either carry eight machine guns or four 20mm cannon in an underfuselage tray. The internal bomb bay of the Canberra was replaced with a rotary-type developed for the XB-51, which would rotate to expose the bomb load on the target run, enhancing the aerodynamics of the aircraft. USAF B-57Bs entered service in June 1954, replacing the A-26 in the night attack role.
Soon after it entered service, however, the USAF began to question its new bomber’s capabilities. The Canberra had been fast enough when it was designed in the late 1940s, but technology had moved so quickly that it was now vulnerable to surface-to-air missiles. With this in mind, the USAF resolved to replace the B-57 in tactical bomber units with F-100 Super Sabres and delete the entire night interdiction role.
Vietnam was to give the Canberra a temporary stay in retirement. Though it could be a tough aircraft to fly, it was a stable platform, and in the comparatively low threat skies of South Vietnam, its slow speed was more of a help than a detriment. It could carry a heavy bombload, and it was accurate; B-57s were especially deadly over the Ho Chi Minh Trail against enemy trucks. This accuracy made it a welcome sight to troops in contact, but as Viet Cong and North Vietnamese troops increased their antiaircraft capabilities, B-57s began to take heavier losses. Over half the Canberras sent to Vietnam would be shot down. A number were developed into special operations aircraft, such as the RB-57E Patricia Lynn and B-57G Tropic Moon III. The Royal Australian Air Force also flew their own British-version Canberras over Vietnam.
Vietnam would be the B-57's swan song. The survivors were converted to electronic warfare training EB-57s, and these lasted in service until 1983. A few massively modified WB-57Fs atmospheric research aircraft remain in service with NASA.
52-1492, the RB-57A seen here, was the last RB-57A built. It was assigned to the 7499th Support Group at Rhein-Main, in then West Germany. Despite its mundane designation, the 7499th was actually a secret reconnaissance unit: its RB-57As were modified from the standard tactical reconnaissance Canberras for taking pictures across the Iron Curtain into Eastern Europe, or even near the Soviet border. 52-1492 was modified under Project Sharp Cut to carry special long-range cameras in the bomb bay, and given uprated engines for high altitude reconnaissance. These RB-57s would fly along the Soviet or Warsaw Pact borders and use the cameras to take pictures without actually penetrating other nations' airspace. Despite this, overflights did occasionally happen, but the high altitude used by the RB-57s made interception by MiG fighters nearly impossible.
When the 7499th reequipped with the even more advanced (and secretive) RB-57D, 52-1492 was sent across the world to the 6091st Reconnaissance Squadron at Yokota, Japan, where it did much the same job, but this time taking photographs of North Korea and China. While at Yokota, it was often given fake registration numbers to confuse any observers over how many RB-57As the squadron actually had. 52-1492 was retired in 1960 and was placed on display at the National Museum of the USAF, but as the NMUSAF acquired more Canberras, it was surplus to the museum's requirements. In 1990, it was donated to the Hill Aerospace Museum, as Hill AFB had handled B-57 engine parts support.
Hill's official guide book mentions that museum volunteers restored 52-1492 to the way it looked during its Sharp Cut missions, and they did a fantastic job. B-57s look good in the night operations scheme of overall semigloss black with red titling, and 52-1492 is no exception. Hill has gotten crowded as of late and the B-57 has a wide wingspan, hence the accidental inclusion of the museum's HH-1N in the shot to the left.