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Given the B-58 was designed to carry large payloads externally, deploy them from high altitude and supersonic speed, and actually launched several successfully, I'd argue the facts are on my side.  With other aircraft would do it better?


King Lofus IV

"Four missiles were initially ordered from Lockheed. The missile project was known under the code name High Virgo and was given project number 199C. In order to save money and speed up the project, Lockheed elected to use proven components from the XQ-5, the X-17, the Polaris and the Sergeant missile programs. The Lockheed-designed ALBM ended up being 30 feet long and had a diameter of 31 inches. The missile was to be guided by an Autonetics inertial system. The rocket engine was a Thiokol XM-20 solid-fuel motor offering a thrust of 50,000 pounds for 39 seconds. There were four guidance fins installed around the exhaust nozzle skirt. The total weight of the missile was about 12,000 pounds."


"On September 22, 1959, a final ALBM

(nicknamed King Lofus IV) launch was conducted,

again out of Eglin AFB, this time in an attempt to

intercept and photograph the newly launched

satellite. The launch, taking place at an altitude

of 37,500' and a speed of Mach 2, went smoothly,

but some 30 seconds later, all communication with

the missile was lost."


WS 138A

"One of the prime considerations in the development

of Weapon System 138Awas that of operational

flexibility. The configuration, as proposed, can be

used either as a two-stage or as a single stage missile

system, depending upon the momentary operational

requirement. The propulsion stages have been sized

in such a manner that the first stage can be used

alone to provide excellent periormance. The nose

cone is interchangeable and can be assembled either

to the second stage or directly to the first stage.

Through use of this modular concept, a range of 861

n. miles can be obtained with one stage from the B-58

with a Mach 2.2 launch at 60,000 feet."


"The missile system, as proposed by Convair, will

meet the periormance requirements specified for the

design launch conditions in the GSR. For this condition

(Mach .73 launch at 40,000 feet) the missile in the

two-stage configuration has a range of 1,068 n. miles,

and for supersonic launch from the B-58 (Mach 2.2

launch at 60,000 feet), it has a range of 1,365 n. miles."


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