Convair B-58 "Hustler" Design Evolution

[Skybolt]

Found in a NACA report a good number of configurations leading to the B-58. Judging from the drawings and model photos published by Jay Miller in his "B-58", the six 3-views I post go from the MX-1626 (number 1) to the definitive proposal. In particular, number 5 seems the configuration mock-upped (twin engine nacelles). Enjoy.. Relevant NACA report is RM SL53K04.

 

[hesham]

Hi,

By the way,the NACA was studied more about 2000 shapes to creat B-58.

 

[lark]

Good find !

Second drawing shown no indication of a cockpit.
Maybe flush with the fuselage contours ?

 

[Skybolt]

Maybe flush with the fuselage contours ?

Probably.

 

[elmayerle]

Second drawing shown no indication of a cockpit.
Maybe flush with the fuselage contours ?

My guess would be that it was similar to the XF-103's cockpit.

 

[Orionblamblam]

Good find !

Second drawing shown no indication of a cockpit.
Maybe flush with the fuselage contours ?

More likely just a simplified model.

 

[lark]

Air Pictorial of April 1953 reports that the Convair XB-58
should have eight J-57 engines , in pairs , mounted in the wings...

Any confirmation of this very early concept ?
According to the magazine , some artist impressions should
have been released.

 

[Matej]

Hm, wasnt XB-58 just too small for eight engines?

 

[elmayerle]

Air Pictorial of April 1953 reports that the Convair XB-58
should have eight J-57 engines , in pairs , mounted in the wings...

Any confirmation of this very early concept ?
According to the magazine , some artist impressions should
have been released.

Eight J57s is the engine fit of an early B-52, at least without afterburners. That seems rather a bit of overkill for the XB-58 with or without afterburners. I could see four afterburning J57s, at least until the J79 presented a smaller and lighter alternative with the same power.

 

[Skybolt]

Just disinformation? Cold War was rampant... :

 

[lark]

In those days , designers needed a lot of engines to push their
designs high and fast.
For exemple , the initial desing for the McDonnell FH-1 Phantom used six (6)
Westinhouse engines in the wings.

source : Rene J.Francillon in 'Mc Donnell-Douglas Aircraft since 1920' - Putnam-London
illustraton in Flight : April 10th 1947 , page 315

 

[hesham]

Hi,

I know we speak about B-58 design evolution,but we can
also speak about its variants and projects;
the B-58B had range-extension and it had nose mounted
canards and more powerful J79-GE-19 engines,the B-58C
was stretched version and one variant of it had only twin
engined,the B-58D was interceptor and the B-58E multi-
mission bomber projects.
the must interesting the project of the 1955 whih had
folding wing tips and supersonic wing camber.

 

[hesham]

Hi,

In 1956 the Convair prepared the B-58 as a project used as nuclear
propulsion system testbed with General Electric engines.

 

[hesham]

Hi,

In 1958 Convair and Lockheed proposed to the AF a joint venture
project calling for development of a special air-launch ballistic
missile (ALBM),Lockheed project 199C.

 

[hesham]

In those days , designers needed a lot of engines to push their
designs high and fast.
For exemple , the initial desing for the McDonnell FH-1 Phantom used six (6)
Westinhouse engines in the wings.

source : Rene J.Francillon in 'Mc Donnell-Douglas Aircraft since 1920' - Putnam-London
illustraton in Flight : April 10th 1947 , page 315

The more stranger my dear lark,

thay want to use six 300 1b thrust turbojets,subsequently increased Eight,to Ten
and then changed to two 1165 1b Westinghouse turbojets.

 

[hesham]

Hi,

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

ntrs.nasa.gov

 

[shockonlip]

I wonder if there are any reports on the Mach 3 - Mach 4 B-58 designs that
later evolved into the Super Hustler parasite configuration. In Miller a number
of smaller top views show an evolution. The configurations seem laden with
lots of turbojets and ramjets and possibly long fuel tanks for exotic fuels.

 

[XP67_Moonbat]

Thanks to shockonlip for this link. Go here and scroll down. There is a photo of the B-58's MX-1964 configuration with only two engine nacelles.

Moonbat

 

[XP67_Moonbat]

Woops! Sorry! here's the link:

http://www.strange-mecha.com/aircraft/Prototype/USAF-PB1.htm

 

[overscan (PaulMM)]

MX-1626 model photos posted at ATS forum by Subscorpion1

 

[Stargazer]

Two pics of NASA's MX-1626 model (Convair FZP-110) :

http://crgis.ndc.nasa.gov/historic/Test_118:_MX-1626_Drag_Test_Model_%28Convair%29

 

[Stargazer]

Seven pics of NASA's MX-1964 (Convair B-58 Hustler) in model form with notable differences such as small triangular canards and twin jet nacelles:

http://crgis.ndc.nasa.gov/historic/Test_120:_MX-1964_Trim_Drag_Data_%28Convair%29

 

[fightingirish]

Hi,
here is some pictures to MX-1964 in as a wind tunnel model.

Source: Page 25 & 26, Convair B-58 Hustler, Jay N. Miller, Aerofax and Midland Publishing, 1985 and 1997.

 

[Steve Pace]

A fine looking trio of B-58s from Life magazine. -SP

 

[Nick Sumner]

MX-1626 model photos posted at ATS forum by Subscorpion1

Is that the fuel tank (!) or is it mating with something?

 

[shockonlip]

A fine looking trio of B-58s from Life magazine. -SP

A truly gorgeous aircraft, shame about the huge pod it had to carry.

That was the cool part!

 

[OM]

Seven pics of NASA's MX-1964 (Convair B-58 Hustler) in model form with notable differences such as small triangular canards and twin jet nacelles:

http://crgis.ndc.nasa.gov/historic/Test_120:_MX-1964_Trim_Drag_Data_%28Convair%29

...Raises the question of whether the rest of the plane was smaller, or if those two engines were significantly larger than the four that the Hustler wound up with?

 

[Arjen]

Raises the question of whether the rest of the plane was smaller, or if those two engines were significantly larger than the four that the Hustler wound up with?

"Convair Deltas" by Bill Yenne, Speciality Press, 2009 has a 3-view drawing of the MX-1626 on page 160. According to that drawing, its length, without pod, is 66ft 8in (20.32m). Span 47ft 6in (14.48m). Nothing about which engines were planned for it, other than a general statement that the B-58 was to have J-79s.

B-58 as built:
# Length: 96 ft 10 in (29.5 m)
# Wingspan: 56 ft 9 in (17.3 m)
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/B-58_Hustler#Specifications_.28B-58A.29

The drawing matches the model in overscan's pictures.

 

[codeone]

This might be MX-1626, though it is not referred to as such in the document.

http://www.codeonemagazine.com/gallery_slideshow.html?item_id=1178

 

[Orionblamblam]

Looks like a late GEBO study. Was there a pod?

 

[codeone]

recently posted:

http://www.codeonemagazine.com/gallery_slideshow.html?item_id=1183

Mission profile for a B-58 predecessor (circa November 1950)

enjoy

 

[RAP]

Mockup and a couple models of different designs for B-58.

 

[overscan (PaulMM)]

Really nice photos, RAP.

 

[RAP]

Few more model and mockup photos.

 

[hesham]

Hi,

Engineers at General Dynamics in Fort Worth planned to use the B-58 Hustler to test the nacelle design for the advanced manned strategic aircraft, or AMSA. The AMSA program was a precursor to what became the B-1 bomber. Drawing is dated 11 April 1969

 

[JimK]

Take a look at the object in the upper right center of RAP's scan0003 image. Is that the first indication that Convair Fort Worth was investigating a separable crew cabin for crew ejection? Ten years after this image such a solution for emergency egress was incorporated in their TFX proposal that became the F-111. A small conical nose and delta lifting surfaces seem to project ahead of the crew capsule.

 

[circle-5]

Convair factory model of MX-1964, in its October 1953 configuration. This update came after the siamese version. It was characterized by twin engine nacelles, overwing drop tanks and the early, MB-3 mission-configurable weapons pod with its own delta wings, canards and rudder. The koa wedge in the base is a carving of the logo on the vertical.

The small hole at the very tip of the plexiglas curl was to hang a "Confidential" medallion. This is the only time I've seen someone anticipate a classification change with a removable tag. Usually the word "Secret" was engraved forever and had to be taped over, which always looks cheesy.

 

[Machdiamond]

Take a look at the object in the upper right center of RAP's scan0003 image. Is that the first indication that Convair Fort Worth was investigating a separable crew cabin for crew ejection? Ten years after this image such a solution for emergency egress was incorporated in their TFX proposal that became the F-111. A small conical nose and delta lifting surfaces seem to project ahead of the crew capsule.

I am pretty sure that's not it. The cockpit has a landing attitude and height right on touchdown. It was probably rolled on a runway to evaluate crew visibility and eye reference point requirements for landing. And also to give pilots a visual feel on when the wheels would touch down prior to first flight. The nose is at the correct distance, they just did not model what was not needed or seen.

 

[Wingknut]

Apologies if this is the wrong thread and/or old news, and apologies too that I cannot currently (for the life of me) find my original online source for this. It's credited to the Roger Cripliver collection and I am pretty sure I found it on a 'Combat Reform' site on protecting aircraft against attack, but more specific I can't currently be. Anyway, here is a diagram of a proposed hardened shelter specially for a Convair B58.

 

[sferrin]

Pretty sure that pops up in Jay Miller's book on the B-58. Pretty cool idea.