Convair B-58 Hustler

The Convair B-58 Hustler was the first operational supersonic bomber in the U.S. Air Force, a delta-wing aircraft capable of sustained Mach 2 flight. It made its initial flight on November 11, 1956, and entered Strategic Air Command service in 1960. Distinctive features included its slender wasp-waist fuselage, advanced inertial navigation and bombing system, and extensive use of heat-resistant honeycomb sandwich panels. Because the thin fuselage left no room for an internal bomb bay, the B-58 carried fuel and a nuclear weapon in a large droppable pod beneath the fuselage.

Crewed by a pilot, navigator-bombardier, and defensive systems operator, it set 19 world speed and altitude records. However, its limited range, high cost, and accident rate, combined with the shift toward low-level penetration, led to early retirement in 1970 after only a decade of service.