The Air Force started a program about 1952 to develop a supersonic bomber. The result was the Convair B-58 Hustler, a delta-wing aircraft with four engines mounted in nacelles under the wing. The airplane was first flown in 1956.
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The Air Force started a program about 1952 to develop a supersonic bomber. The result was the Convair B-58 Hustler, a delta-wing aircraft with four engines mounted in nacelles under the wing. The airplane was first flown in 1956. A large pod, almost as large as the fuselage itself, could be carried under the fuselage. This pod was intended to be developed into a large nuclear weapon or a carrier for smaller munitions. The B-58 was a remarkable airplane in many ways in that it had much larger range, installed power, and load-carrying ability than any supersonic airplane developed before that time.