The Martin B-57 Canberra is an American-built, twin-engined tactical bomber and reconnaissance aircraft that entered service with the United States Air Force (USAF) in 1953. The B-57 is a license-built version of the British English Electric Canberra, manufactured by the Glenn L. …

On July 20, 1953, Martin Marietta's chief test pilot O.E. "Pat" Tibbs climbed aboard the company's inaugural B-57 bomber for its first official test flight - a day military officials had been anxiously awaiting for the previous three years.

Feb 23, 2005 · Ed Rider was a Canberra pilot who had come up through the enlisted ranks, having done a stint as an Airborne Electronics Technician on the B-57 in the late 1950s.

Mar 16, 2024 · The B-57 Canberra was a twin-engine, jet-powered strike bomber designed to provide close air support in all weather. The American version of the plane could carry ordnance both on four external hard points as well as in an internal bomb bay.

After the Korean War began in 1950, the U.S. Air Force looked for a jet-powered medium bomber to quickly replace the aging, propeller-driven Douglas B-26 Invader. In March 1951 the USAF contracted with Martin to build the British Canberra in the United States under license.

Out of the 94 B-57s that were assigned to the Southeast Asia theatre, 51 were lost in combat (including 15 destroyed on the ground). This is the story of the deaths of USAF Captain Leon Boyd Smith II (pilot) and Major Elijah Goar Tollett Jr (crew), who crewed one of the 51 B-57's lost.

Nov 20, 2021 · A massively modified Martin B-57 Canberra, the RB-57F was there when America needed something done at very high altitude. Its duties were wildly varied, from photographing the eye of a hurricane to classified nuclear snooping. We spoke to former RB-57F pilot David Baird about flying this incredible machine. The Blackbird pilot B.C. Thomas said ...

The B-57 would continue the loop until it was headed away from the target in a shallow dive, inverted. The pilot would then roll upright, snuggle back onto the deck, and get out of there.

It had an immediate requirement for a light jet bomber, with a 40,000-foot service ceiling, a 1,000-nautical mile range, and a maximum speed of 550 knots. The new bomber had to be capable of operating from unimproved airfields, at night and in every kind of weather, with conventional or atomic weapons. High altitude reconnaissance was another must.

The Martin B-57 Canberra is an American-built, twin-engined tactical bomber and reconnaissance aircraft that entered service with the United States Air Force (USAF) in 1953. The B-57 is a license-built version of the British English Electric Canberra, manufactured by the Glenn L. …