The story of a B-58 Hustler emergency landing.

I saw this last night and wanted to share this awesome story about a B58 Hustler and a 14 hour flight with it on fire. I love these old documentaries that don't cut to an edited interview clip every 30 seconds.

On Sept. 18, 1961 a Convair B-58 Hustler supersonic bomber of the U.S. Air Force SAC (Strategic Air Command) suffered a left main gear failure during take off for a night training mission from Carswell Air Force Base, Texas.

theaviationist.com...

More on the B-58 Hustler

The Convair B-58 Hustler was the first operational jet bomber capable of sustained Mach 2+ supersonic flight. The aircraft was developed for the United States Air Force during the 1950s, and would see service in the Strategic Air Command (SAC). Originally intended to fly at high altitudes and high speeds to avoid Soviet fighters, the introduction of highly accurate Soviet surface-to-air missiles forced the B-58 into a low-level penetration role that severely limited its range and strategic value. The B-58 was operational from 1960 - 1970.

a reply to: StratosFear

Thanks.

This incident reminds me of a personal experience of mine in about 1967. I was enjoying a summer afternoon I think it was in the porch swing at my home in Oakwood, Illinois, when a loud explosion got my attention. News reports later said that a B-58 had crashed on farm land about 15 miles north of my location. Supposedly, the crew ejected safely. I've wondered over the years if it might have been carrying a nuclear bomb.

What ever happened to mach 2 and beyond jets?

a reply to: Aliensun

Oh wow, glad the fellas got out ok. I had an F-14 crash about a mile from me way back in the 90s, maybe `96-97ish. I remember hearing it takeoff but we never saw it come above the trees, then there was a boom that sounded similar to dynamite blasting and me and my dad climbed on the roof and saw the smoke. I still drive by the spot on Luna Dr. where she went down at, the pilot and REO couldn't eject due to them being over a civilian population. They didn't make it and IIRC 3 people and two houses also didn't survive and they haven't rebuilt anything on the lot since. There is a small diecast F-14D somewhere in that field though.

Now about those Mach2+ aircraft, some very interesting things came out of the B-58 Hustler program some think that I choose to believe. One may be crowned,

14 hours is a long time to contemplate your life. I would imagine those men were forever changed by this event! It's amazing that they were able to get the first refueling done at all. Full after-burner in a critically low fuel situation doesn't sound very promising... I wish the video included the cockpit audio from the first successful boom connection. That and the landing probably count as two of the happiest and most memorable moments of their lives!