Crew S-12, Pilot and Aircraft Commander, Major Gerald Monson, Navigator, Major Alex Brewer, Defensive Systems Operator, (DSO) Capt. Ed “Skip” Ford.

Sac HQ in Omaha publishes the guidelines and requirements for all B-58 Combat Crew training. All combat ready crews are required to accomplish several different types of flight missions with both high and low level navigation legs and simulated nuclear weapons delivery at numerous Radar Bomb Scoring (RBS) sites located throughout the U.S. Electronic Counter Measure (ECM) activities are integrated into all training missions and performed in conjunction with RBS activities.

Pilot proficiency requirements are incorporated in all training flights. In addition, Pilots have additional flying proficiency requirements which they accomplished in a specially modified TB-58. These TB-58 airplanes are modified to replace the Navigator station with a second pilot station where an instructor or student could sit in tandem with the Pilot station.

In addition to actual flight missions, aircrews are scheduled for simulated training missions in the B-58 Flight Simulator. This state of the art simulator is more for emergency and checklist procedure training, as well as crew coordination training, This is the only occasion that flight instructors can actually give hands on instruction and can interact with the flight crew.

Day 1, it’s a summer day in the early 1960’s.

08:00 AM… Our Operations Officer, Maj. George Nelson calls the roll at our squadron briefing room and reviews the mission accomplishment of the previous days training sorties. Major Nelson announces that Brigadier General Jimmy Stewart of Hollywood fame will be on base this coming week to get a supersonic orientation flight in the TB-58 and will be narrating a documentary movie about the Hustler. Squadron Navigator, Maj. Joe Baptiste, reviews the RBS bombing results of missions flown yesterday against a “Mainline” low level site located at La Junta, Colorado. After a brief local WX (Weather) overview our Squadron Commander, Lt/Col. Henry Deutschendorf, (Singer John Denver’s dad) reviews the latest Dash-1 revisions, which encompass some General Dynamics fuel cell modifications concerning fuel stacking. Fuel stacking occurs at supersonic speeds which is a safety of flight issue that requires a concentrated effort or the part of the Pilot. Because of Coriolis effect, fuel moves to the left in the Northern Hemisphere. This causes the left wing to become heavy and requires pilot correction to maintain coordinated flight.

A supersonic yaw problem was the primary cause of a fatal B-58 accident involving an aircraft assigned to the 305thBomb Wing, Bunker Hill AFB, IN. This aircraft literally turned sideways at Mach-2. The large fuel pod located under the center of the aircraft separated, the tail empennage broke off and the aircraft broke up at 50,000 ft, resulting in three fatalities.

09:00 AM… All three crew members check in at mission planning and review the mission requirements for tomorrows planned 7 hour training mission. This typical mission involves two high altitude navigation training legs and both a low level simulated bomb run against a RBS (Radar Bomb Scoring) site located at Laurel, Mississippi and a high level Supersonic Mach 2 RBS attack on targets located on Matagorda Island off the coast of Texas. Mission planning involves drawing maps, measuring distances, planning headings, computing times with speeds adjusted for forecast weather and annotating known radar returns on the navigator’s charts. The Pilot and DSO also draw maps annotating position reporting areas as well as other points of interest involving their own specific interests and mission requirements. The Pilot and DSO study the aircraft weight and balance as well as any other factors that would affect the Center of Gravity (CG) of the aircraft. The Pilot is responsible for filing the FAA clearances, so he is involved in all aspects of the mission layout and the planned courses, headings and altitudes. The DSO is also concerned with planned flight altitudes as this affects fuel flow and weight and balance, which is his immediate responsibility once air borne. As with any airplane with a large fuel to weight ratio, B-58 CG is a critical factor, especially during takeoff, low level, supersonic flight and landing. Our normal mission planning usually takes from 2 to 3 hours, including a quick phone call to the in-flight kitchen to order our special B-58 high protein flight lunches for the next day’s mission.

11:50 AM… We drive over to the Officers Club for lunch and a special “Flying Safety” briefing. Our guest speaker for today’s luncheon is Col. Joe Cotton, the flight test pilot who flew the B-70 Valkyrie, which was a test bed for some of the aerodynamic features incorporated into the “Hustler”. Between the accomplishments of test pilots such as Yeager, Cotton, Crossfield, White and the others at Edwards, most of the unknowns of supersonic flight have been resolved and the challenges of flying the “Hustler” at Mach-2 have become somewhat routine.

02:00PM… We check in for target study and Lt/Col. Dick Weir, Chief of Bomb-Nav. gives us a detailed briefing on the RBS targets we will be running against tomorrow at Laurel Miss and Matagorda Island Texas. On the low level, Oil Burner Route, from the I.P. (Initial Point) inbound there are several significant structures and terrain features that the Pilot and DSO will use as timing check points as a visual back up for the ASQ 42 bombing navigation computers. Timing is critical as the bomb run ground speeds are critical to a successful release of the weapon at the proper Bomb Release Line (BRL). Many times bomb release on the first target is made with synchronous radar offset bombing and the second or following targets are made by turning the aircraft to predetermined headings and timing to release from the first release time.

Crew coordination on the bomb run is essential and all three crew members are concerned with target identification and acquisition. Low-level speeds are usually around 800 to 1,000 ft. per second so every second of time error degrades the effectiveness of the weapon. The high level bomb run against Matagorda RBS site is easier for the Pilot and DSO, yet they too are involved with the timing between releases as the speed now is usually over 2200 ft. per second. This speed represents flying over the length 7 football fields every second, so timing for the second release is super critical for accurate release at BRL.

After our initial briefing and study of the timing sheets, the Pilot and DSO leave and go to scheduled ground school activities. After the other crew members leave, I as the bombardier check out classified radar film that has been taken on previous bomb runs that show the significant radar returns that will be used as navigation, timing and offset aiming points. Studying these films of previous bomb runs with the help of Major Tom Heath (Target Study officer) is a good way to become familiar with the radar returns in the area and helps insure a successful bomb score. Every training quarter, each combat ready crew competes with all other aircrews and the best RBS scores help determine which crews achieve Lead or Select status. Crews with Select status are eligible for coveted temporary “spot” promotions. Target study usually takes one to two hours so by the time it is over, it is time to head home and rest up for tomorrow’s mission.

Day 2

Time: 02:30 AM… Trying to get the kids in bed early so I could get a few hours of sleep is always a challenge and when the alarm goes off at 2:30 it’s time for a quick shave, grab a cup of coffee and a 20 minute drive to the base. With the planned mission of 7 hours duration, we arrive at Base operations for a little breakfast and a final weather briefing 2 ½ hours before flight takeoff time. After landing there is time spent writing up aircraft discrepancies and then a special operations and maintenance debriefing. Usually it is 1-2 hours after flight before we are free to go home. So a 7 hour mission actually meant about 8 to 9 hours plus driving time to and from the base.

Because of the hazards of ejecting in a standard ejection seat, the B-58 has a highly sophisticated ejection capsule to protect the crew members in the event of an ejection at supersonic speeds. I jokingly refer to the egress capsule as my office, so if you can, imagine being strapped and harnessed into this thinly cushioned and restrictive cockpit within a cockpit for 7 hours plus, with a 2 qt. relief container as your only concession to body needs. I usually drink over two quarts of liquids while airborne, and still lose about 5 pounds per flight. Longest mission I have flown in the B-58 is a little over 17 hours and the ground crew literally had to carry me out of the aircraft.

While stationed at MacDill AFB, FL. in the 306thBomb Wing, commanded by Col. Mike McCoy, I had flown several 15 hour plus missions in B-47s. I also flew over 30 “Chrome Dome” 24-25 hour B-52 air borne alert missions while assigned to the 99th Bomb Wing at Westover AFB, Massachusetts. The fatigue factor is actually worse in the Hustler because of the confining restraint system. Just for fun, try sitting in any chair for 9 hours…. no cheating, straightening of your legs, standing up or going to the “john” (except for a relief can). Oh yes, don’t forget to keep your oxygen mask on and wear a Brain Bucket…(helmet). Because of the altitude we flew and the dangers of an in flight decompression, we were on 100% Oxygen the entire flight.

After a final weather briefing, checking notams (Notice to Aviators) and filing our final clearance we pick up out special flight lunches and load our flight gear in the squadron Nash Rambler station wagon and drive to the aircraft parking ramp. The ramp temperature is already in the 80’s and even though it is not daylight yet, you can tell it is going to be another typical scorching hot day in Ft. Worth. We like the early morning takeoffs, as the temperature is bearable. The afternoon takeoffs are really interesting as the ramp temperatures are frequently over110 degrees F and even though there are ground air-conditioning units plugged into the aircraft, we are usually drenched with perspiration before takeoff. With the daytime runway temperatures over 100, and with a full fuel load, we would use all 13,000 feet of runway for takeoff, so summer time missions are flown with a reduced fuel load for take off.

Time: 04:00 AM… Upon reaching the aircraft, we check in with the crew chief and discuss any previous maintenance write-ups and make note of any remaining discrepancies. For today’s flight, our aircraft is clear of write-ups and ready to go. After doing my initial walk around, I climb the metal steps and platform that allows access to the second station compartment and lean over and place my briefcase and flight gear inside the cockpit to the right of the egress capsule. With the hatch open, it is twenty five feet to the ground so a ladder or auxiliary entrance ramp is mandatory otherwise we could not enter the crew compartments.

Time: 04:10 AM… Just as I am ready to enter the aircraft, I can hear engines spooling up from the direction of the runway, and from my advantage point on top of the entrance stand, I can see a newly modified RB-57F taking the active runway. These stretch wing reconnaissance aircraft were being upgraded with newer more powerful engines at the General Dynamics plant located on the west side of the runway. On another occasion I had overheard one of the RB-57 Pilots calling in his clearance to Dallas Center. He had declared VFR clearance to Dallas VOR and then stated that he would be above the altitude structure as designed by FAA. Watching their takeoff was always interesting, since their rate of climb was outstanding and within a couple of minutes his lights were completely out of sight.

It’s time to get to work, so I climb down into the compartment, making sure the egress capsule ejection safety pins are in place. A minute or so later, I check my leg retractors are in place, have both lower and upper seat and shoulder harness attached and tightened. I start my POWER-OFF check list, checking canopy locks, emergency lighting, ejection hand grips, oxygen pressure (the 58 uses LOX which is liquid Oxygen rather than conventional oxygen tanks), weapons safety locks, recorder/in-flight printer-SET, Radar search power-OFF, Doppler-OFF, Gyros caged, Magnetic compass-SET, Beacon control-OFF, VWS-ON, Airspeed inertial-normal, Bomb Damage Evaluation-OFF, Tracking control-OFF, Flight controller-OFF, Aux flight reference system-OFF, Tacan-off, J-4 compass-SET, Radar filter-IN, Offset and storage panels, SET as required, Aim point selector-FIX, Malfunction control panel, Auto steering-ON, Astro compass filter-IN, GHA-SET. I continue and complete the POWER OFF checklist of the Radar/Nav system, which requires 23 more items to check and switches to position.

The Pilot and DSO have completed their external walk around and are now in their crew compartments completing their pre-flight and power off check lists along with their pre-engine start checklist. The DSO calls off the items on inter-phone and the Pilot responds. Now the external auxiliary power carts are running and electrical power is available, so we are all now busy performing our POWER ON checklists.

The Pilot checks the Voice Warning System (VWS) which overrides the interphone and the pre-recorded female voice proceeds to run through the 20 different safety of flight items that monitor aircraft system malfunctions. Last month, as we were departing the coast of Newfoundland on our way to England, she interrupted our flight by saying “Engine oil pressure #3”. Sure enough, we had to shut down #3 and turn back to land at Westover AFB, Mass. We call her the “Bitch”, since, understandingly, she never has anything good to say.

External ground power supplies power to my POWER ON checklist. There are 29 steps to this checklist and I have them completed before engines are started. The pilot and DSO are now performing their ENGINE START check list and I close my overhead hatch as the noise level is exceeding100 decibels and even though I am using ear protectors, the noise of the 4 J79 jets engines is deafening. The nitrogen pressure to close my hatch is stored in the right landing gear strut of the aircraft and the hatch closes very quickly and seals. The hatch is normally opened or closed by using this nitrogen powered pneumatic system. There is also an emergency hatch release lever, which activates a mechanism which blows the hatch away, as well as another hatch release system which is integrated into the capsule egress system. Externally, there is a flush mounted emergency release handle available to maintenance or fire fighters.

The pilot switches from external power to aircraft power. A quick check of electrical power and circuit breakers confirms that power is normal. The crew chief who is on inter-phone informs us that he has disconnected the external power cables and also the external air conditioning unit conduit. He will again check in with us just before we take the active runway. He mentions that Col. James Jabara, our Director of Operations is parked in his staff car just to the left of our parking space and is monitoring our progress. This is my third assignment and association with Col. Jabara, who was in the 4th Fighter Wing stationed at K-14, Kimpo AFB, Korea (becoming a Ace) while I was assigned to the 12th. Tac. Recon. Sqd. in RB-26s. He was also stationed at Westover AFB as the commander of a F-104 squadron when I was assigned to the 99th B.W. B-52 Wing in the mid 1950’s. We had known each other for many years and he had a special interest in our crew.

Engines are running, aircraft power is on line and I now perform the BEFORE TAXI CHECKLIST and I am busy with the 38 items to check. The bombing-navigation computers were up and running, oxygen systems checks out OK and radar is in standby. I do not turn the 50,000 watt Radar magnetron transmitter on while on the ramp as it would be hazardous to ground personnel who are still servicing equipment and readying the aircraft for takeoff. After receiving clearance from our Wing command post as well as Carswell tower, we are cleared to taxi to the main runway. I report to the pilot that all systems check OK and that I am ready to taxi, the DSO checks in and reports ready to taxi. As we start to taxi, I again check all electrical and circuit breaker panels and continue to monitor the navigation system, which is sensitive to aircraft movement, even on the ground.

Today’s takeoff is from northeast to southwest from the Lake Worth end of the runway, We will pass the General Dynamics factory on our right side and shortly after takeoff we will fly over a Holiday Inn which is about 1 mile from the end of the runway and directly in the line of flight after. The pilot reports that he has again checked time with WWV (The zulu time service in Denver) and that our time hack at Base Operations is good.

Time: 04:45 AM… Just before takeoff, we taxi over a geographically surveyed set of coordinates painted by the end of the runway and I set the navigation computer latitude and longitude coordinates for a pre-take off fix location. At this time, the ground personnel who have followed us in a pickup truck plug into our external inter-phone system to appraise aircraft worthiness and advise of any minor discrepancies that have appeared, such as minor oil or hydraulic leaks, etc. The pilot is on the radio talking to Dallas Center and we receive our final clearance and weather advisory at altitude. The DSO rechecks the CG for the best balance for takeoff and soon it is time to take the active runway, as our scheduled takeoff time is 05:00 AM. I lean over and re-check that all safety pins have been removed from the ejection capsule. For this egress capsule to operate we need at least 100 knots of speed otherwise the capsule parachute canopy would not deploy properly.

The Pilot checks the J-79 engines… (We have four and the F-4 only has two), so the aircraft is ready and willing to roll. The tower gives us permission to take off and we turn onto the active runway. The pilot lines up, sets the brakes and brings the engines to 100% power for a check of EGT (Exhaust Gas Temperature) and engine over pressures…everything checks out fine, all systems are go, so the pilot lights up all four (AB's) afterburners. Once we are lined up,I make a final magnetic heading check, check the navigation function selector switch is in TAXI & TAKEOFF, check my stopwatch for timing on the takeoff roll and tell the pilot “ Ready for takeoff”.

Time: 05:00 AM… Brakes release, The airplane leaps forward and I start timing on a hack (stop) watch as our S-1 speed of 100 knots must be reached in about 10-11 seconds and shortly thereafter (10-11seconds) we reach S-2, the rotate speed of 190 to 200 knots. The Pilot lifts the nose off the runway and within seconds we are air borne. With the afterburners still on we accelerate rapidly to 400 knots and the Pilot shuts down the fuel guzzlers and continues the climb to our planned altitude of 31,000 ft. Our planned airspeed at altitude is Mach.91 which computes to be 540 knots…compared to the B-47 and B-52, we are “Hustling” along.

I complete my 12 step AFTER TAKEOFF checklist, have the radar in transmit and, as our planned course takes us to the Dallas VOR, we proceed to climb out over Hensley Lake and Dallas Naval Air Station. I get a radar fix to check my navigation compute on the power plant at the edge of the lake and we are well on our way to altitude. The air conditioning system has caught up and the cockpit is fairly comfortable. I check out the Astro compass as it is used during the entire mission as a continuing adjustment to true heading. At altitude the sensitive Astro tracker can see the stars daytime or night, so we have a constantly adjusted heading corrected by celestial means. The Dopper radar system give the navigation computers an accurate ground speed at all times. The B-58 is the first airplane to have this highly sophisticated Navigation system which makes it easy to Navigate at the speeds we operate.

At planned altitude, we level off and I run my 9 step LEVEL OFF checklist as well as run an11 step WEAPONS SAFETY check list with the Pilot to insure weapons safety and weapon monitoring and release switches are all in the safe and locked positions. Even though we are not carrying weapons, it would be embarrassing to drop the fuel pod on some un-suspecting taxpayer. The fuel pod is “wedded” to the underside of the fuselage and the top center section of it is concave to allow room for the torpedo shaped nuclear bomb that gives us the capability to carry a total of five high yield nuclear weapons. I personally feel that with our five weapon capability times one hundred B-58s, gave the US the added deterrent force to keep the Soviets from attacking the US.

Since this flight does not involve polar activities, I disregard the special polar entry and exit check lists which apply to a special type of polar navigation referred to as Grid Navigation, which involves disregarding magnetic headings and compass readings.

After level off, the DSO starts many of his fuel transfer adjustments as aircraft balance is critical and if not properly adjusted will waste fuel as well as cause the autopilot and PCLA hydraulic flight control system to overwork. The Hustler has a rudder but no elevators like a conventional aircraft. The B-58 has elevons (a combination of elevators and ailerons) that are sensitive to aircraft flight attitude, so weight and balance require constant monitoring by the Pilot and DSO to maintain the desired CG to keep the proper trim for efficient flight.

Between the inter-phone chatter, communicating with FAA centers and monitoring UHF and VHF radio transmissions from SKY KING (SAC Headquarters) and Guard channel,it sounds like someone is talking at all times. Guard channel is supposed to be used for emergency, but we refer to it as Navy Channel, since the Navy seems to use it as their primary channel for transmissions. There are constant radio transmissions, so we get to the point where we can be on inter phone and listen to two conversations at the same time.

We are progressing on our mission as planned and our navigation leg takes us up to Richmond, VA as a turning point. Richmond is a RBS site and I always like to over fly these sites to get a free (radar) look at the RBS targets in the area. We make our left turn back westbound toward Cincinnati (another RBS site) with all systems go, I decide to have a snack from our gourmet flight lunch. Today's menu is Sirloin steak which I had placed in a warm spot on some electronic gear next to our in flight printer to warm up, plus cubes of cheddar cheese, with some carrot and celery sticks. The in flight printer recorded position and time information the entire flight which eliminated the need for the navigator to maintain a flight log. The in-flight kitchen at Carswell really fixes good flight lunches and always seems to put in a little extra goody for us. I save the packets of peanuts and cookies to take home to the kids, as they always enjoy the treats. As we proceeded westbound at Mach .91 - .92 (540 indicated) our normal cruise speed, we encountered CAT, (clear air turbulence) at altitude, so we advise Columbus (Ohio) Center and are cleared to climb 4,000 ft. to get on top of it.

After we complete our second navigation leg, which takes us out to Omaha, we then turn south east back to Atlanta, I get a good radar fix on the federal prison in Atlanta and then start our letdown to enter the low altitude Oil Burner corridor to make our RBS runs on the RBS site at Laurel Miss. This is an easy low-level route to fly because of the lakes and rivers in the area which make low-level radar navigation much easier. (Sites like Watertown NY, Scenic Badlands in the Dakotas and La Junta CO, are especially hazardous because of the mountainous terrain in those areas.) As we approach our I.P., I am busy setting and checking the target coordinates as well as offset aiming point distances in the bombing computer. This is so much easier than the low level combat missions I had flown over North Korea in a RB-26 bomber, with no radar and no navigation or bombing aids other than visual references. The B-58 bombing computer automatically makes adjustments for wind drift, heading and speed, so I do a quick recheck of the preset coordinates and target information. Now it is just a matter of correctly identifying the radar returns, following the check list and making the necessary adjustment of cross hair placement and a good score is about to happen.

At the I.P. (Initial Point to start the bomb run) inbound the Pilot turns over the control of the aircraft to me and I direct and fly the airplane with a right side mounted control stick which is integrated into the autopilot/bombing computer system. The 23 items to check on the BOMB RUN CHECKLIST are integrated with finding and locating the planned initial offset aim points and making slight adjustments for wind drift as well as monitoring the aircraft position in regards to planned inbound course and altitude above terrain. Sounds easy, and sometimes it is, but operating at extremely low altitude at such high speeds is hazardous to our health, so all three crew members were under a lot of pressure to fly the aircraft safely and deliver the weapon on target. To compound the challenges of low level-high speed flight, the air is denser at low altitude and this makes for more heat in the cockpit as well as really bad turbulence. So between the psychological pressure and the heat in the cockpit, turbulence and all other factors, the piece of cake bomb run sometimes turns into a fiasco.

Fortunately, my Select (all instructor) crew is well coordinated and we work as a team with each one of us helping the other achieve our goals and maintain a high level of proficiency. This particular day, we are scheduled to make multiple releases in the target area and everything goes really well with all bombs delivered in the prescribed target circles. We do not actually drop or release weapons, we use an electronic radio transmission signal to simulate the bomb release point. The RBS site operators score our releases on a huge plotting board and can compute our BRL point very accurately as well as the point of impact of the weapon. The goal is to get a shack or 0/0 on target. These scores are classified and therefore encoded so at bomb release we transmit airspeed, heading and altitude and the site computes and transmits our encoded score back to us. At release on the first target using the final offset aim point, we turn to a pre-planned heading and release the second weapon by manual timing. All three crew members are involved, the pilot is carefully monitoring altitude, heading and speed and the DSO is running a stopwatch and is carefully timing the elapsed time between releases as a backup to my timing. These designated low level routes are NO FLY ZONES but occasionally there will be some clown in a Cessna putting along and the Pilot is constantly looking ahead to avoid a disaster.

After making our scheduled releases on time, I call in our release speed, heading and altitude to the RBS site and then run my 14 step POST RELEASE CHECKLIST and give the pilot the heading to depart the low level route and direct us to our turning point prior to refueling. After departing the low level route, we proceeded to climb to a designed ARCP, (Air Refueling Control Point, which is like an I.P,) where we will make contact with a pre-planned KC 135 refueling aircraft. Approximately 30 minutes prior to air refueling, we make contact with our tanker, which was stationed at 2nd AF Headquarters at Barksdale AFB, LA. The tanker navigator has turned on his radar signal transmitter (we called it a Parrot) and I have him identified on radar immediately. It is now a matter of timing and coordinating our turns to converge on a track which brings us in contact behind the tanker at the designated point to start refueling. We are on time, on heading and on track and so is the KC-135 tanker. We fly up under the big bird’s tail and as he extends his refueling boom, the Pilot gently brings the Hustler into a position where the Boom operator (Boomer) has to extend the boom only a few feet to make contact and start transferring the JP-4 fuel under high pressure.

In the event the KC 135 tanker aborts, I have planned the mission to have enough fuel to fly back to Carswell without air refueling. Both Carswell and Barksdale AFB have Strip Alert JC 135 tankers standing by in the event airborne aircraft declare an emergency fuel situation. Since the refueling is accomplished on time as scheduled, we take on our planned fuel to complete the second half of our planned mission.

After refueling and thanking the tanker crew, we turn back south while climbing back to altitude and pass over New Orleans, LA and coast out just west of the mouth of the Mississippi. While heading south, we continue to climb and by the time we have reached our turning point approximately 300 miles east of Matagorda, we are approaching 36,000 ft. Matagorda is one of the best sites to run supersonic since our “Sonic” boom won’t disturb the taxpayers and the Texas coastline is easy to identify on radar. As we are starting to make our turn westbound, a Navy fighter has picked up one of our radio transmissions and asks if he can make a fighter pass on us after we turn westbound. He of course doesn’t know what type of aircraft we are and that we will be accelerating to Mach 2 so we say OK and give him our ETA to the start acceleration coordinates. He says he will wait for us, so he is in for a suprise.

As soon as we level off on our westbound heading, I tell the Pilot to start acceleration. He in turn lights up the AB's (Afterburners), checks the engine instruments and advances the throttles to the max A/B position. We have the sensation of being hit in the butt by a Base Fiddle. Acceleration is immediate and the mach meter goes from Mach .91 to .94., to .96, to .98 and with a little shudder we are through Mach 1.0. The Pilot’s altimeter jumps 500 feet and we press on to 600 knots indicated airspeed. Reaching that, he raises the nose to climb and continues to accelerate. About 44, 000 feet we reach M 2.0 and we then climb at that speed to our level off altitude. Shortly before we reach 50,000 feet (our bombing altitude), the Pilot starts to reduce power and lower the nose to level off at Mach 2.0. (The B-58 has variable inlet cones to prevent the supersonic shock wave forming in front of the engines that would cause the engine to stall). The Pilot carefully monitors the mach meter to avoid exceeding its the speed of 2.0 when it levels off after climb.) There is little sensation of our speed other than the aircraft seems to be flying with slightly less vibrations and noise. Just before we make our initial radio call to Matagorda, we hear the Navy jock on Guard asking us where we are. Our Pilot tells him to just follow our contrail and I am sure he wondered what the heck kind of a bird we are flying. We never heard from him again. At Mach 2.0 our ground speed is a little over 1160 knots or 2200 ft per second or 20 miles per minute, so a fifty-mile bomb run gives me about 130 seconds to compete the bomb run check list and identify the radar aim points and targets.

Fortunately, Matagorda RBS is one of the easiest sites to run and the targets are easy to identify because of the land water contrast on radar. Today’s run is a little different since there is weather below that obscures the radar aim points until the last few seconds. I make a final correction which causes a steep turn at Mach 2 about 30 seconds prior to release which puts some Gs on all three of us. Our normal one G turn had a radius of 50 miles, so with a last second correction into the target area, we pulled about 2 Gs and rolled out about 20 seconds prior to release. I turned the electronic scoring tone on at ten seconds prior to release and let the computers turn it off. I call in the post release information after making a slight adjustment to the heading to make up for the last second course correction. Any time we make a last minute turn, the RBS score was sometimes slightly in error in the opposite direction of the turn, so we all sweat out the encoded score, which turns out to be good.

At Mach 2 with those J-79 engines guzzling fuel, our fuel flow is about 1,000 pounds per minute. After making the long inbound run at supersonic speed, one of the nice things about running Matagorda, is that when we turn to the right, we are heading directly toward Carswell AFB so we start descending and decreasing altitude to land. After clearing with Dallas Center and requesting landing instructions from Carswell,we were advised that the runway temperature is 105 degrees (F), with the usual crosswind from the west. With this approach we will be flying just to the right side of the runway on what we call downwind and then make a 180 degree turn to land back in the direction we made our initial takeoff. I start running my BEFORE LANDING checklist and confer with the Pilot and DSO on approach and landing speed. We proceeded with our let down.The Pilot lowers the landing gear after we slow down below 400 knots and reports three in the green. Our traffic pattern speed is 220 knots indicated, so with the pilot having his hands full, I make a radar directed approach, which gives the pilot another indicator of the heading to the end of the runway. We sometimes make an ILS approach and landing, but today we are scheduled for a GCA approach and landing which is a great aid and even though the weather is clear we are being directed to land by ground controllers. I monitor airspeed and will notify the pilot if it is a little lower than planned, meanwhile the DSO monitors altitude, so as a crew effort we all three make the landing. The Pilot gently moves the throttles to adjust speed and our approach over Lake Worth is normal.

With the delta wing configuration of the Hustler, a high nose up attitude is required on approach and landing. This obscures the Pilot’s view of the runway. (The Concord solved this problem by drooping the nose so the Pilots could see the runway). Our Approach speed in the B-58 (depending on weight and crosswind) can be as high as 215 knots. We make our normal approach and come over the end of the runway at 200 knots. The Pilot brings the power back, the bird settles in and a little gust of wind pushes us to the left of center line and with the right wing down just a little we touch down with the right main first, then the left main touches and we are on the ground at 190 knots. The pilot pulls the power back and lowers the nose to check runway alignment, while steering with rudder control, and deploys the brake chute. Feeling it deploy, he raises the nose slightly and the speed bleeds down to about 100 knots, where he must lower the nose before he loses authority. Now he can see over the nose again so it was just a matter of taxiing to the end of the runway, jettisoning the brake chute and proceeding back to the parking ramp.

The H-43 twin rotor helicopter that is hovering adjacent to the runway returns to the parking ramp and lands after we turn off the active runway. These Flying Safety helicopters were present as a fire suppressant in case of a landing accident, since they could hover over the wreckage and literally blow the fire and flames away from the accident scene. This system was developed so that aircrew members who may have survived a landing accident could possible avoid the fire.

We were on the ground less than 45 minutes after bomb release at Matagorda bomb plot. I complete my AFTER LANDING CHECK LIST and complete my paperwork. As we pull into our parking place, I disconnect the oxygen system, replace the ejection capsule safety pins, undo the seat belt and restraint system and open my hatch. I looked at my watch and note that my hatch has been closed for 7hours and 37 minutes. We unloaded our gear and the crew truck picks us up and transports us to debriefing. Our aircraft has a few minor write ups for today’s flight so debriefing is over in a little over an hour and that cold Lone Star Beer (provided by maintenance) sure tastes good.

I call my wife and tell her I am on the ground and she asks me to stop by Angelo’s Barbecue on White Settlement Road to pick up some sliced beef and barbecued salami. Along with the barbecue, Texas beans and some homemade cole slaw, we have a nice dinner and spend the evening playing with the kids and watching a special issue of Alfred Hitchcock Presents on our new 17 inch black and white TV.

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