I was sent there in the summer of '67 when it was still Bunker Hill and there when it was renamed that same year in honor of Gus Grissom, the astronaut from Indiana who died in the Apollo I fire.
Hoffman, I was with the 305th at Grissom from '67 to '70 when they shut us down. The memories so faded now I don't remember much but I still recall that sound of full ABs on takeoff. Can't forget that. So sad we watched as some went down just after takeoff. Good to hear from you.
My father was a navigator. We lived in Bunker Hill. He was killed when his plane crashed in Texas while on a training mission. Unfortunately, the parachute on his ejection capsule never opened. This was in 1967. I was 6 years old.
And just think, in just 7 years from this footage, the B-58 would be retired! Just compare that to the longetivity of the B-52, B-1B and even the B-2A.
Great footage. Even the ill fated 2451 aircraft was shown. Out of 116 produced, some 90 aircraft at retirement, only 8 exist today. Sure is sleek, mean and beautiful to see.
1963 mid nights 462 waiting to cross runway to bomb dump, MITO 100 feet from runway the sight and sound burnt in to my soul. A1C R.E. Hoffman 305 th BW 45MMS.
I used to ride in the 'bread trucks' for takeoffs in case the comm/nav systems broke (often). No amount of ear plugs and mickey mouse muffs could protect you from the pain when 16 J-79 engines were in after burner. It was quite a site watching them lit against the dark sky at 1 am.
@tdbdman I'm in total agreement....really wish I could have seen it fly. I remember one summer in the late 60's hearing and feeling a sonic boom (grew up in New England) and my dad telling me not to worry, it was just the B58 on patrol.
(Very) lightly loaded & podless, 200 kts downwind, 180 kts base, 160 kts final, 150 kts touchdown and 120 kts for chute deployment. These were numbers used during the initial test flight, where the aircraft departed with only 4000lbs of fuel for a take-off weight of 78,000lbs. Some other operational numbers: VLo/VLe 304 kts, tire speed limit 217, normal cruise 531 kts, Vr ~190, normal climb 425 kts.
I was there in '70 when it was finally shut down, probably the last guy to leave for Castle AFB in CA. I was told the B-58 was no longer an effective weapon so you may be right. Remember the B-58 was a nuclear bomber. It could no longer outgun the multiple warhead ICBMs as a retaliation device.
The most beautiful aircraft ever designed.
Actually, it's the second Most Beautiful Aircraft Ever Designed. The first is the two XB-70A prototypes...
outstanding post!!!!
I was sent there in the summer of '67 when it was still Bunker Hill and there when it was renamed that same year in honor of Gus Grissom, the astronaut from Indiana who died in the Apollo I fire.
I was at The Bunker from August 1962 until July 1967 (airborne comm/nav).
Hoffman, I was with the 305th at Grissom from '67 to '70 when they shut us down. The memories so faded now I don't remember much but I still recall that sound of full ABs on takeoff. Can't forget that. So sad we watched as some went down just after takeoff. Good to hear from you.
I am lucky to have seen both, what a great sound!
My father was a navigator. We lived in Bunker Hill. He was killed when his plane crashed in Texas while on a training mission. Unfortunately, the parachute on his ejection capsule never opened. This was in 1967. I was 6 years old.
i love this aircraft...thanks for this rare footage
Awesome looking Plane
And just think, in just 7 years from this footage, the B-58 would be retired! Just compare that to the longetivity of the B-52, B-1B and even the B-2A.
Great footage. Even the ill fated 2451 aircraft was shown. Out of 116 produced, some 90 aircraft at retirement, only 8 exist today. Sure is sleek, mean and beautiful to see.
Two words for this aircraft: supersonic poem!
Boy, I sure wish I could hear what this aircraft sounded like.
1963 mid nights 462 waiting to cross runway to bomb dump, MITO 100 feet from runway the sight and sound burnt in to my soul. A1C R.E. Hoffman 305 th BW 45MMS.
May 26, 1961 Convair B-58 crew of Maj Payne, Capt Polhemus and Capt Wagener set Trans-atlantic crossing record of 3 hours 19 minutes !
My grand father flew this plane Lt col william james stringfellow
he was one of the test pilots
boy i'd give a nut to hear one of these babies take off. what an amazing aircraft, just beautiful.
I used to ride in the 'bread trucks' for takeoffs in case the comm/nav systems broke (often). No amount of ear plugs and mickey mouse muffs could protect you from the pain when 16 J-79 engines were in after burner. It was quite a site watching them lit against the dark sky at 1 am.
@tdbdman I'm in total agreement....really wish I could have seen it fly. I remember one summer in the late 60's hearing and feeling a sonic boom (grew up in New England) and my dad telling me not to worry, it was just the B58 on patrol.
(Very) lightly loaded & podless, 200 kts downwind, 180 kts base, 160 kts final, 150 kts touchdown and 120 kts for chute deployment. These were numbers used during the initial test flight, where the aircraft departed with only 4000lbs of fuel for a take-off weight of 78,000lbs. Some other operational numbers: VLo/VLe 304 kts, tire speed limit 217, normal cruise 531 kts, Vr ~190, normal climb 425 kts.
Damm, what a bird.
I was there in '70 when it was finally shut down, probably the last guy to leave for Castle AFB in CA. I was told the B-58 was no longer an effective weapon so you may be right. Remember the B-58 was a nuclear bomber. It could no longer outgun the multiple warhead ICBMs as a retaliation device.
@72Rdrunner I live 7 miles from there, and now it's Grissom...
@pulgabros did you ever hear the Concorde take-off ? the -58 sounded very similar.
Any idea who was the piolt? My dad flew the B58 and the B47 back in the day...I have some Life magazine pic's taken in Bunker Hill
The video quality is so poor though. From the angle it looks like something out of star wars or a sci fi movie. Look at the big engines on it.
3:15 Look mean