Take-Off

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=P8gedUtdyNw&feature=related

High Speed Pass

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=4ZToDL9vjLw&NR=1

I was living near the factory where these were built while they were being built.

A number of them crashed including one that I watched burn on the end of the run way. I later worked with a pilot that flew them. He had flown a lot of AF planes including the B-47. His favorite was the F-86.

I believe there are only 8 left in total. None flying.

Another of the planes you don't hear much about, much like the A-5 Vigilante the Navy flew. I used to woek with a guy that crewed and flew the B58 and he told me that standard operating orders were if attacked, go into burner and go for altitude, no plane in the world then flying could match the B58. He loved to fly this plane but said it had many problems that were never addressed. Pity. The B58 performance envelope was 1000 mph [~ MACH 2]for 3000 miles - not bad for 1960! Convair built some good A/C - we flew the CV880 and it still holds a handful of speed records for commercial A/C.

There is a B-58 on display at the Lone Star Flight Musuem at Galveston.

They are reporting extensive damage to the museum, and evaluation in progress.

Damn it!

RG