Martin EB-57E Canberra Electronics Warfare Aircraft

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Martin EB-57E Canberra Electronics Warfare Aircraft
Martin EB-57E Canberra Electronics Warfare Aircraft

Wings Over the Rockies Air and Space Museum

The Martin B-57 Canberra was a twin jet engine light bomber and reconnaissance aircraft, which entered service with the United States Air Force (USAF) in 1953. The B-57 was initially a version of the English Electric Canberra built under license. However, the Glenn L. Martin Company significantly modified the design and produced several unique variants. At the outbreak of the Korean War in 1950, the USAF found itself in dire need of an all-weather interdiction aircraft. Consequently, the USAF issued a request for a jet-powered bomber with all- weather capability. To expedite the process, only projects based on existing aircraft were considered. The British designed Canberra was the winner and entered USAF service in 1951.

While the USAF found the B-57 lacking, the photo reconnaissance version, the RB-57A, saw some operational use. The aircraft were deployed to Germany, France, and Japan. By 1958, all RB-57A craft were replaced in active service by the Douglas RB-66B and McDonnell RF-101A. Air National Guard units extensively used the RB-57A for photographic surveys of the United States until 1971.

RB-57s were deployed to Vietnam in 1963 for reconnaissance. Under project PATRICIA LYNN the aircraft provided infrared coverage of the battlefield using Reconofax VI cameras. Later in 1965, a single RB-57F would be deployed to Udon, Thailand in an attempt to gather information about North Vietnamese surface to air missile sites under projects GREEK GOD and MAD KING. In 1965 bomber versions of the aircraft were used in Operation ROLLING THUNDER, the bombing of North Vietnam. The aircraft went on to serve in many different roles until being pulled from the war in 1971.

The Pakistani Air Force used deployed B-57s in two wars against India until their retirement in 1985. NASA is now the sole user of the B-57, flying two WB-57s from Johnson Space Center in Houston, TX as high altitude scientific research aircraft. The Museum's aircraft was used as an intruder aircraft for air defense training and evaluation.

Specifications
Weight: 27,090 pounds
Length: 65 feet, 6 inches
Wingspan: 64 feet
Maximum Speed: 598 MPH
Armament: None

Attribution Noncommercial Some rights reserved
Taken on: January 4, 2013
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Sets appears in:   • Wings Over the Rockies    • B-57 Canberra Nuclear Bomber   
Camera: Canon PowerShot G12, f/2.8, 1/13 sec, 6.1mm, ISO 160 (more info) (hide info)
Camera: Canon PowerShot G12
Aperture: f/2.8
Exposure Time: 0.077 sec (1/13)
Focal Length: 6.1mm
ISO: 160
Exposure Bias: -2/3 EV
Flash: Off, Did not fire
Exposure Mode: Manual
Metering Mode: Multi-segment
White Balance: Auto
Color Space: sRGB
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