-=> Quoting Derek Wakefield to Graham Drummond <=-
 GD> the proposal for a "stretched" B-58B for SAC, a B-58C variant
 GD> which would have had Pratt & Whitney J58 engines..
 DW> The letter in AF Magazine mentioned "Turbofans" for the B model..
 DW> J58...that sounds familar, but I can't peg any other aircraft (of
 DW> the supersonic variety) that used it.
 
I have exhausted my references on this particular subject, but if
the B had turbofans then they wouldn't be J58s. Only one manned
aircraft that I know of uses J58s - the SR-71 Blackbird.
 GD> long-range, all-weather interceptor for the Air Defence
 GD> Command (ADC) also powered by J58s..
 DW> That D model sounds intriguing. I'd like to hear more about how
 DW> they envisioned modifying a 58 to serve as an interceptor.
I can't give you any more hard facts but it's fairly safe to make
some assumptions. Given the extra power it probably would've been
considerably faster than the standard Hustler. That combined with
the fact that it was to be an interceptor suggests a fairly
automated flight control/intercept system, and therefore a pretty
hefty intercept radar. Someone's got to operate it, so it
would've most likely still been a three seater, with the
nav/bombardier replaced by a RIO. If they used four engines, as
it seems was proposed, it would've been just as big as the B-58A
and may have had similar range. I doubt it would have had a gun
apart from the Vulcan in the tail but instead might have carried
a Genie missile, and/or conventional A-A missiles. All this is
conjecture, of course, and other people's thoughts on the subject
are invited. I doubt the 58D would've been successful, but it
sure would've been impressive!
Katcha,
Buster
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