North American B-45 Tornado

North American B-45 Tornado
Země	SPOJENÉ STÁTY
Roli	Proudový bombardér
První let	24. února 1947
Postaven	143

Tá Severoamerické tornádo B-45 byl první operační proudový bombardér amerického letectva (USAF) a první vícemotorový bombardér na světě, který byl tankován ve vzduchu. B-45 byl na počátku 50. let již několik let důležitou součástí jaderného odstrašování Spojených států, ale brzy byl naháněn Boeingem B-47 Stratojet. B-45 a RB-45 sloužily ve strategickém vzdušném velení letectva Spojených států v letech 1950 až 1959.

Zdroj: Severoamerické tornádo B-45C na Wiki

North American B-45C Tornado
Fotograf	John Heck
Lokalizace	Národní muzeum USAF
Fotografie	26

North American B-45C Tornado 01

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North American B-45C Tornado 04

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North American B-45C Tornado 09

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Počkat, Hledám pro vás severoamerické fotky B-45 Tornado...

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North American B-45A-1-NA Tornado Walk Around
Fotograf	Vladimir Jakubov
Lokalizace	Zámecké letecké muzeum, Atwater
Fotografie	121

Severoamerické B-45A-1-NA Tornádo

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Viz také:

North American RB-45C Tornado Walk Around
Fotografů	Randy Ray a John Heck
Lokalizace	Strategické letecké a kosmické muzeum
Fotografie	109

Severoamerické tornádo RB-45C

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B-45C Tornado Walk Around
Fotograf	Stephen Muth
Lokalizace	Neznámé
Fotografie	54

Tornádo B-45C

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B-45C Tornado Walk Around
Fotograf	Howard Mason
Lokalizace	Neznámé
Fotografie	19

Tornádo B-45C

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Počkat, Hledám pro vás severoamerické fotky B-45 Tornado...

A Bridge Between Eras

Tá Severoamerické tornádo B-45 holds the distinction of being the first jet-powered bomber to enter service with the U.S. Air Force and the first to carry a nuclear weapon. Developed at the tail end of WWII, it was a transition aircraft—pairing a traditional, straight-wing bomber layout with the revolutionary new power of four turbojets. While it was quickly overshadowed by the swept-wing B-47 Stratojet, the Tornado proved vital during the early Cold War as a nuclear deterrent and a high-altitude reconnaissance platform.

Attribute	Technical Specification (B-45A)
Roli	Light/Medium Bomber & Reconnaissance
Posádky	4 (Pilot, Co-Pilot, Bombardier-Navigator, Tail Gunner)
First Flight	March 17, 1947
Pohonná jednotka	4 × General Electric J47-GE-13 turbojets
Thrust	5,200 lbf (23 kN) per engine
Maximum Speed	566 mph (911 km/h)
Service Ceiling	46,000 ft (14,000 m)
Zbrojení	2 × .50 cal M3 machine guns (tail); Up to 22,000 lbs of bombs

Design Engineering: Twin Nacelles and Nuclear Adapters

Twin Engine Nacelles: To keep the wing “clean,” North American paired the four engines into two large pods. This design provided significant thrust but concentrated a massive amount of weight on the straight wing, which limited the aircraft’s top speed compared to later swept-wing designs.
The Bomb Bay: The B-45 was designed with a massive internal bomb bay. Because early nuclear weapons (like the Mark 5) were so large, the B-45 had to be retrofitted with specialized “Silverplate” style modifications to carry and release them.
Direct Vision Cockpit: Unlike the fighter-style bubble canopies of the later B-47, the B-45 featured a traditional “greenhouse” nose for the bombardier, reflecting its design heritage from WWII heavy bombers like the B-25 Mitchell.
High-Speed Stability: The B-45 was noted for its exceptionally smooth flight characteristics at high altitudes, making it an ideal platform for the precision required in aerial photography and early electronic intelligence (ELINT).

Combat History: The Secret Spy of the RAF

The Korean War: While not used for heavy bombing in Korea due to the success of the B-29, the RB-45C (reconnaissance version) flew dangerous missions over the peninsula, relying on its speed to evade North Korean MiGs—though it eventually required escort.
Operation Ju-jitsu: In one of the most secretive chapters of the Cold War, the Royal Air Force (RAF) “borrowed” B-45s from the USAF. Since US pilots were forbidden from overflying the Soviet Union, British crews in US markings flew daring deep-penetration night reconnaissance missions over Soviet territory to map radar defenses.
Nuclear Pioneer: The B-45 was the first jet capable of mid-air refueling, a capability that allowed it to reach targets deep within Eastern Europe from bases in the United Kingdom.
Rapid Obsolescence: The Tornado’s career was short. By 1959, the much faster and longer-ranged B-47 Stratojet had completely replaced it in the bomber role, though the RB-45C reconnaissance models served slightly longer.