Šiaurės Amerikos "B-45 Tornado" – nuotraukos ir vaizdo įrašas

2007 Šiaurės Amerikos B-45 Tornadas buvo Jungtinių Valstijų karinių oro pajėgų (USAF) pirmasis operatyvinis reaktyvinis bombonešis ir pirmasis daugiasluoksnis variklinis bombonešis pasaulyje, kuris buvo pripildytas degalų midair. B-45 buvo svarbi Jungtinių Valstijų branduolinio atgrasymo dalis keletą metų 1950-ųjų pradžioje, tačiau netrukus jį pakeitė "Boeing B-47 Stratojet". B-45s ir RB-45s tarnavo Jungtinių Valstijų karinių oro pajėgų Strateginėje oro vadavietėje nuo 1950 iki 1959 metų.

Šaltinis: Šiaurės Amerikos B-45C Tornado dėl Wiki

The North American B-45 Tornado was the first jet bomber to enter service with the United States Air Force. It was designed and built by North American Aviation in the late 1940s, as a response to the need for a fast, long-range bomber that could deliver nuclear weapons. The B-45 had four jet engines mounted in pairs under the wings, and a swept-back tail. It could carry up to 22,000 pounds of bombs, including the Mark 7 nuclear bomb. The B-45 was also capable of aerial refueling, which extended its range and endurance.
The B-45 first flew in March 1947, and entered service in 1948. It was initially assigned to Strategic Air Command (SAC), but later transferred to Tactical Air Command (TAC) in 1950. The B-45 saw combat during the Korean War, where it performed strategic bombing and reconnaissance missions. It also participated in several covert operations over the Soviet Union and China, such as Operation Ju-Jitsu and Operation Home Run. The B-45 was gradually replaced by the more advanced Boeing B-47 Stratojet in the mid-1950s, and retired from service in 1959. A total of 143 B-45s were built, of which only one survives today at the National Museum of the United States Air Force.