Martin B-57 Canberra

Martin B-57 Canberra
Country	USA
Role	Tactical bomber
First flight	20 July 1953
Built	403

The Martin B-57 Canberra is an American-built, twinjet tactical bomber and reconnaissance aircraft that entered service with the United States Air Force (USAF) in 1953. The B-57 is a license-built version of the British English Electric Canberra, manufactured by the Glenn L. Martin Company. Initial Martin-build models were highly similar to their British-built counterparts; Martin later modified the design to incorporate larger quantities of US-sourced components and produced the aircraft in several different variants.

Source: Martin B-57 Canberra on Wikipedia

Wait, Searching Martin B-57 Canberra for you…

Martin EB-57B Canberra Walk Around
Photographer	Vladimir Yakubov
Localisation	March Field Air Museum
Photos	81

Martin EB-57B Canberra 01

Martin EB-57B Canberra 02

Martin EB-57B Canberra 03

Martin EB-57B Canberra 04

Martin EB-57B Canberra 05

Martin EB-57B Canberra 06

Martin EB-57B Canberra 07

Martin EB-57B Canberra 08

Martin EB-57B Canberra 09

Click on a photo and use the mouse scroll to view all photos

Martin EB-57E Canberra Walk Around
Photographer	Randy Ray
Localisation	Wings Over The Rockies Air and Space Museum
Photos	21

Martin EB-57E Canberra 01

Martin EB-57E Canberra 02

Martin EB-57E Canberra 03

Martin EB-57E Canberra 04

Martin EB-57E Canberra 05

Martin EB-57E Canberra 06

Martin EB-57E Canberra 07

Martin EB-57E Canberra 08

Martin EB-57E Canberra 09

Click on a photo and use the mouse scroll to view all photos

Martin EB-57E-MA Night Intruder
Photographer	Vladimir Yakubov
Localisation	Castle AFB Museum
Photos	209

Martin EB-57E-MA Night Intruder

Martin RB-57 Canberra Walk Around
Photographer	Bill Maloney
Localisation	Unknow
Photos	21

Martin RB-57 Canberra 01

Martin RB-57 Canberra 02

Martin RB-57 Canberra 03

Martin RB-57 Canberra 04

Martin RB-57 Canberra 05

Martin RB-57 Canberra 06

Martin RB-57 Canberra 07

Martin RB-57 Canberra 08

Martin RB-57 Canberra 09

Click on a photo and use the mouse scroll to view all photos

B-57A Canberra Walk Around
Photographers	Michael Benolkin, Ron Dobrzelecki, Martin Sagara
Localisation	Unknow
Photos	32

B-57A Canberra 01

B-57A Canberra 02

B-57A Canberra 03

B-57A Canberra 04

B-57A Canberra 05

B-57A Canberra 06

B-57A Canberra 07

B-57A Canberra 08

B-57A Canberra 09

Click on a photo and use the mouse scroll to view all photos

WB-57F Canberra Walk Around
Photographer	Fotios Rouch
Localisation	Unknow
Photos	42

B-57A Canberra 01

B-57A Canberra 02

B-57A Canberra 03

B-57A Canberra 04

B-57A Canberra 05

B-57A Canberra 06

B-57A Canberra 07

B-57A Canberra 08

B-57A Canberra 09

Click on a photo and use the mouse scroll to view all photos

A British thoroughbred with American muscles

The Martin B-57 Canberra was a rare example of a British aircraft design (the English Electric Canberra) being licensed and mass-produced in the United States. While it excelled as a tactical bomber and “night intruder,” the EB-57B was a specialized electronic warfare (EW) conversion. These aircraft were packed with jammers and sensors, used primarily to train air defense crews by simulating enemy electronic attacks—blinding radars and disrupting communications to keep the “defenders” sharp.

Attribute	Technical Specification (EB-57B)
Role	Electronic Warfare / Aggressor Trainer
Crew	2 (Pilot and Electronic Warfare Officer / EWO)
First Flight (B-57A)	July 20, 1953
Powerplant	2 × Wright J65-W-5 turbojets
Thrust	7,220 lbf (32.1 kN) per engine
Maximum Speed	580 mph (930 km/h)
Range	2,700 miles (4,345 km)
Special Equipment	Internal jammers, chaff dispensers, and wing-mounted ECM pods

Design Features: The Art of Jamming

The “Tandem” Cockpit: Unlike the original British version where the navigator sat in a dark hole in the fuselage, Martin redesigned the B-57B with a fighter-style tandem cockpit under a long, continuous canopy. This gave the Electronic Warfare Officer (EWO) better situational awareness.
Rotary Bomb Bay: The B-57 featured a unique rotary bomb bay door. On the EB-57B, instead of bombs, this bay often housed massive internal electronic jamming suites and cooling systems for the high-powered vacuum tubes of the era.
Wing-Mounted ECM Pods: To expand its frequency coverage, the EB-57B frequently carried specialized Electronic Countermeasures (ECM) pods on its underwing pylons, allowing it to simulate a wide variety of Soviet radar-interference signatures.
Wright J65 Engines: The US versions swapped the British Rolls-Royce Avons for the Wright J65 (a licensed Armstrong Siddeley Sapphire). These provided excellent low-altitude performance, essential for the B-57’s original mission as a “night intruder.”

Cold War Service & The “Aggressors”

Electronic Aggressor Squadrons: The EB-57B was the backbone of the 17th and 19th Defense Systems Evaluation Squadrons. They flew against US and NATO radar sites to find “holes” in the defense network and train operators to “burn through” enemy jamming.
Vietnam Service: While the EB-57B was a trainer, its bomber brother, the B-57B, was a legend in Vietnam, notably during the “Patricia Lynn” reconnaissance missions and as the first US jet bomber to be deployed to the conflict.
Longevity: The Canberra airframe was so robust that some highly modified versions (WB-57F) are still flying today for NASA, used for high-altitude atmospheric research and satellite sensor testing.
The “Whistling Wheelbarrow”: Ground crews gave the Canberra this nickname due to the high-pitched whine of its engines at idle and its tricycle landing gear configuration.