North American B-45 Tornado

North American B-45 Tornado
Country	USA
Role	Jet bomber
First flight	February 24, 1947
Built	143

The North American B-45 Tornado was the United States Air Force’s (USAF) first operational jet bomber, and the first multijet engined bomber in the world to be refueled in midair. The B-45 was an important part of the United States’s nuclear deterrent for several years in the early 1950s, but was soon superseded by the Boeing B-47 Stratojet. B-45s and RB-45s served in the United States Air Force’s Strategic Air Command from 1950 until 1959.

Source: North American B-45C Tornado on Wiki

North American B-45C Tornado
Photographer	John Heck
Localisation	National Museum of the USAF
Photos	26

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North American B-45A-1-NA Tornado Walk Around
Photographer	Vladimir Yakubov
Localisation	Castle Air Museum, Atwater
Photos	121

North American B-45A-1-NA Tornado

North American RB-45C Tornado Walk Around
Photographers	Randy Ray and John Heck
Localisation	Strategic Air and Space Museum
Photos	109

B-45C Tornado Walk Around
Photographer	Stephen Muth
Localisation	Unknow
Photos	54

B-45C Tornado Walk Around
Photographer	Howard Mason
Localisation	Unknow
Photos	19

A Bridge Between Eras

The North American B-45 Tornado 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)
Role	Light/Medium Bomber & Reconnaissance
Crew	4 (Pilot, Co-Pilot, Bombardier-Navigator, Tail Gunner)
First Flight	March 17, 1947
Powerplant	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)
Armament	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.