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2024-09-10 Science & Technology

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Posted by Mercutio 2024-09-10 08:40|| || Front Page|| [11137 views ] Top

#1 Long range strategic bomber...why?

RETRO
Travel anywhere in under an hour: Elon Musk's new plan

Posted by Skidmark 2024-09-10 10:29|| 2024-09-10 10:29|| Front Page Top

#2 Loved by the AF higher ups like the A-10.

Posted by Procopius2k 2024-09-10 11:19|| 2024-09-10 11:19|| Front Page Top

#3 ...FWIW, one story I heard on several occasions is that the -58 was simply too expensive and demanding to operate as the escalating costs of Vietnam started to pile up. When it worked it worked very well - but it was maintenance-intense, and couldn't be adapted to Vietnam operations. (Not that they didn't try; there was an attempt to use -58s as a bombing pathfinder but the plan was scuttled before tests were run, mainly because DOD was terrified of losing a -58 in combat.)

Robert MacNamara without question took advantage of this; he wanted the -58s gone and PDQ at that and wasn't going to let the USAF try and delay it. So he made USAF a deal - retire the -58 and they would get two wings worth of a dedicated medium bomber version of the TFX. This is what became the FB-111, which was actually everything the -58 was never quite able to become. It had its own issues, but it served long and well.

Mike

Posted by MikeKozlowski 2024-09-10 17:54|| 2024-09-10 17:54|| Front Page Top

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