The Suicidal B-45

 aircraft, drawings, projects, weapons
Aug 312009
 

When you’re a first-generation operational jet bomber at the end of your service life, watching those upstart B-47’s blast past you, showing off their shiny swept wings and scoring all the chicks, there’s nothing left for it but to go and crash yourself into an enemy target. At least that seems to be the message of this 1950 North American Aviation concept for a “B-45C Airplane Missile.”

b-45-missile-art.jpg

 Posted by at 5:57 pm

  2 Responses to “The Suicidal B-45”

  1. Pat Flannery says:
    September 5, 2009 at 1:19 pm

    I assume it’s supposed to be some sort of nuclear armed long-range cruise missile, like was considered as a use for the B-47 also.
    Normal service in the B-45 could be fatal for the tail gunner, as his domed viewport could disintigrate at high altitude, hurling him from the plane as it decompressed.
    I wonder if the little spot on top where the the cabin normally was is a window for a star tracker, or a aerial refueling point?

  2. Mike Adamson says:
    February 2, 2015 at 4:37 am

    Old German idea, really…

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