Nov 062010
From the SDAM via Mark Nankivil, a pencil sketch of unknown origin showing a B-58 launching a large rocket. Evidence seems to suggest that this rocket is a space launcher of some type… maybe a satellite launcher, maybe an ASAT. But evidence also suggests that this artwork may not have been professionally produced. It might be just doodling by someone unrelated to Convair.
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The Agena rocket stage, used in the Gemini program among others, was first developed for a Skybolt like missile the B-58 would have carried. This might someone’s take on it?
What kind of range did the Hustler have without the belly pod? Of course if you are firing straight up-ish then you don’t need much, I suppose.
The Agena used the “Hustler’ rocket engine that was originally designed to allow a winged version of the underbelly pod on the B-58 to fly the final distance to the target under its own power as a stand-off missile – to both evade Soviet terminal defense systems and allow the bomber to escape the thermonuclear blast shockwave of its detonation when fired from low altitude.
Some plastic model company made a model of the B-58 with that type pod on it way, way, back…as my friend had one when he was a kid. The pod had small delta wings on the CG, as well as small horizontal tail surfaces and a ventral vertical stabilizer on it.
Anyone else notice just how over-sized the engine nacelles are on that drawing, and that the back two flight crew have just lost their side windows?
Actually, the whole perspective on the drawing is entirely screwed; note how the starboard outer engine seems to be hanging damn near the wingtip as drawn.
The more I look at these, the more I think they’re done by a very good artist who’s in high school. Maybe even by a girl, for her boyfriend.