Refit Bomber Aircraft Will Help Scientists Study the Total Solar Eclipse

http://www.space.com/36457-refit-bom...e-science.html

Even the highest altitude observatories must contend with the way the Earth's
atmosphere can blur light coming from objects in space. By taking flight in a
pair of WB-57s, the American version of the British B-57 bombers, Tsang's
instruments will rise above much of the atmosphere. The aircraft are part of
NASA's Airborne Science Program.

Essentially high-definition television cameras, the instruments will be able to
study high-frequency events in the outer layers of the sun, such as the
nanoflares that help redistribute energy from the magnetic field to the plasma.
The device to be flown on the WB-57s will capture 60 frames per second, Tsang
told Space.com. That will allow the cameras to capture short-lived aspects of
the corona better than satellite cameras with a slower frame rate, Tsang said.

The bombers will also extend the amount of time available to study the sun's
outer layers. The so-called path of totality refers to the region on the ground
where the total eclipse will be visible. The moon's shadow will move across the
U.S. from west to east. At any point on the ground, the sun will be totally
obscured by the moon for a maximum of about 2.5 minutes. But each high-speed
aircraft will bump that time up to just over 3 minutes, because they will be
able to chase the moon's shadow and briefly extend the duration of totality
observed. However, the shadow will move at more than three times the speed of
sound (2,400 mph, or 3,900 km/h), much faster than the bombers can hope to keep
up with. The two planes will fly in formation, separated by about 50 nautical
miles, Tsang said. As the first plane flies out of the path of the eclipse, the
second should just enter it, creating back-to-back observations of the corona.

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Martin B-57 Canberra

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Martin_B-57_Canberra

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.

The B-57 Canberra holds the distinction of being the first jet bomber in U.S.
service to drop bombs during combat. The Canberra was used extensively during
the Vietnam War in a bombing capacity; dedicated versions of the type were also
produced and served as high-altitude aerial reconnaissance platforms (the Martin
RB-57D Canberra), and as electronic warfare aircraft. The B-57 Canberra was also
sold to export customers abroad, further combat use was seen by the Pakistani
Air Force during the Second Kashmir War and the Indo-Pakistani War of 1971.

In 1983, the USAF opted to retire the type; the B-57 Canberra's retirement
marked the ending of the era of the tactical bomber that had its beginning with
the British World War I De Havilland DH-4 bomber. The three remaining
flightworthy WB-57Fs are technically assigned to the NASA Johnson Space Center,
next to Ellington Field in Houston, as high-altitude scientific research
aircraft, but are also used for testing and communications in the U.S. and
Afghanistan.


Role
Tactical bomber

Manufacturer
Martin

First flight
20 July 1953

Introduction
1954

Retired
1983 (USAF)
1985 (Pakistan)

Status
Retired from military service; 3 in use by NASA

Primary users
United States Air Force
Pakistan Air Force
Republic of China Air Force

Number built
403

Unit cost

US$1.26 million (B-57B)


Developed from
English Electric Canberra

Variants
Martin RB-57D Canberra

Developed into
Martin/General Dynamics RB-57F Canberra

Specifications (B-57B)

General characteristics
Crew: 2 (pilot,navigator )
Length: 65 ft, 6 in (20.0 m)
Wingspan: 64 ft 0 in (19.5 m)
Height: 14 ft 10 in (4.52 m)
Wing area: 960 ft² (89 m²)
Empty weight: 27,090 lb (12,285 kg)
Loaded weight: 40,345 lb (18,300 kg)
Max. takeoff weight: 53,720 lb (24,365 kg)
*Zero-lift drag coefficient: 0.0119
Drag area: 11.45 ft² (1.06 m²)
Aspect ratio: 4.27
Powerplant: 2 × Wright J65-W-5 turbojets, 7,220 lbf (32.1 kN) each

Performance
Maximum speed: Mach 0.79 (598 mph, 960 km/h) at 2,500 ft (760 m)
Cruise speed: 476 mph (414 knots, 765 km/h)
Stall speed: 124 mph (108 knots, 200 km/h)
Combat radius: 950 mi (825 nm, 1,530 km) with 5,250 lb (2,380 kg) of bombs
Ferry range: 2,720 mi (2,360 nm, 4,380 km)
Service ceiling: 45,100 ft (13,745 m)
Rate of climb: 6,180 ft/min (31.4 m/s)
Wing loading: 42 lb/ft² (205 kg/m²)
Thrust/weight: 0.36

Lift-to-drag ratio: 15.0

Armament

Guns: 4× 20 mm (0.787 in) M39 cannon, 290 rounds/gun
Bombs: 4,500 lb (2,000 kg) in bomb bay, including nuclear bombs
2,800 lb (1,300 kg) on four external hardpoints, including unguided rockets


Avionics

APW-11 Bombing Air Radar Guidance System
SHORAN bombing system
APS-54 Radar Warning Receiver






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