B-58 Hustler

[Archangel]

Along with what mossie said but different. Just add some AIM-47s or AIM-78(?)s for use as an intercepter version. Paint it in ADC grey and have it use either the F-14s radar or the one from the A-12.

[Archibald]

Satellite-launcher Hustler, now that's an idea!
you'll need FBW to improve handlings, and of course canards would be obvious.

Go an idea now, albeit a bit expensive.

Butcher two Italeri SR-71's, chop their whole engines nacelles and hang them on B-58 wing pylons. 

Then fit a X-15 on the belly instead of the pod.

This would look terrific!

[Rafael]

......Archi, that's cool!!!!

Or, hang one big Pegasus satellite launcher and leave its L-1011mothership at home

Rafa

[GTX]

Or keeping to the same theme, simply put a Lockheed D-21 underneath.

Regards,

Greg

[Archibald]

There would be a lot of interesting things to hang below such machine.
X-planes, satellites launchers, drone, and so on. Let's the madness start!!

Could be interesting to built two variants of this machine, one with 2*J58, other with four engines.
the twin-engine variant would be a F-106 replacement 
The four engine would be a bomber or a mothership.
Both would look terrific...

SR-71' engine nacelles rocks!!

[Rafael]

What about putting a ScramJet engine, like the one tested on an SR-71as part of the the Hyper-X program as a supplemental high-mach propulsion?

Rafa

[Archibald]

It was the X-33' Aerospike rocket motor, at least a subscale model of it.
Btw a Hustler with a rocket-motor in the tail would be cool.

What a nice concept we have here! 
A B-58 with 4*J-58 turboramjets, a rocket motor (to be defined) in the tail, and a high-speed vehicle hanged below... i really have to build that one day...

This rocket motor could be a RL-10, the first cryogenic rocket-motor ever flown.
then the J*58 turboramjets would need, too, to use liquid hydrogen. Then there's  Lockheed "Sutan" studies... low-temp hydrogen could be use to cool the structure of the aircraft at high speeds!

The 2*J-58 variant could have bendix Eagle AAMs "borrowed" from Anigrand Missileer... in fact the Eagles would replace J-79s on the external wing pylons.
again, what an interceptor this would be! 

[Jeffry Fontaine]

A B-58 with 4*J-58 turboramjets

Considering the size of the A-12/F-12/SR-71 engine nacelles in the 1/48th scale kit when placed under the wings of the B-58, it might be prudent to consider using the engine nacelles from a 1/72nd scale kit instead on your 1/48th scale B-58/J58 hot rod.  They would still look quite impressive but would not take up as much space under the wing.  The argument would be that as the techonology developed/matured, it was determined that a smaller verion of the J58 could be created that could provide the same type of performance with a smaller engine core.  Now if you are doing this in 1/72nd scale, you are going to be hard pressed to find suitable parts that would represent a similar size engine so you would probably have to go with parts from the 1/72nd scale YF-12/SR-71 kits and call it a day. 

My idea for using the 72nd scale parts on the 48th scale kit are based on the amount of space that would be occupied by the engines under the wings, there would not be much room left over for any additional pylons for weapons or pods to be practical and the area under the fuselage is still reserved for the big fuel tank pod and the four smaller weapons pylons at the rear of the fuselage.

For a long range interceptor, the AIM-47 Falcon and the AIM-54 Phoenix would be ideal.  There is sufficient space within the current radome and fuselage to allow for fitting of the radar and fire control system from the F-111B and F-14.  If you were looking for something more exotic, you could also consider the use of the AGM-78 and AGM-69 for attack missions.  The ASM-135 ASAT is far too long to allow four weapons to be placed on the aft weapon stations.  The ASM-135 is approximately twice as long as the B43 freefall bombs that were usually carried in that location.  So if you want to have your WHIF performing an ASAT mission it would be limited to two weapons in that location. 

One solution to the weapons carriage problem is to take a look at the AIM-54 Phoenix missile pallets that were carried by the F-14 under the fuselage (this idea is based on using the 1/48th scale B-58).  By adapting both 1/72nd scale and 1/48th scale Phoenix pallets to the B-58 you could double or triple your weapons load by using the Phoenix pallets as conformal weapons pylons.  These pallets could be attached at the fuselage/wing join along either side of the large fuel tank and it would give you at least four additional stations for carrying bombs or missiles which would give your WHIF B-58 some real credibility. 

[GTX]

I like the idea of a RAF B-58 (what would be a good name?) - probably as a TSR.2 replacement in the mid '60s.

What about a French B-58 as well - say that for whatever reason the Mirage IVA didn't proceed, maybe because it's range wasn't sufficient and the planned IVB was too expensive to develop, (as it was in the real world) - the result B-58s in Armée de l'Air colours.  Maybe initially with a free fall weapon later replaced/supplemented by a set of ASMPs?

Regards,

Greg

[Archangel]

I like the idea of a RAF B-58 (what would be a good name?) - probably as a TSR.2 replacement in the mid '60s.

What about a French B-58 as well - say that for whatever reason the Mirage IVA didn't proceed, maybe because it's range wasn't sufficient and the planned IVB was too expensive to develop, (as it was in the real world) - the result B-58s in Armée de l'Air colours.  Maybe initially with a free fall weapon later replaced/supplemented by a set of ASMPs?

Regards,

Greg

Hustler BR. MK 1?

[Jeffry Fontaine]

What about a French B-58 as well - say that for whatever reason the Mirage IVA didn't proceed, maybe because it's range wasn't sufficient and the planned IVB was too expensive to develop, (as it was in the real world) - the result B-58s in Armée de l'Air colours.  Maybe initially with a free fall weapon later replaced/supplemented by a set of ASMPs?

I like the idea of a RAF B-58 (what would be a good name?) - probably as a TSR.2 replacement in the mid '60s. What about a French B-58 as well - say that for whatever reason the Mirage IVA didn't proceed, maybe because it's range wasn't sufficient and the planned IVB was too expensive to develop, (as it was in the real world) - the result B-58s in Armée de l'Air colours.  Maybe initially with a free fall weapon later replaced/supplemented by a set of ASMPs?

Hustler BR. MK 1?

Hustler B.1 or Hustler SR.1 for the Commonwealth versions?

The B-58 in AdA markings with the Mirage IV green/gray camouflage would be very interesting.  This could lead to a B-58F with RATO units under the fuselage and a couple of large drop tanks on either side of the free fall bomb mounted on the centerline.  Later versions could be modified to carry several ASMP for the strategic role.  Maybe a tactical version armed with Martel ARM or other conventional weapons. 

I remember reading about a proposal to use the Mirage IV as a tanker to refuel a second Mirage IV that would have continued on to the target.  The tanker version would have been fitted with a refueling store.  Is there any further information on this to indicate that it actually happend?  Perhaps a tanker version of the B-58 to perform the same role on a B-58 fitted with an IFR probe as well as the receptacle.  The large fuel pod could be modified to accomodate a hose/drogue unit at the aft end.

I have the parts in 1/48th scale but for those of you that are stocked up on Lancaster and Hustlers in 1/72nd scale.  Here is an idea for you to consider for your Hustler.  RAF Bomber Command Hustler BRS.1 fitted with a Grand Slam or Tall Boy weapon in place of the fuel pod.

How about a dedicated electronic warfare version armed with a special ARM version of the AGM-69 SRAM?

Another idea just came to mind that would involve kit bashing the engine pods from a Concorde or B-One with the B-58.  Since both of these are currently available in 1/144th and 1/72nd scale for the Concorde/Hustler bash and in 1/48th, 1/72nd, 1/144th scale for the B-One/Hustler bash (both of which would be an expensive undertaking in the larger scales).  The idea is to remove the currently pylon mounted engines from the B-58 and replace them with the paired up engine pods from a Concord or B-One.  The small details such as landing gear location might get in the way but hey, it was an idea.  No one said you had to build it   Another option might be to consider a scale-o-rama kit bash between a smaller scale B-58 with a single engine pod from the Concorde or B-One and mount it under the fuselage.  This would create a twin engine bomber aircraft with plenty of room on the wings for stores pylons to carry your favorite implements of death and destruction.  Again, just an idea that I felt was in need of further discussion. 

[Maverick]

I have to say I like the idea of a re-engined Hustler.  As I'm currently building one at the moment, I can't help but feel that the most ungainly part of the airframe are the rather ponderous engine pods (especially those inner units).  Faired in pods a'la the B-1 or Concorde would seem a nice touch.

As a minor note, a Commonwealth aircraft most likely wouldn't get a "SR" moniker.  Strat recon within the RAF has remained the domain of PR ships.

Regards,

Mav

[Mossie]

I've thought the same recentley Mav, an updated Hustler with the engines in underwing fairings, or even two more modern & powerful units in fairings at the base of the fin or fuse like the Tu-22.

[Aircav]

Could always fit a pair of podded engines (B-52 type) as on one of the early mock-ups.

[Archibald]

The B-58 looks one billion times better with such engine pods.