Nasa's WB-57 takes to the air again after 41 years grounded.
 

You cannot keep a canberra down and NASA have just regenerated a third WB-57 to add to the fleet.

See link for more and stunning pictures.

NASA?s new WB-57F, N927NA, flies for the first time in 41 years | GAR

When the MRCA (Tornado eventually) was running further and further behind schedule, the acronym became Must Refurbish Canberras Again. I presume crosswind technique is crab; wing-down would be "interesting".

Something going on in the Sandbox we want to know about?


Martin/General Dynamics RB-57F Canberra - Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia

Despite the antenna various, change of engine, there's just no mistaking the pedigree of this aircraft. Nice to know that not everything British is gone.

Smudge:ok:

Maybe these guys could tap NASA for some cash to help them...

http://www.facebook.com/pages/WJ574-...143?ref=stream

Nice to see the old lady airborne again - you cannot keep a good one down. Lot of dust in the air....................

Just remember it is a NASA asset being used for weather research.

http://area51specialprojects.com/u-2...e/u2a_naca.jpg

(Note in the haste to do the phony photo shoot without making it too obvious that the airbase didn't exist, someone seems to have installed the pogos backwards.)

Seems they never really quit flying.......as there were Ops out of Kbar and other places quite recently. (much less than 40+ years anyway).

Yes they have two current and have just added the third :)

Battlefield Airborne Communications Node (BACN)
 

Plenty of articles on the internet about the BACN equipment it can carry:

The Aviationist » NASA?s WB-57F BACN ?flying gateway? once again heading to Afghanistan

Monster Machines: Why Are The Most Vital Aircraft In The USAF Arsenal Owned By NASA? | Gizmodo Australia

For anyone that is interested, there is lots of info and some great pics on the official NASA website:

WB-57 Home

Departure from Mildenhall:


Departure from Nellis AFB:

Takin' off, looks like Angel of the North!

Nice to see.

Now I just have to pose a question......which need not be answered if One does not want the NSA, FBI, CIA, and IRS digging into your underwear.....but just what does the B-57 platform do that a modified Drone can not? If they can loiter a drone above the Battlefield for pushing 24 hours at a time....then it would follow it would be far cheaper, more effective, and not risk a two man crew to accomplish the mission.

The discuss a Camera Pod....but discuss Comm Node....which suggests there is some looking and talking going on....along with some photography and SigInt work too.

I have always felt one needs to consider known capabilities then figure out what niche isn't being covered.

I saw that first hand in Somalia when a very odd looking airplane got rolled out of a hangar by some folks who were not there. That added to the P-3, AC-130, and other assets that were there every night.

Official comments reported that particular kind of Airplane had gone out of service very shortly after Vietnam folded but what a surprise to discover it had not.

So....just what is NASA up to in Kandahar these days?

Yup, that N registered King Aire always had my attention at Mog.

Wasn't the King Air.....but had a Bell 212 that worked with it....SAR backup. Hid in the old 160th Hanger.

I recall a brief detachment of an RB-57F to Tengah in the late 60s, not least because it was at one of the Det parties that I met my first wife :(

Watching the takeoff was interesting - not on full power, presumably in case of singe engine failure, and then at about 500' the full-power climb at an incredible angle and relatively slow speed.

Nice to see the videos of an aircraft that lasted much longer than that marriage :cool:

Edit ... Just found a photo of it, whilst looking for something else!
https://picasaweb.google.com/britbra...97148533735922

Not a lot of EE Canberra left in that methinks . . .

Something weird and wonderful, such as the Lockeed YO-3A?

Beags.....not sure it was an "A" model.

Oh, one of THOSE things. The ones that are not made in Switzerland, despite the name, nudge nudge wink wink.

Lovely videos - all noise and smoke.