Years In Service: 1948-1959
Initial Flight: March 17, 1947
The B-45 was the first American four-engine jet bomber to fly; the first American production jet bomber; the first jet bomber capable of carrying an atomic bomb; and the first multi-jet reconnaissance aircraft to refuel in mid-air. It was also the first jet bomber of the NATO Alliance, which was formed in 1949. The B-45 served in the Korean War in which it provided its value as a bomber and as a reconnaissance aircraft.
Aircraft Specifications
Height: 25′ 2″ Wingspan: 89′ Length: 75′ 4″ Crew: 4 Armament: Two .50 Caliber machine guns Payload: 22,000 lbs. of conventional or nuclear bombs No. of Engines: 4 Thrust: 6,000 lbs. Range: 1,000 miles Max Speed: 570 mph Ceiling: 37, 550 ft.