XB-45 Tornado

Flight Journal, Feb 2005 by Bodie, Warren M

A Pioneer Among Jet Bombers

WE HAVE ALL HEARD of the "fork in the road" as being significant, if not of major significance, in defining the direction ot life and consequences. Fortunately for the USAAF Bomber Command and the 8th Fighter Command, the difficulties involved in tho development of Germany's rocket-plane and jet fighters were exacerbated bv Hitler's dictatorship method of governance. When he witnessed a demonstration of tho Me 262 V6 development jet on November 26, 1943, his enthusiasm was great, but he insisted that it be converted entirely for bombardment assignments. This was the wrong fork in the road, and as a result, its development was-greatly inhibited. After a June 7, 1944 meeting, Hitler was compelled to relent, but it was too late.

On July 28, 1944, the first Me 1638 fighter Staffel (1.JG 400) was sighted by eight 359th FG P-51D pilots as they escorted American bombers. Gen. Kepner (the top man in the 8th Fighter Command) immediately issued a warning bulletin about the threat. The German use of such planes had a serious effect on the Pentagon staff: U.S. thoughts about creating' a medium and heavy all-jet bomber force began to rapidly evolve. At the time, the only light bomber was the Douglas X6-43, and it was only a development bird. North American Aviation's proposal for the XB-45 medium bomber was selected in a competition with Consoiidated-Vultee's XB-46. In the heavy-bomber category, Boeing's XB-47 stormed over Martin's more conventional entry.

On March 7, 1947, the XB-45 Tornado No. 1, with test pilot George Krebs at the controls, took off from Muroc Army Air Base in California. Tthe world's first four-jet-engine medium bomber was powered by General Electric TG-180 axial-flow jet-engines that had been tested in the XB-43 twin-jet light bomber. It had a "low gross weight" of approximately 70,000 pounds; on its initial flight, the Tornado was about six times heavier than a fully loaded German Arado Ar 234. The two XB-45s built by NAA were more compact than the beautiful XB-46, and they were easier to produce and maintain than their sleek competitor.

The initial production B-45A-1-NAs were powered by Allison-built J-35A versions of the GE TG-180, both rated at 4,000 pounds of static thrust. Only 22 of the B-45A-1 models were delivered; they were succeeded in production by B-45A-5-NA versions equipped with GE J-47 engines that produced 5,200 pounds of static thrust. A total of 74 A-5 models flowed from the former Douglas, Long Beach., California, plant before an improved C model followed. The C versions were constructed to fly at a much higher gross weight and featured two giant 1,200-gallon wingtip tanks. The bomber version was later redeveloped into the RB-45C recon-bomber with excellent range capability.

Warren M. Bodie

widewing@dnet.net