Convair B-58 Hustler — Flight Manual Collection
The Convair B-58 Hustler was the world's first operational supersonic strategic bomber, engineered to cruise at Mach 2.0 at 40,000 feet — a performance envelope that demanded an entirely new category of flight documentation. This collection brings together five original USAF Technical Order publications covering the full operational and variant spectrum of the B-58 program, from the definitive 1969 flight manual to the earliest 1959 utility handbook for the prototype YB/RB-58A.
These are primary-source documents — not reconstructions, not summaries. Original factory and Air Force publications, preserved and structured for researchers, historians, restorers, and serious aviation collectors.
📋 Document Manifest
| T.O. Number | Document Title | Variant | Date |
|---|---|---|---|
| T.O. 1B-58A-1 | Flight Manual — B-58A | B-58A (Production) | 28 March 1969 |
| T.O. 1B-58A-1-1 | Supplement Flight Manual — Performance Data | B-58A (Production) | 13 May 1966 |
| T.O. 1B-58A-1 | Flight Manual — B/RB-58A | B/RB-58A (Reconnaissance) | 28 August 1959 / Changed 27 November 1959 |
| T.O. 1B-58(T)A-1 | Partial Flight Manual — TB-58A | TB-58A (Trainer) | 10 May 1968 / Changed 28 March 1969 |
| T.O. 1B-58(Y)A-1 | Utility Flight Manual — YB/RB-58A | YB/RB-58A (Prototype, YJ79-5 / J79-5 engines) | 22 May 1959 |
✈️ Aircraft Overview
- Manufacturer: Convair (General Dynamics), Fort Worth, Texas
- Role: Supersonic strategic bomber, USAF Strategic Air Command
- Powerplant: 4 × General Electric J79-GE-5A afterburning turbojets — 10,000 lbf dry / 15,600 lbf with afterburner each
- Maximum Speed: Mach 2.0 (1,319 mph) at 40,000 ft
- Service Ceiling: 63,400 ft (19,300 m)
- Initial Rate of Climb: 17,400 ft/min at maximum gross weight
- Maximum Takeoff Weight: 176,890 lb (80,240 kg)
- Wing: 60° leading-edge delta, NACA 0003.46-64.069 root / NACA 0004.08-63 tip profiles
- Production: 116 airframes built; retired 1970
📐 Engineering Context
The B-58's radical delta-wing configuration, wasp-waist fuselage (Area Rule implementation), and droppable centerline weapons pod created one of the most complex aerodynamic and handling envelopes in USAF history. The aircraft landed at 12° angle of attack without flaps, required a continuous automated fuel-transfer system to manage center-of-gravity migration between subsonic and supersonic flight, and demanded augmented stability systems throughout its operational life. These manuals document that complexity in full — as it was understood and managed by the crews who flew it.
This is an archival, static-copy edition fixed at its original publication date. Intended for historical reference, flight simulation, museum restoration, and educational use only. Not approved for active airworthiness maintenance under FAA 14 CFR § 43.13, EASA Part-M, or equivalent international regulations. Operators of active aircraft must use current, revision-controlled publications from the Type Certificate holder or an authorized distributor.
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