| rdfs:comment | - The Boeing Model 450 B-47 Stratojet was a long-range, six-engined, jet-powered strategic bomber designed to fly at high subsonic speeds and at high altitudes to avoid enemy interception. The B-47's mission was primarily to drop nuclear bombs on the Soviet Union. With its engines carried in pods under the swept wing, the B-47 was a major innovation in post-World War II combat jet design, and helped lead to modern jet airliners.
- The idea for the B-47 began with a 1943 requirement set by the the United States Army Air Force for a jet-powered bomber and reconnaissance aircraft. Designs were submitted by Boeing, Martin, Convair, and North American, and all four were awarded contracts in 1944. Boeing's final design, the Model 450, took in to consideration research done by Germany during World War II on the benefits of swept-back wings, and used six TG-180 turbojet engines mounted under the wings. The USAAF ordered two prototypes of this model in
|
| abstract | - The idea for the B-47 began with a 1943 requirement set by the the United States Army Air Force for a jet-powered bomber and reconnaissance aircraft. Designs were submitted by Boeing, Martin, Convair, and North American, and all four were awarded contracts in 1944. Boeing's final design, the Model 450, took in to consideration research done by Germany during World War II on the benefits of swept-back wings, and used six TG-180 turbojet engines mounted under the wings. The USAAF ordered two prototypes of this model in 1946, naming it the XB-47. It first flew on December 17th, 1947, and was largely successful. Production began in 1950, and the B-47 entered service in June, 1951. The B-47 never saw active combat, at least in its bomber role. It suffered from unreliable avionics, was difficult to take off and land, and experienced a number of stress fractures in its wing mounts that led to crashes. However, the Stratojet did see service in a number of other areas, particularly in reconnaissance. During the Cold War, RB-47s flew many surveillance missions over the USSR, and were even fired upon on occasion. Several were shot down, but their superior speed usually allowed them to escape the Soviet interceptors. The B-47 was completely retired by 1977, replaced by the B-52 Stratofortress and B-58 Hustler in the bomber role and by the Boeing RC-135 in the reconnaissance role.
- The Boeing Model 450 B-47 Stratojet was a long-range, six-engined, jet-powered strategic bomber designed to fly at high subsonic speeds and at high altitudes to avoid enemy interception. The B-47's mission was primarily to drop nuclear bombs on the Soviet Union. With its engines carried in pods under the swept wing, the B-47 was a major innovation in post-World War II combat jet design, and helped lead to modern jet airliners. The B-47 entered service with the United States Air Force's Strategic Air Command (SAC) in 1951. It never saw combat as a bomber, but was a mainstay of SAC's bomber strength during the 1950s and early 1960s, and remained in use as a bomber until 1965. It was also adapted to a number of other missions, including photo reconnaissance, electronic intelligence and weather reconnaissance, remaining in service as a reconnaissance platform until 1969 and as a testbed until 1977.
|
