Congratulations to Aaron Christensen, Gary Malee, Matt McCormick and William W.Wilson.
They each correctly identified February's Name That Plane as the North American B-45 Tornado.
| The B-45 was the first American four-engine jet bomber to fly and the first USAF jet bomber to go into production. Work on the design of the "Tornado" began during WW II and the first B-45 made its initial flight on March 17, 1947. B-45s remained in USAF operational use from 1948 until 1958. |
| North American built a total of 142 B-45s including 10 long-range B-45Cs with wingtip fuel tanks and 33 RB-45s configured for high altitude photo reconnaissance. Some RB-45Cs flew combat missions during the Korean Conflict. |
| In 1952, using in-flight refueling, two RB-45Cs made the first nonstop trans-Pacific flight by multi-engine jet bombers. In flying the 3,640 miles from Alaska to Japan in 9 hours and 50 minutes, one of the pilots won the Mackay Trophy for the most meritorious flight of that year. |
| The aircraft on display was returned to the USAF by Pratt & Whitney Aircraft Division to which it had been on loan for engine testing purposes. It was flown to the Museum in 1971. It is painted in the markings of the 47th Bomb Group (Light) based in England in 1952-55. |
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SPECIFICATIONS
Span: 89 ft. Length: 75 ft. 4 in. Height: 25 ft. 2 in. Weight: 110,000 lbs. max. Armament: Two .50-cal. machine guns in the tail; 22,000 lbs. of bombs Engines: Four General Electric J47s of 6,000 lbs. thrust ea. Cost: $1,081,000 Serial Number: 48-010 C/N: 153-38486
PERFORMANCE
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