On November 11, 1956, the Convair XB-58 Hustler made its first flight. Photographed next to it is the Convair XB-36 Peacemaker.
"'We planned a first flight that was the epitome of simplicity,' Erickson recalled. 'We flew without the bomb pod that is part of the basic airplane. We were not yet authorized to fly with it. The airplane had two basic fuel tanks, a small 4500-gallon front tank and a main tank. We elected to use only the front tank. The main tank was empty. The configuration of the fuel system remained unchanged during the flight. The fuel pumps feeding the engines were on and they would stay on. No valve was actuated. The powerplants were fully operative, including the afterburners. But we did not use the afterburners. Configured for a return component [flying without a bomb pod], the airplane's weight was so small that it did not require afterburner. But they were available for an emergency. We had faith in the landing gear. And we retracted it, but not until everything else was lovely, and we were at 20,000 feet."
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