Forgotten Jets: B-45 Tornado

[Scott Rose]

The B-45 Tornado section of Forgotten Jets has been updated!

http://forgottenjets.warbirdsresourcegr ... /B-45.html

[Larry Kraus]

I just got a postcard from Robin Ginter about the just released book from Steve Ginter Books on the B-45. I’m sending them a check for a copy today. Since I’m on their mailing list for new titles I get a discount and pay $45.00. Pretty good deal.

http://www.ginterbooks.com/AIRFORCE/AFL224.htm

1ACFCAD8-09A2-4286-A1FC-B37C5C6E20EB by tanker622001, on Flickr

[Chris Brame]

Add for 47-014:
Carried nose art and name Space Ace.


Photo from Leon Cleaver (Woodsy Airfield) collection.

Photo of 47-059; earlier landing mishap:

(I think this came from eBay)

Is it a bit unusual that so many B-45s ended up being burned for fire-fighting training?

[JohnB]

Is it a bit unusual that so many B-45s ended up being burned for fire-fighting training?

My guess:
The '50 when they were disposed of was the prime time for bases to use old or damaged aircraft for fire training. Today, like most large civilian airports, they have purpose built aircraft looking things for the job.

The B-45s were large, available and they weren't needed for parts recovery or anything else.
So.....

Also, I seem to recall many were disposed of in Europe, saving the AF the trouble and cost of flying them back to D-M.

As a kid, I recall our base used a T-33 for awhile after it was damaged
beyond repair after its engine disintegrated during a run up and turbine blades punctured the aft fuselage.

Last edited by JohnB on Mon Jun 21, 2021 3:47 pm, edited 1 time in total.

[sandiego89]

Really is a largely forgotten type, I have seen all 3 survivors. The deep penetration flights into the Warsaw Pact are quite interesting and gutsy.

Thanks for the link on the Ginter book Larry, sure it will be the usual cracking book.

[ffuries]

Add for 47-014:
Carried nose art and name Space Ace.


Photo from Leon Cleaver (Woodsy Airfield) collection.

Photo of 47-059; earlier landing mishap:

B-45 47-059.jpg

(I think this came from eBay)

Is it a bit unusual that so many B-45s ended up being burned for fire-fighting training?

Space Ace.....Hmmm seems like they knew there would eventually be a Space Force!

[Tulio]

Is this a B-45?

The cockpitframing is different obviously.


Saludos



Tulio

Attachments

8eb256ba057d874e_large001.jpg (61.98 KiB) Viewed 3660 times

[Chris Brame]

Yep - B-45A 47-011. Short-lived per Baugher:

(47-)011 w/o in California Aug 27, 1948.

Doesn't match the history here though.

[sandiego89]

Is this a B-45?

The cockpit framing is different obviously.

Yes, BH-011 is a B-45. Canopy framing varied a bit between the variants, with more bracing in later variants (presume to higher altitude work). Believe this is an early B-45A.

[jdvoss]

Back in the mid-1950's my Air Explorer group had a one week encampment at Norton AFB, California. At the time Norton AFB was being utilized for an IRAN location (Inspect, Repair As Necessary) for the B-45. There were quite a number of them there (30+) and they were all from the U.K. and were all marked as the lead photo in this site. We had another encampment there the following year and they were gone and replaced by quite a number of KC-97's.

[Larry Kraus]

Some pages from the B-45A and C model Flight Manual (Part 1)

The Front Cover

5AB39D85-6EBC-419E-B22D-27657E44FAEA by tanker622001, on Flickr

General Arrangement

04ED6DC2-BF2C-4C75-A1CA-E8A54D1409C6 by tanker622001, on Flickr

Pilot’s Compartment with numbered key on following page

B3F259EA-7D8B-47E8-AAB7-04FC0161FA00 by tanker622001, on Flickr

89312B77-B4F0-4CD7-999D-019BD4216C68 by tanker622001, on Flickr

Pilot’s Control Pedstal with key on following page

C0B00B61-D0EB-4A1B-9061-A9C106911BF5 by tanker622001, on Flickr

4D5A1977-7466-4F4C-8555-0CFC09A043F4 by tanker622001, on Flickr

Pilot’s Station Right Side

4F3F1DC5-2565-4959-85ED-C070A2465934 by tanker622001, on Flickr

Co-Pilot’s Station Right Side

5515DEA3-29C6-4F7E-9357-A4EA5BCF25BF by tanker622001, on Flickr

Co-Pilot’s Station Left Side

3EBC3F1D-1B32-4E11-9B75-35B8CC6DD97F by tanker622001, on Flickr

Co-Pilot’s Station Forward

61FAA858-B6C8-4EE7-8CD5-9D1161474F75 by tanker622001, on Flickr

[Larry Kraus]

Some Pages. from the B-45A and C Model Flight Manual (Part 2)

Bombardier-Navigator’s Compartment Right Side

AFDEF48E-F3D5-4346-9146-EEA76056D71F by tanker622001, on Flickr

Left Side

178DB8DA-8D8D-41BA-8BE0-6F0303193C90 by tanker622001, on Flickr

Rear View

B7D749A9-6057-4776-B608-2808BB7F1392 by tanker622001, on Flickr

Tail Cabin Left Side

D6EB92F9-7B07-4305-8C4E-C2BF359B5EFF by tanker622001, on Flickr

06F727C6-3EDD-43CF-9ABF-93FDD725DB2A by tanker622001, on Flickr

Emergency Equipment

17133D37-2FF9-4F05-B57A-FF5A1B3BCBA7 by tanker622001, on Flickr

Emergency Exits

33F81C71-6323-4C20-B2AB-F32C2DB9E2F7 by tanker622001, on Flickr

Ejection Seat Operation

F8C65E0E-F899-43D8-AB32-DB98001DFF01 by tanker622001, on Flickr

Ditching Positions

517D03F2-9F5B-46BB-88C1-EC9B8A5B711B by tanker622001, on Flickr

[Larry Kraus]

Some Pages From the RB-45C Flight Manual showing differences from Bomber version

388D1A5C-7C0E-4418-A94C-9B1F5612D694 by tanker622001, on Flickr

General Arrangement

3F2D16F4-02CF-4812-AF47-12645DB36CFE by tanker622001, on Flickr

Photographic Equipment

FA27304B-D480-4FF7-B2AF-6EEA104B6F2F by tanker622001, on Flickr

Photo-Navigator’s Compartment looking forward with keys on next page

88373CFD-A102-4111-A6E9-6760F26DD74B by tanker622001, on Flickr

7E250E4D-9EBC-4116-85A8-CD97A3D0FB8E by tanker622001, on Flickr

Photo-Navigator’s Compartment right side

B8F8399E-4C43-45EF-8A81-29BBEEC9ADBC by tanker622001, on Flickr

Photo-Navigator’s Compartment left side

DFB1CEC0-774B-4592-A4A7-6E9AEF5DE56F by tanker622001, on Flickr

Photo-Navigator’s Compartment looking aft

9E419B01-06C9-4AF2-AAA1-4D787319994B by tanker622001, on Flickr

Tail Compartment looking aft

4C874225-94AD-4816-A0C3-30EB90F7C954 by tanker622001, on Flickr

Tail Compartment left side

0598B8F7-77CD-4D7B-A7B4-7CB384B66170 by tanker622001, on Flickr

Tail Compartment right side

19E43537-BDE6-4B27-9F03-B5D5B296FECA by tanker622001, on Flickr

[JohnB]

This prompts me to ask a question...if anyone can give an educated opinion...

Books often refer to it as a WWII type with jets, meaning the technology in it has more in common with say, a Douglas B-26, as opposed to the F-86 or a post-war groundbreaking design.

Accurate?

[Chris Brame]

From the virtual cockpit tour of the NMUSAF's example, 48-010:

Note the last item on the preflight checklist

Some photos from 2016; it's a bit hemmed in but I did my best. Scott, feel free to use them: