In the 1960s, as the Cold War spurred hundreds of rapid advancements in military technology, the world’s first operational supersonic bomber, the Convair B-58 Hustler, flew ahead of all others.

The Hustler pushed the limits of speed with its four turbojet engines, achieving Mach 2 at altitudes of 64,000 feet, with the ability to deliver nuclear payloads with precise accuracy.

That is, when flown right. Mastering the Convair Hustler proved to be much harder than it seemed. The model demanded the highest skill and focus from its crew, equipped with complex systems that could be as challenging as they were advanced. Isolated in their separate compartments, communication was often reduced to mere hand signals or rudimentary note-passing.

The faster it went, the harder it was to control, and even small errors could have dire consequences. Despite the razor-thin margin between triumph and disaster, to the Strategic Air Command crews, just attempting to fly this groundbreaking once-in-a-lifetime aircraft was worth it.

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