Martin/General Dynamics RB-57F Canberra
The Martin/General Dynamics RB-57F Canberra is a specialized strategic reconnaissance aircraft developed in the 1960s for the United States Air Force by General Dynamics from the Martin B-57 Canberra tactical bomber, which itself was a license-built version of the English Electric Canberra. It was operationally assigned to the Air Weather Service for weather reconnaissance involving high-altitude atmospheric sampling and radiation detection in support of nuclear test monitoring, but four of the 21 modified aircraft performed solely as strategic reconnaissance platforms in Japan and Germany.
| RB-57F Canberra | |
|---|---|
| Martin/General Dynamics RB-57F October 1978 (NASA 928) | |
| Role | Reconnaissance |
| Manufacturer | Martin; Re-manufactured by General Dynamics |
| First flight | 23 June 1963 |
| Introduction | 1963 |
| Retired | 1974 (USAF) |
| Status | 3 still used by NASA as of 2021 |
| Primary users | United States Air Force Pakistan Air Force NASA |
| Number built | 21 |
| Developed from | Martin B-57 Canberra |
Three of the modified aircraft were destroyed with the loss of their crews while performing operationally. The remainder were re-designated WB-57F in 1968. Four of the survivors were subsequently used by NASA for high-altitude atmospheric research. The others were retired from 1972 to 1974 and placed in storage.
As of 2021, three WB-57Fs are the only B-57 aircraft model still flying, in service with NASA.