EB-57B Canberra - Valparaiso, FL
N 30° 28.007 W 086° 33.707
16R E 542066 N 3370591
EB-57B S/N 52-1516 was last assigned to the 158th Fighter Wing, Vermont Air National Guard, Burlington, Vermont.
Waymark Code: WMH0QV
Location: Florida, United States
Date Posted: 05/03/2013
Views: 11
EB-57B S/N 52-1516 is marked as an aircraft of the 8th Bomb Squadron, 35th Tactical Fighter Wing, Phan Rang Air Base, South Vietnam. The aircraft carries the name of Capt. Forrest Adolph Dalton, 33, a resident of Fort Walton Beach, Florida, who was killed 4 April 1957 in the crash of an RB-57A-MA Canberra, 52-1434, 15 miles north of Vancleave, Mississippi due to engine failure.
In early 1951 the USAF selected the English Electric Canberra as a replacement for the aging Douglas B-26 Invader. Because English Electric was unable to meet the USAF delivery schedule, the design was licensed to Martin for U.S. manufacture.
Martin engineers kept the basic design of the Canberra B Mk 2 intact. There were, however, two significant changes. First, the engines were upgraded from 6,500-pound thrust Rolls-Royce Avon turbojets to Armstrong-Siddeley "Sapphires" with 7,200 pounds thrust. The Sapphire engines were also licensed for U.S. manufacture -- in this case, Wright built them under the J65 designation. The second major design change was the elimination of one crewman. The B-57A carried only a pilot and engineer.
The EB-57B was an electronic reconnaissance conversion of the B-57B. Like the EB-57A, the basic mission of the EB-57B was to fly aggressor missions against the North American continent. The aircraft used electronic jamming equipment along with chaff dispensers mounted on wing pylons to attempt to penetrate US and Canadian airspace by evading detection by ground based radar stations and airborne interceptor aircraft. During a typical training mission, the Air Defense Command ground controllers had to identify the incoming threat and direct jets to intercept the EB-57B.
The EB-57B gradually replaced the EB-57A because it carried more advanced electronics and was generally a more capable aircraft. The B model aircraft were in turn replaced by the improved EB-57E starting in the mid to late 1960s. The EB-57B continued to serve with the Air National Guard throughout the 1970s.
Type of Aircraft: (make/model): EB-57B Canberra
Tail Number: (S/N): 52-1516
Construction:: original aircraft
Location (park, airport, museum, etc.): USAF Armament Museum
inside / outside: outside
Access restrictions:
The plane is one of 25 located outside the USAF Armament Museum just off Eglin AFB. There is no fence around the museum so the outdoor planes are accessible every day.
Other Information:: Not listed
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Visit Instructions:
Photo of aircraft (required - will be interesting to see if the aircraft is ever repainted or progress if being restored)
Photo of serial number (required unless there is not one or it is a replica)
Photo(s) of any artwork on the aircraft (optional but interesting)
Tell why you are visiting this waymark along with any other interesting facts or personal experiences about the aircraft not already mentioned.