The Martin B-57 Canberra was a United States-built, twin jet engine tactical bomber and reconnaissance aircraft, which entered service with the United States Air Force (USAF) in 1953. The B-57 was a licence-built version of the English Electric Canberra, although the Glenn L. Martin Company later modified the design to produce several unique variants.
The retirement in 1983 of the B-57 ended the era of the tactical bomber that had its beginning with the World War I De Havilland DH-4. The last two remaining flight worthy WB-57Fs are technically assigned to the NASA Johnson Space Center, adjacent to Ellington Field, Houston as high altitude scientific research aircraft, but are also used in a testing and war-fighting capability in both the U.S. and Middle East, specifically Afghanistan.
Read more about Martin B-57 Canberra: Development, Operational History, Variants, Operators, Aircraft On Display, Specifications (B-57B)
Famous quotes containing the word martin:
“Here’s a wing [laughs]. What do you like, the leg or the wing, Henry, or do you still go for the old hearts and lungs?”
—Nicholas Pileggi, U.S. screenwriter, and Martin Scorsese. Tommy DeVito (Joe Pesci)