NASA WB-57F No. 926 & 928

[NebrPatch]

When I found this patch on ebay, little did I realize that NASA was still flying 2 WB-57F models for high altitude research projects. Since they have the long wings of the "R" series, they are able to fly at 60,000 ft. and the pilots must wear pressure suits. The WB-57F program is based at Ellington Field, Texas.

 

Here's a link to a video: http://vimeo.com/1559718

 

Tom

[gwb123]

Interesting. Strange looking bird, especially from the front with that wide wingspan.

[benguttery]

While doing some work around Ellington, I've seen one of these takeoff. They are quite impressive and unmistakable. Their ability to climb resembles the U-2. I believe these were both former USAF B-57s that have been converted over the years several times. NASA has a good web site on this too.

[Plant#4]

I believe these WBs were converted from RB-57Fs that General Dynamics, at Fort Worth, retrofitted (from E models) in the mid 1960s. 126 foot wing span with 2000 square feet, larger vertical stabilizer, and a pair of TF100's. Cost a lot of money back then, about 12 million each or so. One cool and odd plane.

[Russ Hall]

Hi, my First post on this web site (if I made any mistakes concerning my posting let me know-I am new at this)

There is a good PDF of the WB-57F, https://web.archive.org/web/20111015151238/http://jsc-aircraft-ops.jsc.nasa.gov/wb57/docs/AOD_33890.pdf

 

And I have some more interesting info about the WB-57F from research I did on a patch collection I bought, and possible missions during the Afghan War and what USAF units were involved

(Note: I didn't list all my sources in this posting)

USAF airman patch set

 Airman Second Class rank insignia (A1C, E3) (used patches).

 

Trained with the 17th Training Wing of the USAF Education & Training Command, at Goodfellow Air Force Base, Texas  (both used patches).

 

 

Probably deployed to Afghanistan War with the 7th EACCS, 1st Special Operations Wing, 1st Special Operations Command, Air Force ISR Agency, probably for 2-4 years between 2006 and 2012, based at Al Udeid Air Base, Qatar  (all five used patches).

 

 

And probably worked with the 30th Intelligence Squadron (unused).

 

 

Probably sat in front of a terminal  processing intel  gathered by the WB-57F (and other aircraft), the an unmarked 57F probably flew ISR missions over Afghanistan 2006-07 and 2010-11 for the USAF (both new NASA patches).

  

 

And worked with the Blue Devil Block 1 (? new or used patches)

The BDB1 as deployed in Afghanistan 2010-12, probably aboard a Beechcraft C90, or Boeing E-8C Joint Stars, or  WB-57E. 

The Blue Devil system is an event-driven wide-area surveillance and high definition camera, coupled with signal intelligence (SIGINT) cueing for tracking individuals and alerting blue forces for immediate action. The system was developed in 2 blocks, with Block 1 being mounted on a Beechcraft C90 fixed-wing aircraft or unmanned aerial vehicles (deployed to Afghanistan 2010-12), and Block 2 being mounted on an aerostat (blimp) built by Mav6 (never completed).