The United States and Germany were the pioneers
of aircraft during World War 2, including innovations with an incredible arsenal of
weapon systems. As the war drew close to the end, the Luftwaffe
launched the first jet-powered bomber, the Arado Ar 234, in a last effort to turn the
tide of the war. The Americans immediately began to work on
a bomber with similar capabilities. The B45 Tornado was produced by North American
Aviation, but the war ended before their prototype was tested in combat. Still, it would eventually achieve several
firsts during its operational service. The B45 was the first four-engine jet bomber
to fly, and the first to refuel in mid-air. It was also the first jet bomber to enter
service with the United States Air Force, and the first capable of carrying a nuclear
weapon. Incidentally, it was also the first jet bomber
to be successfully shot down by a jet fighter... A World War II Initiative Air dominance became extremely important during
the various fronts of World War II. Without valuable air support, infantry formations
and armored units were often unable to advance through enemy territory without suffering
heavy casualties. Besides their dogfighting capabilities, aircraft
were also used to drop bomb loads over static and moving objects, spot enemy divisions,
pillboxes, secret facilities, and many other valuable tactical objectives in their reconnaissance
roles. The astonishing development and evolution
from the clunky and primitive aircraft that saw service during the four years of World
War 1 was a combat-changer. As with armored vehicles and tanks, warfare
was never the same after aircraft saw an immense evolution following World War I. German theorists
prioritized speed, momentum, and a never-before-seen scale of continuous and unstoppable offensives. They baptized this new doctrine as the Blitzkrieg. Nevertheless, the German technological superiority
considerably diminished as the war raged on. The escalating destruction of German factories
and economic facilities caused by Allied bombings took a hefty toll across the country. Additionally, the Reich’s enemies began
developing aircraft that would exceed the performance of many produced by the Luftwaffe. And they would not show mercy until Germany
surrendered. One of the Reich Air Ministry’s last attempts
to support the war effort and try to change its outcome was to direct their scarce resources
into the production of jet-powered bomber aircraft that could deliver its payloads before
being shot down. The Arado Ar 234 Blitz eventually came to
be, and it was the first jet-powered bomber produced in the world. The Ar 234 had a maximum speed of 480 miles
per hour and an approximate range of 1,240 miles. It was almost impossible to intercept by existing
aircraft, and American and British fighters were left to wander in the skies. Fortunately for the Allies, only a handful
of Ar 234s were produced because of the deteriorating Reich’s economy. The few that were thrown into duty served
mainly on reconnaissance roles, and the US Army Air Corps was able to catch a breath. An American Response After the German Arado Ar 234 Blitz wreaked
havoc in the skies, the United States War Department required an aircraft that could
withstand it. In October of 1944, the Army Air Forces issued
a mission-need statement to American manufacturers for a bomber similar to the Arado. Besides its jet propulsion requirement, the
light-bomber aircraft required a gross weight between 80,000 and 200,000 pounds. The outnumbered Luftwaffe was about to collapse
under American, British, and Soviet air superiority, but it still posed a threat to the slow-moving
500-plus bomber formations that were decimating German cities. The Allied forces were about to break into
the heart of Germany, and anti-aircraft fire was rampant over the skies. A counter-measure was pressing, and the development
of the latest American aircraft was accelerated. Of all the manufacturers that submitted designs,
North American Aviation was granted the contract after presenting the NA-130 prototype. While its design was being further developed,
World War II came to an end. Hundreds of unfinished projects were canceled
while the focus turned to rebuild Europe. Still, the light-bomber project was only momentarily
halted. Europe was now divided into two blocks. The Soviet Union distanced itself from the
rest of the continent by creating a political boundary known as the Iron Curtain. This gave way to the Cold War and the nuclear
age. While the Soviets began to develop their own
atomic arsenal, the United States shifted its war priorities to develop aircraft capable
of swiftly delivering atomic bombloads in the case of emergencies. By mid-1946, the long-range strategic bombers
that the United States was planning to operate by the end of the year suffered unexpected
setbacks. The delay of the Boeing XB47 and the Martin
XB48 would now expose the country and its allies to a potential Soviet attack. This hold-up favored North American Aviation. On January 2, 1947, the US Air Force signed
a contract with the company to immediately produce their oft-delayed aircraft. It was dubbed the B45 Tornado. An Interim Aircraft The B45 was planned to be an interim aircraft
before more powerful bombers entered service. The initial plan was to equip more than six
bombing and reconnaissance groups composed of B45s, but the numbers were later reduced
due to production issues. According to the aircraft’s official specifications
sheet, the B45’s primary mission would be (QUOTE): “the destruction by bombs of land
or naval material objectives.” The aircraft would be commanded by a crew
of four consisting of the pilot, copilot-radio operator, bombardier-navigator, and a tail
gunner. State-of-the-art additions would enhance the
B45. Some of these were (QUOTE): “Thermal anti-icing,
cabin pressurization, heating and cooling, ejection type seats for pilot and co-pilot
and emergency escape hatches for navigator and tail gunner. Communication equipment, emergency flight
controls and instruments were installed at the co-pilot's station.” Additionally, a type E-4 auto-pilot, bombing-navigation
radar, and an A1 Fire Control System were installed as standard equipment. As a light bomber, the B45 only packed two
.50 caliber machine guns in its tail. However, it could carry a 22,000-pound bombload,
including nuclear weaponry. It was the first engine aircraft to do so. The aircraft was powered by four General Electric
J47 engines that provided 6,000 pounds of thrust. It could also reach speeds of up to 570 miles
per hour with an estimated range of 1,000 miles and a service ceiling of 37,500 feet. In March of 1947, the B45 flew for the first
time at the North American facilities in Inglewood, California. Test pilots George Krebs and Paul Brewer reported
several technical issues, but they were mostly ignored due to the project’s urgency. By mid-1948, the US Air Staff began to openly
question the value of the B45, and President Harry S. Truman’s budget cuts led to a reduction
from the initially intended 200 B45s. North American ended up building 142 B45 bombers,
of which the majority were the standard B45A variant. Thirty-three were B45Cs, configured for high-altitude
photo reconnaissance. This model became the first multi-engine jet
aircraft to successfully refuel in mid-air. Ten were RB45Cs, modified with wingtip fuel
tanks for long-range operations. The B45B variant, which was to be equipped
with a radar-guided fire control system, did not secure an order and was scrapped. When the Korean War broke out in 1950, the
US Air Force was ready to send the B45 Tornado for actual combat testing. The expected long-range bombers were still
under production, and the B45 was the best the Air Force could offer. It would not disappoint. Going to War During the Korean War, aircraft was essential
to push back the invading North Koreans and Chinese to the 38th Parallel. The B45 was used from the beginning with its
bomber and reconnaissance variants. As NATO forces led by the United States made
their way through the South Korean landscape, the B45 was critical in identifying enemy
strongholds within mountains and valleys. The B45s also dropped their heavy ordnance
with escort fighters over demilitarized areas during the first NATO offensive of 1950. And the numerous B45 formations, which could
suddenly carry out nuclear strikes, became an effective deterrent against the Soviet
Union’s nuclear threats. Still, the B45’s insufficient .50-caliber
machine guns made them extremely vulnerable to enemy interceptor aircraft such as the
lethal Soviet MiG-21. On December 4, 1950, the first interception
of a jet bomber by a MiG-15 jet fighter took place over Chinese territory. Soviet pilot Aleksandr F. Andriano shot down
a B45C reconnaissance aircraft piloted by Captain Charles McDonough, Air Force Intelligence
officer John Lovell, co-pilot Captain Jules E. Young, and Lieutenant James J. Picucci. Only McDonough was able to parachute from
the aircraft. Still, he was taken prisoner by Soviet or
Chinese forces and never seen again. The nature of the reconnaissance mission over
China and the involvement of an intelligence officer in the operation have not been revealed
to this day. A few years later, American Major Lou Carrington
and his crew of the 91st Recon Wing performed the first non-stop trans-Pacific flight aboard
a B45C and won the MacKay Trophy. They flew from Alaska to Japan in almost 10
hours, refueling twice during the journey. Colonel Harold R. “Hal” Austin, assigned
to the 324th SRS of the 91st SRW, was selected to transition into the B-45 Tornado in the
early 1950s. He picked up a brand new model and learned
to fly it on his own. He quickly realized that it was basically
a World War II airplane with several limitations, but by 1952 he had changed his tune. After adding tail guns to it and learning
how to manage its engines, he proudly called the Tornado: (QUOTE) “A great pilot’s
airplane.”
