B-47E Stratojet

B-47E Stratojet. . , Design , The B-47 Stratojet was a long-range, six-engine, jet-powered strategic bomber designed to fly at high subsonic speeds and at high altitudes to avoid enemy interception. The B-47's mission was primarily to deliver nuclear ordnance on designated targets. With its engines carried in pods under the swept wing, the B-47 was a major innovation in post-World War II combat jet design, and helped lead to modern jet airliners., Service , The B-47 entered service with the United States Air Force's Strategic Air Command (SAC) in 1951. It was a mainstay of SAC's bomber strength during the 1950s and early 1960s, and remained in use as a bomber until 1965. It was also adapted to a number of other missions, including photo reconnaissance, electronic intelligence and weather reconnaissance, remaining in service as a reconnaissance platform until 1969 and as a test bed until 1977., Testing , This aircraft served most of its operational life as a test bed for various projects. Most notable is the development of "fly-by-wire” systems. The ability to control aircraft surfaces such as flaps, ailerons, etc. with digital technology is the direct result of work performed using this aircraft as the test bed., Armament: Two M-24 20mm cannons in tail turret plus bombs -- nuclear or 10,000 lbs. of conventional bombs (maximum bomb size was one 25,000 lb. bomb), Engines: Six General Electric J47-GE-25 axial flow turbojet engines of 7,200 lbs. thrust each maximum power with water injection, Maximum speed: 610 mph , Cruising speed: 560 mph , Range: 3,500 miles , Service ceiling: 39,300 ft. , Span: 116 ft. 0 in. , Length: 107 ft. 1 in. , Height: 28 ft. 0 in. , Weight: 226,000 lbs. (maximum takeoff weight) , Crew: Three (pilot, copilot/radio operator/gunner, bombardier/navigator) , Manufacturers: Boeing, Douglas and Lockheed , Number produced: 1,591 , Source: National Museum of the United States Air Force, This B-47E is a part of the USAF Heritage Program Collection.