The Rare - RB-69A

[WarbirdRadio]

I've been working this week on a story about the RB-69A (photo tour is on warbird radio). This rare spy bird seldom gets any attention. Anyway...what a cool modeling subject. I just thought you guys might be interested in it. The specs are down below. If anyone has any stories about this unsung hero...I would enjoy hearing them.

TECHNICAL NOTES (performance data are approximations):
Armament: Bomb bay with 8,000 lbs. capacity and eight outboard wing hardpoints capable of mounting two 5-in. rockets each (whether or not the RB-69A ever actually flew armed is under investigation); dorsal turret with two .50-cal. machine guns or two 20mm cannons on the P2V-7 was replaced by an observation dome
Engines: Two Wright R-3350-32W Turbo Compound Cyclones of 3,400 hp each and two Westinghouse J34-WE-34 axial-flow turbojets of 3,400 lbs. each
Maximum speed: 360 mph
Cruising speed: 300 mph
Range: 4,000 miles (with bomb bay mounted fuel tank)
Service ceiling: 35,000 ft.
Span: 103 ft. 10 in. (with wingtip pods; approx. 103. ft. without pods)
Length: 91 ft. 8 in.
Height: 29 ft. 4 in.
Weight: Approx. 80,000 lbs. maximum takeoff weight
Crew: Five (typically) (pilot, copilot, navigator, two electronics/reconnaissance equipment operators)
Serial numbers: Seven U.S. Navy P2V-7U Neptune maritime patrol aircraft (BuNo 135612, 140438, 140440, 140442, 141233, 141244, ?) reserialed as USAF RB-69A 54-4037 to 54-4043

v/r

Matt Jolley
WarbirdRadio.com

 

[Matt308]

Without a pic, most people have no idea what you are talking about.

 

[evangilder]

Geez, look at the size of the tail on that thing!

 

[Aaron Brooks Wolters]

That and all the radar lumps!

 

[r2800doublewasp]

Isn't it just a modified Neptune?

 

[vikingBerserker]

I just read up on it online, that's pretty interesting Matt!

 

[RabidAlien]

Dang. Someone shoved the tail up its backside!

 

[FLYBOYJ]

Isn't it just a modified Neptune?

Yep!

As I was once told "When ever the sh!t hit the fan it seems like an RB-69 always showed up."

 

[WarbirdRadio]

Thanks for posting the pic. It is a modified Neptune. The Navy loaned 7 to the USAF and then took them back after the mission was completed. Pretty cool...

Matt Jolley

 

[HealzDevo]

Interesting look thing. No points for style but it might be a capable aircraft...

 

[davparlr]

One called the Truculent Turtle flew non stop from Perth, Australia, for two and one half days, 11,236 miles, and landed in Columbus, Ohio, setting a non-stop un-refueled range record for a piston powered aircraft that lasted until 1986 when Burt Rutan's Voyager beat it. The plane is in the Naval Air Museum in Pensacola.