THE CONVAIR
B-58 “TEXAS HUSTLER” ROCKET SLED
The only one of its kind known to be in existence, the B-58 Rocket Sled (referred to as “The Texas Hustler”) was designed and tested at Holloman Air Force Base in the early 1950’s to evaluate different ejection seat designs for B-58 crews. Being the first supersonic bomber aircraft in USAF operation, the B-58’s high-altitude and high speed performance capabilities meant certain death for crews forced to eject from the aircraft at mission height and speed using traditional means, so extensive testing was required to solve the problem.
Utilizing this scale model of a B-58 fuselage constructed by Convair and mounted on rails, engineers would accelerate the sled to supersonic speeds and execute the ejection process, often with test animals riding in place of humans. The total lack of survival of any “crew” during early testing led to the creation of an innovative individual crew ejection capsule, which enveloped and protected a crewman from the elements and wind forces at speeds up to Mach 2 and altitudes up to 70,000ft. (Be sure and visit our Crew Ejection Capsule display, inside the Museum.)
With the withdrawal of the B-58 from frontline service in 1969, this rocket sled was used for other testing programs at Holloman until being formally donated to the 8th Air Force Museum, Barksdale AFB LA. The Rocket Sled came to us in March, 2018 and is on loan from the National Museum of the United States Air Force.