A bear sits in the ejection capsule of a B-58 after successfully returning to the ground. (U.S Air Force video When the U.S. Air Force was designing its first supersonic jet bomber in the 1950s, it turns out bears were an essential part of the process, helping to test the plane s new ejection seats during the Cold War, according to i09.com.
The website has put together a summary of the role bears played in testing the supersonic Convair B-58 Hustler. Apparently, because Himalayan and American black bears are reasonably close in size to humans, they were deemed acceptable substitutes, after a team of humans died in an early ejection test.
So, while Chief Warrant Officer E.J. Murray became the first human to successfully eject from a B-58 at nonsupersonic speeds on Feb. 28, 1962, it was a 2-year-old, female black bear that made it into the history books for the first successful supersonic ejection from the aircraft. That occurred about a month later, on March 21.
The bear was ejected from the plane at 35,000 feet above Edwards Air Force Base at a speed of Mach 1.3. It took nearly eight minutes for the capsule containing the bear to reach the ground safely.
Io9 describes the ejection system: In the new system, a pre-ejection handle yanked the pilot's legs in close and closed a scalloped shell that enclosed him while still allowing rudimentary control of the plane. The actual ejection handle sent the capsule up with a rocket burst, automatically deploying a parachute. The capsule was designed to float, and contained food and survival supplies.
Statistically, the bears actually fared better than their human counterparts: While a team of humans died in an early ejection test of the B-58, no bears died during the later test runs. However, in an extremely unsettling twist, the bears were euthanized so their bodies could be examined after the ejection tests.
You can watch a lengthy U.S. Air Force video, which discusses the B-58 testing in great detail and includes shots of the bears and chimpanzees after their flights:
It seems unlikely that such measures would be used today. Bears and chimpanzees were undoubtedly subjected to a painful and terrifying process. Still, the report sheds light on a truly unusual bit of aviation history and the role animals have played in helping to advance science and technology.
Air Force officers race to release the bear from its capsule. (U.S. Air Force video)
Blog List
-
Kaley Cuoco Shows Off Fit Physique In Skin-Revealing Yoga Outfit - By Suzy Byrne Kaley Cuoco leaving yoga class in L.A. on Monday. (X17online.com)Kaley Cuoco gave new meaning to hot yoga on Monday when she emerged from cla...11 years ago
Pageviews
Popular Posts
-
Apple product lovers, your iPhone and iPad interfaces will look radically different this year. At Apple's annual Worldwide Developers Co...
-
With immigration reform now firmly on the agendas of both the Senate and White House , a key question is how to assess its possible impact o...
-
For iPhone users, Google Maps is back. The revamped app, launched last week , is being downloaded in the tens of millions . As a resu...
-
(Reuters) - Research In Motion reported a smaller-than-expected quarterly loss on Thursday and boosted its cash cushion , sending its s...
-
CANNES, France (AP) Associated Press journalists open their notebooks at the 2013 Cannes Film Festival. UNCOMFORTABLE MOMENTS FOR ACTRESS AS...
-
NEW YORK (AP) When "The Young and the Restless" climbed to the top of the daytime drama ratings, there were 13 soap operas on ...
-
Facebook (FB) -30.3% From IPO Facebook was by far the biggest tech IPO this year, raising $16 billion with its initial public offering, or ...
-
HONOLULU (AP) The Hawaii state Senate passed the so-called Steven Tyler Act Tuesday, a bill that seeks to protect celebrities from overeager...
-
CHICAGO (Reuters) - The FBI is still searching for one of two convicted bank robbers who escaped last week from a high-rise jail in downtown...
-
When the evening news anchor said "Big Brother is watching," little Jake thought that meant something totally different. [More fro...