In 1947 at Muroc Army Air Base, California, the XB-45 underwent its first tests. It was the first american four-jet bomber.

 


North American's XB-45, was, in 1947 undergoing tests at Muroc Army Air Base, California. It was the first four-jet bomber to fly in the U.S. Its engines - General Electric J-35s set in pairs in two nacelles - are said to give it an "exceedingly high" speed. Gun turrets have been eliminated for streamlining, and the only protuberance is the "bubble" in which pilot and co-pilot sit in tandem. Although the XB-45 compares in size and range with the heavy bombers of Wordl War II, it is classed as a medium. It has a wing span of 89 1/2 feet, is 74 feet long, and accommodates a crew of four men.