Walkaround #290

Martin B-57E Canberra 

Reference photos by Phillip Juvet

Walking clockwise around nose, windscreen, pitot tube, radome and antenna are inspected.

 

      

These photos were taken at the SAC Museum in Omaha, NE. 

Phillip Juvet

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Walking clockwise around nose, windscreen, pitot tube, radome and antenna are inspected. 

Walking clockwise around nose, windscreen, pitot tube, radome and antenna are inspected. 

Walking clockwise around nose, windscreen, pitot tube, radome and antenna are inspected. 
wing fuselage join

 

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wing nacelle join

#2 engine intake is checked for loose fasteners. Compressor blade can be reached to rotate. Starter exhaust duct is checked for secure fit. An 8
lb. gunpowder charge fires the starter. This starting procedure sometimes attracted the attention of unaware Crash and Rescue crews at remote bases.     The scoop under the engine intake directs air to (2) AC and (1) DC generators. Much of the AC power is for electronic countermeasure equipment.
    EB-571s had cannons and guns removed. for ECM operations. Check gun bay doors for security, fuel vent for security, underwing surface for fuel
leakage. Each wing has three fuel cells. Fuel gravity feeds from outboard to inboard, then is transferred to fuselage tank. Dive finger spoilers extend from top and bottom wing surfaces when speed brake is deployed.
disregard red

 

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#2 engine intake is checked for loose fasteners. Compressor blade can be reached to rotate. Starter exhaust duct is checked for secure fit. An 8
lb. gunpowder charge fires the starter. This starting procedure sometimes attracted the attention of unaware Crash and Rescue crews at remote
bases.     The scoop under the engine intake directs air to (2) AC and (1) DC generators. Much of the AC power is for electronic countermeasure equipment. EB-571s had cannons and guns removed. for ECM operations. Check gun bay doors for security, fuel vent for security, underwing surface for fuel leakage. Each wing has three fuel cells. Fuel gravity feeds from outboard to inboard, then is transferred to fuselage tank. Dive finger spoilers extend from top and bottom wing surfaces when speed brake is deployed.

Photo 11

Tailpipes and tail cone aspirators are checked for cracks. There is side
movement on the tailpipes which creates a distinctive WOW-WOW sound at 55% throttle. The sound is eerie when engine Rpm's are slightly out of sync.

 

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Wing tip tanks are pressure fed to the outboard wing cell by compressor bleed air. There are petcocks at the low point of tip tanks and wing tanks to expel any water from condensation. Aircraft has no single-point fuel system. Tanks are serviced by hand (fuel hose/nozzle). Aft fuselage tank is filled last so as not to set aircraft on tail skid, nose- high. This is a very embarrassing situation for a crew chief.  Taxi lights are housed in Plexiglas wing tips as are the navigation lights.  Ailerons are torque-tube style, no hydraulics. Only electric trim tabs are present.  Four flaps are located at the trail edge of wings inboard and outboard of the engine tailpipes. 

 

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tip of tail

Sft fuel dump

wing fuel dump

Nose gear tires are checked for wear and inflation. Nose gear
actuator and emergency down accumulator gauge is checked for proper servicing. Inspect oleo strut for recommended height and leakage. There is no nose wheel steering actuator. Strut is a self-centering cam style oleo. Aircraft is steered with brake and opposing engine thrust.  Inspecting wheel well is not fun during foul weather due to the plane1s low nose posture. Forward right fuselage has 2 compartments. upper is for LOX servicing
and lower is an avionics bay and also contains an hydraulic accumulator
for the bomb bay door.
Landing light is underwing forward of wheel well. Wheel well is inspected for leakage at door actuators, struts for proper height..
Emergency gear down accumulator gauge checked for proper servicing. Check
wing fuel boost pump for leakage. Engine fire extinguishing system for
service. 

 

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Tires are huge, easy to change as are the double disk rotor/
puck-stator brake. There is no anti-skid system.

main gear well

 

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main gear well

main gear well

main gear well

Preflight inspection started at the Battery Access compartment,
where the Aircraft Maintenance Forms where kept. This compartment is lower
left fuselage below rear cockpit. Inside is a 24v lead-acid battery that
slides out on a track for servicing. When the aircraft is parked, the battery is disconnected to prevent drain from a system that I can not recall.  A pump handle is stowed in this compartment to raise and lower the hydraulically operated canopy while aircraft is parked.  

 

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Inspect speed brakes for hydraulic leakage. Aft fuselage has a drop down hinged access bay. Elevator and rudder
control rods for security. EB-57E as a power rudder for earlier tow-target operations. Several ECM boxes are located in this section also.  Tail surfaces are out of reach, visually inspect control surfaces,
antenna and navigation lights. Check fuel dump manifold for security. 
    Anti-collision rotating beacon lights are on the top and bottom of the
fuselage.  Left side
walk-around is a repeat of the right side. Access to the bombay is usually from the left side. Fuel boost pumps (4) are located for and aft for fuselage fuel transfer. Inspect for leakage. The #2 engine is started first so that starter exhaust is ducted away from open cockpit. When hydraulic pressure is achieved canopy is lowered
and the #1 engine is started.

 

Photos and text © by Phillip Juvet