00:00The U.S. spent $3 billion on a bomber that could outrun missiles.
00:04So, why was it obsolete almost immediately?
00:07Meet the B-58 Hustler.
00:09It was the world's first supersonic bomber, designed to fly so high and fast that absolutely nothing could catch it.
00:16But then, the Soviets unleashed the SA-2 surface-to-air missile.
00:20Suddenly, the Hustler's invincible, high-altitude strategy became a death trap.
00:25To stay in the fight, the Air Force forced the B-58 to fly at low altitudes, but this was
00:31a total disaster.
00:32Flying low burned fuel instantly, slashing its range to almost nothing.
00:37Worse, the airframe wasn't built for that kind of stress.
00:41Maintenance costs tripled compared to the B-52, and with a 22% accident rate, it became a logistical nightmare.
00:48It was a $3 billion failure.
00:51The Hustler couldn't outrun the missiles, and it couldn't survive the new mission.
00:55By 1970, it was retired for good.
00:58Was the Hustler a brilliant engineering marvel that just got outpaced by technology, or was it a massive waste of
01:05taxpayer money?
01:06Let me know what you think in the comments.