| In 1956, a single B-47B
(51-2115) was modified by General Precision Laboratories as a weather reconnaissance
aircraft under the designation WB-47B. This project was carried out at the request of the
US Congress in response to the disastrous 1954 hurricane season. The WB-47B was used to
penetrate hurricanes and to perform other weather-related duties. In November of 1958, the
WB-47B aircraft began to do research work in collaboration with the Tiros II weather
satellite, the first of the weather satellites. The WB-47B logged 126.5 hours of flight
time before it was retired in 1963 when more efficient WB-47Es became available. |
