One of the most dramatic bombers of its day, the Convair B-58 came to epitomise the Cold War power of Strategic Air Command.

Introduced only 12 years after the sound barrier was first broken, this iconic plane became the first large long-range supersonic bomber to take to the skies, a feat which had seemed far-fetched only a few years previously. Outstripping its contemporaries in terms of speed, and agile enough to escape most interceptors, the B-58 was a remarkable feat of engineering, setting 19 world speed records and collecting a host of trophies. The first operational bomber capable of Mach 2 at 63,000 feet, it was able to evade hostile fighters and represented a serious threat to targets across the Soviet Bloc.

Supported by contemporary first-hand accounts, photography, and full-colour illustrations, this study explores the history of this ground-breaking aircraft from its conception to its little-known testing for use in the Vietnam War.

Peter E Davies has published over 30 aviation books, most of them for Osprey. He has also contributed to magazines such as Aeroplane Monthly and Aircraft Illustrated. He concentrates mainly upon combat aircraft of the Cold War and Vietnam War. He is based in Bristol, UK.

Jim Laurier is a native of New England, having grown up in New Hampshire and Massachusetts. He has been drawing since he could hold a pencil and throughout his life he has worked in many mediums creating artwork on a variety of subjects. He has worked on the Osprey Aviation list since 2000 and in that time he has produced some of the finest artwork seen in these volumes. He has specialised in aircraft of the Vietnam War period. He lives in New Hampshire.