Key point: During the early days of the Cold War, it was assumed that nuclear weapons might well be used in the next war. Naturally, the U.S. Air Force needed to test the durability of its aircraft.

In 1945, the U.S. Army Air Force issued a requirement for a “penetrating escort” jet that could accompany comparatively ponderous B-29 and B-50 strategic bombers all the way to targets over the Soviet ...