The B-58 was the US Air Force's first supersonic bomber. The primary mission of the Hustler was to deliver nuclear weapons to targets deep within the Soviet Union. Because of its restrictive fuselage, the B-58 was unable to have an internal bomb bay. Consequently, a detachable pod beneath the fuselage held the nuclear weapons. The B-58 was eventually replaced in the late 1960s with the General Dynamics F-111 fighter-bomber.

Problems with the conventional ejection seat initially deployed in the B-58 led to the development of an enclosed ejection pod. Designed by Stanley Aviation of Denver, Colorado, this system protected the aircrew members from supersonic wind blasts, supplied oxygen and pressurization during an ejection at high altitude, absorbed landing impact, and provided food, shelter, and equipment for survival on land, water, and ice. The pod also featured an automatic stabilization system for righting itself during freefall prior to deployment of the recovery parachute.

Chanute AFB had the primary responsibility for training maintenance crews for the Hustler.

This pre-production YRB-58, S/N 55-0666 (later redesignated as a B-58A), made its first flight on 20 March 1958. It was retained by Convair as a flight test aircraft and was used as the test platform for the General Electric YJ79-GE-5 turbojet engine, using a special centerline pod. In November 1958 it flew 32 minutes at sustained Mach 2 using the new engines. On 16 August 1962 the aircraft made the longest B-58 test flight to date, flying for 11 hours and 15 minutes. Being a pre-production aircraft, 55-0666 was never fitted with a tail gun and the middle cockpit housed flight test instrumentation rather than a crew member.

In November 1962 the aircraft was assigned to the 6515th Organizational Maintenance Squadron, Air Force Systems Command, at Edwards AFB, California. In January 1964 it was delivered to the 3345th Maintenance and Supply Group, Air Training Command, at Chanute. In February 1967 it was dropped from the USAF inventory and transferred to the USAF Museum System. For years it was on static display on base before being moved to Octave Chanute Aerospace Museum for exhibit. It is on loan to the museum from the Air Force Museum.