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 (which I remember). The WB-47B was used to penetrate hurricanes and to perform other weather-related duties. In November 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.
Sources:
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American Combat Planes, Third Enlarged Edition, Ray Wagner, Doubleday,
1982.
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Post World War II Bombers, Marcelle Size Knaack, Office of Air Force
History, 1988.
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The Boeing B-47, Peter Bowers, Aircraft in Profile, Doubleday, 1968.
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Boeing Aircraft Since 1916, Peter M. Bowers, Naval Institute Press,
1989.
- United States Military Aircraft Since 1909, Gordon Swanborough and Peter M. Bowers, Smithsonian, 1989.
