North American B-45A 47-047

These are 1/72 scale decals for the North American B-45A Tornado, serial 47-047, assigned to the 47th Bomb Group of the United States Air Force — one of the early jet bomber units that pioneered America's transition from piston-powered to jet-powered strategic and tactical bombing.

The B-45 Tornado holds the distinction of being the first operational jet bomber in the United States Air Force inventory, entering service in 1948 and representing a dramatic leap forward from the propeller-driven bombers of World War II. Powered by four General Electric J47 turbojet engines, the B-45A was capable of speeds and altitudes that left piston-era interceptors struggling to respond. While it would eventually be overshadowed by the swept-wing B-47 Stratojet, the Tornado served a vital role in establishing the USAF's jet bomber doctrine and tactics during the critical early years of the Cold War.

The 47th Bomb Group, with its long lineage stretching back to World War II light bomber operations in North Africa and Europe, transitioned to the B-45 as part of the USAF's rapid postwar modernization. Based at Barksdale Air Force Base, Louisiana, the 47th operated the Tornado in both the nuclear strike and tactical bombing roles, placing it at the forefront of the Air Force's effort to develop jet bomber tactics and operational procedures from the ground up — a mission with no precedent and enormous strategic importance.

A rare and historically significant subject representing the dawn of the jet bomber age in American aviation. Please allow some time for decal printing and shipping.