B36

[414Flyer]

Something tells me that since they were nuclear-capable, most of them were decommissioned and then destroyed on a schedule as part of arms limitations agreements. I'm sure most of the B-47's, B-58's and D model Buffs met the same fate. It would look great on the air show circuit though!

I think they were beer cans, long before there were any arms limitation agreements.

My grandfather flew the RB-36 out of Ellsworth AFB (Then Rapid City AFB), with some 40+ hour missions out of Thule.

The one that was at Greater Southwest airport in Ft Worth, was going to be flown to Carswell I believe. It was almost ready to fly, and like was mentioned, USAF prevented it, saying it could fall into the hands of an unfriendly country. This was 1976 I believe...

 

[bobbysamd]

Did that thing land at Lowry?

Uh, well, I would assume it did. We were living on the other side of town at the time and not near the field.

 

[KeroseneSnorter]

Are there any that could be fixed up for an airshow?

With six turning and 4 burning, I doubt anybody out there would want to foot the bill on operating that puppy. Not to mention the cost of restoration and upkeep.

Anybody know the fuel burn per hour? It's gotta be a huge number, even if they only use the 6 piston engines and do not use the jets for airshow and ferry weights. Plus that big mutha would be limited to only the biggest runways, would not be able to do the average airshow.

The CAF has a hard enough time keeping the b-29 fueled and operating, and it is a light quad compared to the 36.

Would be nice to see one fly though!!

 

[Swede]

My understanding is that this beast was on the drawing boards for missions to Germany and Japan from the CONUS. Interestingly, I also understand that the B-36 never fired/dropped a shot in anger in its entire history.

I just finished a fascinating book on the history of nuclear weapons. The first true Thermonuclear device ("H"-bomb) was the "Mike" device, tested in the South Pacific in 1952. Mike was the size of a large school bus. The shroom cloud went to well-above 100,000'... picture a jumbo thunderstorm which tops at 50,000' and multiply by about 8... that was "Mike". The island it was on vanished, and it is now a 200' deep lagoon over a mile across.

Anyway, the engineers told Convair "We need an enormous bomb-bay to haul these things", as they didn't think they could make them much smaller. The engineers were forced to reengineer large portions of the B36 to haul these titanic gravity bombs. Of course now they can pack a "Mike" device into a 4' long cylinder.

 

[crash-proof]

With six turning and 4 burning, I doubt anybody out there would want to foot the bill on operating that puppy. Not to mention the cost of restoration and upkeep.

My thought exactly, considering those corncobs had 28-cyls each, almost 4000hp. I don't think anyone short of Bill Gates could afford to keep it flyin for only a select group of people who would truly appreciate it.

My ol man lived in Long Beach, told me it was the loudest, most thundering machine ever built, considering those huge props were spinning backwards which somehow augments the prop noise. Weren't those engines geared as well???

Every time one would fly over his house all the pots n pans would rattle. They also say you could hear one from 50 miles away, easily. Nothin like that anymore, I wish i had been there to experience it. Planes are no fun nowadays

 

[crash-proof]

Just got to thinking, what ever happened to the B36's after retirement? Are there any that could be fixed up for an airshow? That would be one sweet @ss plane to see up close and walk around in. The B17s and B25's and B29s are ok, but KMON, a B36 would just be sweet! I know I need to stop watching old 50s movies with Jimmy Stewart

Speaking of 17s and 25s, I just watched a B17 and B25 taking rides over here at FXE, was really cool stuff. $400 for a spin. I think they're in Boca now.

 

[Lead Sled]

...it was the loudest, most thundering machine ever built, considering those huge props were spinning backwards which somehow augments the prop noise...

I have no idea how loud they were, but I've seen one in a museum - truly an awesome airplane. When it comes to propellors spining backwards, that has nothing to do with the noise levels. Prop noise is a function of tip speeds. A supersonic prop tip is noisey - regardless of the size of the prop or the airplane.

'Sled

 

[crash-proof]

I have no idea how loud they were, but I've seen one in a museum - truly an awesome airplane. When it comes to propellors spining backwards, that has nothing to do with the noise levels. Prop noise is a function of tip speeds. A supersonic prop tip is noisey - regardless of the size of the prop or the airplane.

'Sled

Hmmm...true but then how do you explain the peculiar noise a 337 makes? No doubt it's louder and lingers on for a long time as it flies by. I actually did read something somewhere that explain this phenomenon, don't recall where. You'll also notice this sharp prop noise effect on Lakes and other pushers.

But i digress...the B36 was one bada$$ plane fo sho'.

 

[bobbysamd]

B-36 variants

There was an all-jet version of the B-36, the YB-60. It was intended to compete with the B-52. There was also a transport version of the B-36. I don't remember the designator. Does anyone else know? If I can find a link, I'll add it to this post.

It is the XC-99. The link is to a pic.

 

[414Flyer]

I think the transport version was C-99, 2 were made. I know one is at San Antonio, at a musuem at what was Kelly AFB