Convair B-36 Peacemaker
The Convair B-36 "Peacemaker"[N 1] is a strategic bomber that was built by Convair and operated by the United States Air Force (USAF) from 1949 to 1959. The B-36 is the largest mass-produced piston-engined aircraft ever built. It has the longest wingspan of any combat aircraft ever built, at 230 ft (70 m). The B-36 was the first bomber capable of delivering any of the nuclear weapons in the U.S. arsenal from an internal bomb bay without aircraft modifications. With a range of 10,000 mi (16,000 km) and a maximum payload of 87,200 lb (39,600 kg), the B-36 is capable of intercontinental flight without refueling.
Entering service in 1948, the B-36 was the primary nuclear weapons delivery vehicle of Strategic Air Command (SAC) until it was replaced by the jet-powered Boeing B-52 Stratofortress beginning in 1955. All but four aircraft have been scrapped.
Featherweight I removed defensive hardware, including the six gun turrets.
Featherweight II removed the rear compartment crew comfort features, and all hardware accommodating the parasite fighter.
McDonnell XF-85 Goblin
Featherweight III incorporated both configurations I and II.
AF Ser. No. 51-13730 is at at the former Castle Air Force Base in Atwater, California. It was previously displayed at the former Chanute Air Force Base in Rantoul, Illinois from 1957 to 1991.[57]
Castle Air Museum
As of 2022 only four complete B-36 type aircraft survive from the original 384 produced.[11]: 149
Crew: 13
Length: 162 ft 1 in (49.40 m)
Wingspan: 230 ft 0 in (70.10 m)
Height: 46 ft 9 in (14.25 m)
Wing area: 4,772 sq ft (443.3 m2) : 54–55
[8]
Empty weight: 166,165 lb (75,371 kg)
Max takeoff weight: 410,000 lb (185,973 kg)
Powerplant: 6 × 28-cylinder 4-row air-cooled radial piston engines, 3,800 hp (2,800 kW) each for take-off
Pratt & Whitney R-4360-53 Wasp Major
Powerplant: 4 × turbojet engines, 5,200 lbf (23 kN) thrust each in pylon mounted pods outboard of piston engines
General Electric J47
Propellers: 3-bladed constant-speed fully-feathering pusher propellers
Curtiss Electric
Data from National Museum of the U.S. Air Force[71]
General characteristics
Performance
Armament
B-36 Peacemaker Museum
Convair B-36 variants
Lycoming XR-7755
Revolt of the Admirals
""
Victory Bomber
Kégresse track
Related development
Aircraft of comparable role, configuration, and era
Related lists
Barlow, Jeffrey G. Revolt of the Admirals: The Fight for Naval Aviation, 1945–1950. Washington, D.C.: Naval Historical Center, 1994. 0-16-042094-6.
ISBN
Ford, Daniel. Air and Space/Smithsonian, April 1996. Retrieved: 3 February 2007.
"B-36: Bomber at the Crossroads".
Grant, R.G. and John R. Dailey. Flight: 100 Years of Aviation. Harlow, Essex, UK: DK Adult, 2007. 978-0-7566-1902-2.
ISBN
Jacobsen, Meyers K. Convair B-36: A Comprehensive History of America's "Big Stick". Atglen, Pennsylvania: Schiffer Military History, 1997. 0-7643-0974-9.
ISBN
Jacobsen, Meyers K. Convair B-36: A Photo Chronicle. Atglen, Pennsylvania: Schiffer Military History, 1999. 0-7643-0974-9.
ISBN
Jacobsen, Meyers K. "Peacemaker." Airpower, Vol. 4, No. 6, November 1974.
Jacobsen, Meyers K. and Ray Wagner. B-36 in Action (Aircraft in Action Number 42). Carrollton, Texas: Squadron/Signal Publications Inc., 1980. 0-89747-101-6.
ISBN
Jenkins, Dennis R. B-36 Photo Scrapbook. St. Paul, Minnesota: Specialty Press Publishers and Wholesalers, 2003. 1-58007-075-2.
ISBN
Jenkins, Dennis R. Convair B-36 Peacemaker. St. Paul, Minnesota: Specialty Press Publishers and Wholesalers, 1999. 1-58007-019-1.
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Jenkins, Dennis R. Magnesium Overcast: The Story of the Convair B-36. North Branch, Minnesota: Specialty Press, 2002., 978-1-58007-129-1.
ISBN
Johnsen, Frederick A. Thundering Peacemaker, the B-36 Story in Words and Pictures. Tacoma, Washington: Bomber Books, 1978.
Knaack, Marcelle Size. Encyclopedia of U.S. Air Force aircraft and missile systems Volume II: Post-World War II Bombers, 1945–1973. Washington, DC: Office of Air Force History, 1988. 0-16-002260-6.Online - via media.defense.gov
ISBN
Leach, Norman S. Broken Arrow: America's First Lost Nuclear Weapon. Calgary, Alberta: Red Deer Press, 2008. 978-0-88995-348-2.
ISBN
Miller, Jay and Roger Cripliver. "B-36: The Ponderous Peacemaker." Aviation Quarterly, Vol. 4, No. 4, 1978.
Morris, Lt. Col. (ret.) and Ted Allan. The collected articles and photographs of Ted A. Morris, 2000. Retrieved: 4 September 2006.
"Flying the Aluminum and Magnesium Overcast".
Orman, Edward W. "One Thousand on Top: A Gunner's View of Flight from the Scanning Blister of a B-36." Airpower, Vol. 17, No. 2, March 1987.
Peacock, Lindsay. "B-36: Convair's "Big Stick": Part Two". Air International, Vol. 39, No. 5, November 1990. pp. 279–286, 306. 0306-5634.
ISSN
Pyeatt, Don. B-36: Saving the Last Peacemaker (Third Edition). Fort Worth, Texas: ProWeb Publishing, 2006. 0-9677593-2-3.
ISBN
Shiel, Walter P. cessnawarbirds.com. Retrieved: 19 July 2009.
"The B-36 Peacemaker: 'There Aren't Programs Like This Anymore'".
Taylor, John W.R. "Convair B-36." Combat Aircraft of the World from 1909 to the present. New York: G.P. Putnam's Sons, 1969. 0-425-03633-2.
ISBN
Thomas, Tony. A Wonderful Life: The Films and Career of James Stewart. Secaucus, New Jersey: Citadel Press, 1988. 0-8065-1081-1.
ISBN
Wilson, Stewart. Combat Aircraft since 1945. London: Aerospace Publications, 2000. 1-875671-50-1.
ISBN
Winchester, Jim. "Convair B-36". Military Aircraft of the Cold War (The Aviation Factfile). Rochester, Kent, UK: The Grange plc., 2006. 1-84013-929-3.
ISBN
Wolk, Herman S. Fulcrum of Power: Essays on the United States Air Force and National Security. Darby, Pennsylvania: Diane Publishing, 2003. 1-4289-9008-9.
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Yenne, Bill. "Convair B-36 Peacemaker." International Air Power Review, Vol. 13, Summer 2004. London: AirTime Publishing Inc., 2004. 1-880588-84-6.
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USAF Museum: XB-36
Documentary about the Convair b-36 Peacemaker
USAF Museum: B-36A
Video of The B-36 from Strategic Air Command. 5:32
AeroWeb: B-36 versions and survivors
Archived 31 January 2011 at the Wayback Machine. PBS Online.
"Race For the Superbomb: Lt. Gen. James Edmundson interview transcript: Flying B-36 and B-47 planes"
ZiaNet: B-36 operations Walker AFB Roswell New Mexico 1955–1957
Popular Mechanics, September 1950