These were the most awe inspiring aircraft when I was into aircraft spotting when I was a lad back in the 50s, near Stafford, UK. I can remember their unique sound to this day.
The B-36 was originally conceived as the "worst case scenario" bomber. If England fell to Nazi Germany, bombers would have to fly round-trip all the way from the US east coast and Canada to the Reich without refuel or escort.
A lot of the B-36's designs went into the B-29, which you might call a "B-36 Jr.".
@MiHiVidz A lot of the B-36's designs went into the B-32, the competitor of the B-29. Why would Convair help Boeing with her design, when Convair had her own super bomber design? Some people have suggested, that the B-32 was the superior design to the B-29, but came too late into the war to prove itself.
@stephenwinkler There was a WAR going on when the B-36 was in development u idiot! A lot of aircraft companies were making aircraft of a competitor's design because in many cases the original company couldn't make as many of that airplane as needed within the amount of time.
The goal was to meet the needed national quota to WIN THE WAR.
And FYI, the jet engines of the B-36 are the SAME, nacelles and all, of the Boeing B-47. Explain that.
There was a B36 that had no gas/electric returning from Germany with a pilot stuck in the bubble gun and they had to land without wheels which crushed the pilot sadly...
@addictedjun Your comment made NO sense. The B-36 guns were remote operated, and the window blisters were mounted on the side of the bomber.
The only way your bullsh*t could be plausible is if the B-36 landed on it's side, which not only makes even less sense, but would have killed the WHOLE crew.
@addictedjun Don't get into a bomber argument with me, little noob. I live a stone's throw away from Offutt AFB, where SAC (now StratCom) HQ is located. I've even crawled around in the B-36 that is part of the SAC Museum's collection. I know what the B-36 bomber was like!
The B-36 had remote-operated gun turrets as part of it's design from day one.
@addictedjun You do not have enough brains to have an intelligent discussion without the name-calling. How old are you? You are not an adult. Most likely an adolescent and one that needs a good spanking. Where are your parents?
@addictedjun I think you're mistaking a B-17 for a B-36. There were no missions flown over Germany during the war by a B-36. However, that scenario did happen to an 8th Airforce B-17.
@bompiberlot - not built for tactical bombing - strategic bomber, for taking US nukes to the Soviet Union. USA used B-29s in Korea until MiG-15s showed up and shot them out of the sky.
I was on the beach at Minehead, Somerset, England on the evening of July 1st 1952 kicking a ball about with some mates when we heard sounds of planes, coming from the East not in any formation were B.36s. We counted variousley between fourteen and eighteen, it was difficult as we reckoned they were only around 1500 feet. Obviousley they were returning to America. It was a sight and sound that I will never forget.
The pusher prop era was a fantastic transition for aerospace engineers. The B-36 exhibited an awakening effect about the considerations of size, weight, and performance for future planes to come. Even runway durability became an issue. Today's modern commercial aircraft owe much to the Missing Link - the B-36 which did have both jets and props. WW-II may have had a non-nuclear ending if the war had dragged on and permitted the B-36 to perform..
Interesting note: As part of the exchange program, Wing Commander Ken Wallis (of the Little Nellie fame) was posted to America to fly the B-36. He took his "Long Dog" Rolls Royce with him on the Cunnard liner and drove it across the States to meet with Curtis E. LeMay.
Interesting note: As part of the exchange program, Wing Commander Ken Wallis (of the Little Nellie fame) was posted to America to fly the B-36. He took his "Long Dog" Rolls Royce with him on the Cunnard liner and drove it across the States to meet with Curtis E. LeMay.
@admmaddog1,I was living in Arlington,Texas and would see the B36 fly over nearly day.They would fly low.The sound and how big they were is what i remember most.I was 6 or 7 at the time.
What a magnificient beast. Pilots said it handled like a truck. During my 8 yrs. in the A.F. in the '80's, I was stationed at Ellsworth for 6 yrs. & Loring for 18 mos. Both were unique in the fact that they had a hangar (1 each) capable of housing the B 36. They were the only 2 bases in SAC that had 'em. If I remember right, they were called the 'arch hangar'.
@kolbpilot We returned to the states from Burtonwood when I was about seven (1952) and Dad was then stationed at Dow in Maine. We bought a house near the golf course (to be) and very near to approach lines. I will never for get a B-36 landed with an emergency of some sort which was based at Loring. Dow's runway (then) was too short for this beast and the noise level where we were was deafening and broke a dozen panes of glass in the house. Dave Mendenhall son of Howard M/Sgt
god i had no idea this aircraft even exsisted.... I feel very humbled and must stress my gratitude to all pilots... and my deepest respect for anyone who flies.... hats off! such an amazing aircraft.
THANK YOU Bomberguy, it's really a treat to be able to see footage like this. I wish very much that there was even one B36 still flying, I'm sure there's no substitute for seeing & hearing it in person.
I believe the USAF museum in Dayton OH has it now and are in the restoration process. I can't wait!! (they changed the name to be more PC but its still the Air Force museum to me!)
SIze - according to Wiki, the B36 and B52 had almost the same bomb weight carrying capacity. With 4700 ft^2 the B36 wing was a little larger than a B52's 4000 ft^2 wing.
nantyreira - same here but for me it was a B58 that flew over my house scraping the trees - awesome.
Geesh, I actually had a sheet metal B36 toy when I was about 6 years old! I can't remember if it had batteries or was 'friction' job that you pushed and sparks flew out? I do remember the wing came off and my mother told me that I had it on backwards. But I knew it was right because of the picture on the box! (plus it wouldn't fit go on backwards anyway). I wonder what I'd get for it on Ebay if I still had it today... hmmm?
I was about 7 years old at the time, playing with other kids in my street in Taunton. I'd seen the B-36 in the Observers Book of Aircraft. Suddenly, there it was - flying at no more than a thousand feet. All my mates dropped everything and ran indoors thinking the Russians were coming.
But I didn't - I knew the monster was a friendly one. Thank heavens for the Observers Book of Aircraft and Thank Heavens for the Yanks who stood up to be counted at a time when the Soviet threat was very real.
Thank you for this post! I have a question - in the description, it says, 'evaluate the equivalent airspeed and compression tactics' etc.
What does 'compression tactics' mean? If anyone knows, please chime in. I'm just curious but am fascinated with big bombers. Man I wish one of these was still flying!
Can you imagine THE SOUND of, say, 8 or 9 of these flying over? AWESOME!
I wonder if compression tactics are something to do with high altitude performance vs fighters of the time? I beleive it was rumoured that no fighter could keep flying at the altitude a B36 could cruise at....not sure i'd put my faith in it though!
I was there at the time. The RAF Regt were the air defence at Lakenheath at the time. Our gunsite was less than 50 yards from the main runway. Once they had landed, to our surprise and amazement (only feet away as they touched down) the secirity really clamped down, there was no security perimeter fence at this time.Pathe News states landing about the 22nd January. The previous year on the Somerset coast and regularly watched the Bristol Brabazon on test flights flying down the Severn Estury.
I watched these planes take off at Lackland AFB Texas in 1950. They almost went out of sight before lifting off. These were the most expensive and shortest lived bombers ever built, filling a small nich between piston engine and jet that lasted a microsecond.
I was on my bike near Cambridge (UK), not far from Lakenheath, when three of these flew over at no more than 3000ft. Very,very noisy. Thanks Bomberguy.
These were the most awe inspiring aircraft when I was into aircraft spotting when I was a lad back in the 50s, near Stafford, UK. I can remember their unique sound to this day.
videoted41 2 weeks ago
thats insanely huge :)
singningwongho 1 month ago
The B-36 was originally conceived as the "worst case scenario" bomber. If England fell to Nazi Germany, bombers would have to fly round-trip all the way from the US east coast and Canada to the Reich without refuel or escort.
A lot of the B-36's designs went into the B-29, which you might call a "B-36 Jr.".
MiHiVidz 4 months ago
@MiHiVidz A lot of the B-36's designs went into the B-32, the competitor of the B-29. Why would Convair help Boeing with her design, when Convair had her own super bomber design? Some people have suggested, that the B-32 was the superior design to the B-29, but came too late into the war to prove itself.
stephenwinkler 1 month ago
@stephenwinkler There was a WAR going on when the B-36 was in development u idiot! A lot of aircraft companies were making aircraft of a competitor's design because in many cases the original company couldn't make as many of that airplane as needed within the amount of time.
The goal was to meet the needed national quota to WIN THE WAR.
And FYI, the jet engines of the B-36 are the SAME, nacelles and all, of the Boeing B-47. Explain that.
MiHiVidz 1 month ago
@MiHiVidz Allow me to speculate, that your mother was an idiot, who was too busy with the business of prostitution to teach you proper manners.
stephenwinkler 1 month ago
@stephenwinkler U MAD
MiHiVidz 1 month ago
I was stationed at Lakenheath in the 80's and 90's. I had no idea that runway was long enough to handle an aircraft that size.
jonesy97 8 months ago
There was a B36 that had no gas/electric returning from Germany with a pilot stuck in the bubble gun and they had to land without wheels which crushed the pilot sadly...
addictedjun 9 months ago
@addictedjun Your comment made NO sense. The B-36 guns were remote operated, and the window blisters were mounted on the side of the bomber.
The only way your bullsh*t could be plausible is if the B-36 landed on it's side, which not only makes even less sense, but would have killed the WHOLE crew.
MiHiVidz 4 months ago
@MiHiVidz The first B-36 guns needed human controls. Dipshit.
addictedjun 4 months ago
@addictedjun Don't get into a bomber argument with me, little noob. I live a stone's throw away from Offutt AFB, where SAC (now StratCom) HQ is located. I've even crawled around in the B-36 that is part of the SAC Museum's collection. I know what the B-36 bomber was like!
The B-36 had remote-operated gun turrets as part of it's design from day one.
DIIIIIIIIIIIPSHIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIT!
MiHiVidz 4 months ago
This has been flagged as spam show
@addictedjun But the gunners were not in any "bubble gun". Please stop being so stupid.
MiHiVidz 1 month ago
@addictedjun You do not have enough brains to have an intelligent discussion without the name-calling. How old are you? You are not an adult. Most likely an adolescent and one that needs a good spanking. Where are your parents?
stephenwinkler 1 month ago
@stephenwinkler hes MAD LOL
addictedjun 1 month ago
@addictedjun I think you're mistaking a B-17 for a B-36. There were no missions flown over Germany during the war by a B-36. However, that scenario did happen to an 8th Airforce B-17.
panzerrat 2 months ago
If it was so good bomber why not used it in Korea ?
bompiberlot 9 months ago
@bompiberlot - not built for tactical bombing - strategic bomber, for taking US nukes to the Soviet Union. USA used B-29s in Korea until MiG-15s showed up and shot them out of the sky.
JBofBrisbane 8 months ago
Bomber dude your videos are from the best found on the web AND television =D
madxico 10 months ago
30 hours! Must have brought the wrong AtoZ....
waynehenshaw 10 months ago
Lakenheath, home of the 48th TFW (Statue of Liberty) with their noisy F15Es flying over my house!!!
SuperAncientmariner 11 months ago
a crew of 15?? compare that to the B2 Stealth crew of 2! minus atomic weapons, i wonder which carried more firepower
sw8741 1 year ago
I was on the beach at Minehead, Somerset, England on the evening of July 1st 1952 kicking a ball about with some mates when we heard sounds of planes, coming from the East not in any formation were B.36s. We counted variousley between fourteen and eighteen, it was difficult as we reckoned they were only around 1500 feet. Obviousley they were returning to America. It was a sight and sound that I will never forget.
gogo31038 1 year ago
The pusher prop era was a fantastic transition for aerospace engineers. The B-36 exhibited an awakening effect about the considerations of size, weight, and performance for future planes to come. Even runway durability became an issue. Today's modern commercial aircraft owe much to the Missing Link - the B-36 which did have both jets and props. WW-II may have had a non-nuclear ending if the war had dragged on and permitted the B-36 to perform..
sailordiver2007 1 year ago
Sorry for repeat reply. Please delete!
DiamondEyeProduction 1 year ago
Interesting note: As part of the exchange program, Wing Commander Ken Wallis (of the Little Nellie fame) was posted to America to fly the B-36. He took his "Long Dog" Rolls Royce with him on the Cunnard liner and drove it across the States to meet with Curtis E. LeMay.
DiamondEyeProduction 1 year ago
Interesting note: As part of the exchange program, Wing Commander Ken Wallis (of the Little Nellie fame) was posted to America to fly the B-36. He took his "Long Dog" Rolls Royce with him on the Cunnard liner and drove it across the States to meet with Curtis E. LeMay.
DiamondEyeProduction 1 year ago
that thing reminds me of the huge planes of nausicaa of the valley of the winds
happosai27 1 year ago
I have built the monogrham
Model in 1/72 scale this model is huge
Also bulit a b-17 in the same scale
It fits under one wing of the 36
The plane was truly huge
I seen a b-36 in the sac museum
In ashland Nebraska the plane is awesome
They also have a parasite fighter next to it
Awesome
admmaddog1 2 years ago
@admmaddog1,I was living in Arlington,Texas and would see the B36 fly over nearly day.They would fly low.The sound and how big they were is what i remember most.I was 6 or 7 at the time.
brcr29 1 year ago 2
personnaly i like the b-36 more that the b-52 this one has a cooler look. notice that the propellors are at the other side of the wing.
duvel60 2 years ago 2
@duvel60 no shit sherlock... jeeez what a doofus
plasticspastic201 1 year ago
This has been flagged as spam show
@plasticspastic201 Did i asked your opinion? I didn't think so.
duvel60 1 year ago
@duvel60 I've been in the cockpit of a B-36 that was next to a B-52. The B-36 is so huge that you could see the TOP of the B-52.
MiHiVidz 1 month ago
@MiHiVidz Nice :p to bad thest things aren't in Europe anymore to see :(
duvel60 1 month ago
Imagine doing a spark plug change on this monster!
mac163 2 years ago
I think the b36 and SAC kept the soviet union from invading europe in the 1950s hats off to the U.S and British air forces.
TheTjm1010 2 years ago 3
I remember that sound, alright! I was a little kid, but no one ever forgets that sound. Thanks, Bomberguy!
whizbang47 2 years ago
It boggles the mind how they ever got 15 crew members all synced up to fly this giant plane.
erod1944 2 years ago
Man...what a huge stab/rudder.
raynus1 2 years ago
What a magnificient beast. Pilots said it handled like a truck. During my 8 yrs. in the A.F. in the '80's, I was stationed at Ellsworth for 6 yrs. & Loring for 18 mos. Both were unique in the fact that they had a hangar (1 each) capable of housing the B 36. They were the only 2 bases in SAC that had 'em. If I remember right, they were called the 'arch hangar'.
kolbpilot 2 years ago
@kolbpilot We returned to the states from Burtonwood when I was about seven (1952) and Dad was then stationed at Dow in Maine. We bought a house near the golf course (to be) and very near to approach lines. I will never for get a B-36 landed with an emergency of some sort which was based at Loring. Dow's runway (then) was too short for this beast and the noise level where we were was deafening and broke a dozen panes of glass in the house. Dave Mendenhall son of Howard M/Sgt
Horsensenow 3 months ago
god i had no idea this aircraft even exsisted.... I feel very humbled and must stress my gratitude to all pilots... and my deepest respect for anyone who flies.... hats off! such an amazing aircraft.
cykadelik 2 years ago 2
Friend of mine lives next door. LT.MJ. Louis S. Frank tells me he flew the B-17 79 missions & B-52 but told me he was afraid of the B-36.
ENCOMAN 2 years ago
THANK YOU Bomberguy, it's really a treat to be able to see footage like this. I wish very much that there was even one B36 still flying, I'm sure there's no substitute for seeing & hearing it in person.
sloiselle1 3 years ago 9
Friend of mine flew those outta
Castle AFB near Atwater, Calif.
"Six turinin' 'n four burnin"
telemacherT2 3 years ago
Awesome and excellent!
Have you any footage of the double-deck XC-99, the one-off transport version?
groovista 3 years ago
I believe the USAF museum in Dayton OH has it now and are in the restoration process. I can't wait!! (they changed the name to be more PC but its still the Air Force museum to me!)
tplanefun 2 years ago
As a little kid, I took a picture, at McGuire, of a B36 cockpit. Boy, did I get in trouble.
82abnoff 3 years ago
SIze - according to Wiki, the B36 and B52 had almost the same bomb weight carrying capacity. With 4700 ft^2 the B36 wing was a little larger than a B52's 4000 ft^2 wing.
nantyreira - same here but for me it was a B58 that flew over my house scraping the trees - awesome.
Mikeishere1st 3 years ago
Geesh, I actually had a sheet metal B36 toy when I was about 6 years old! I can't remember if it had batteries or was 'friction' job that you pushed and sparks flew out? I do remember the wing came off and my mother told me that I had it on backwards. But I knew it was right because of the picture on the box! (plus it wouldn't fit go on backwards anyway). I wonder what I'd get for it on Ebay if I still had it today... hmmm?
Mikeishere1st 3 years ago
I was about 7 years old at the time, playing with other kids in my street in Taunton. I'd seen the B-36 in the Observers Book of Aircraft. Suddenly, there it was - flying at no more than a thousand feet. All my mates dropped everything and ran indoors thinking the Russians were coming.
But I didn't - I knew the monster was a friendly one. Thank heavens for the Observers Book of Aircraft and Thank Heavens for the Yanks who stood up to be counted at a time when the Soviet threat was very real.
nantyreira 3 years ago 2
6 turnin 4 burnin
chessie4155 3 years ago
My parents live near Lakenheath right now. I'm glad they aren't there now, my parents would have no windows!
Thank you very much for posting this. This was so fascinating!!!
AllSingingAllDancing 3 years ago
Windows used to break, and early ones (with single wheel main landing gear) used to break runways. Later ones had bogey undercarriage.
bluedonkeyzoo 3 years ago
ridiculous aircraft. Truly impressive that they actually got off the ground.
gardenclaw82 3 years ago
My uncle used to live on a base that operated these (Travis, AFB i think) he said when they took off it shook the whole house lol
AdmiralShat 3 years ago 2
Thank you for this post! I have a question - in the description, it says, 'evaluate the equivalent airspeed and compression tactics' etc.
What does 'compression tactics' mean? If anyone knows, please chime in. I'm just curious but am fascinated with big bombers. Man I wish one of these was still flying!
Can you imagine THE SOUND of, say, 8 or 9 of these flying over? AWESOME!
sloiselle1 3 years ago
I wonder if compression tactics are something to do with high altitude performance vs fighters of the time? I beleive it was rumoured that no fighter could keep flying at the altitude a B36 could cruise at....not sure i'd put my faith in it though!
Motoguzzi750 3 years ago
Even though it's a gigantic machine, it still seems... small.
Compared to the meteor.
peepeevagi 3 years ago
Yeah, it was a HUGE plane.
MyNamesFriday 3 years ago
The greatest bomber ever made by the USA and sadly, not one is still airworthy.
racer500gp 3 years ago
I was there at the time. The RAF Regt were the air defence at Lakenheath at the time. Our gunsite was less than 50 yards from the main runway. Once they had landed, to our surprise and amazement (only feet away as they touched down) the secirity really clamped down, there was no security perimeter fence at this time.Pathe News states landing about the 22nd January. The previous year on the Somerset coast and regularly watched the Bristol Brabazon on test flights flying down the Severn Estury.
spbmoonraker 3 years ago 2
GREAT Post!!
cajunhornet60 4 years ago
there are a couple of takeoff vids of her here on utube.AWESOME.plus,the flyover from the SAC movie!
bigroy38 4 years ago
why does it take a crew of 15????
N9155E 4 years ago
cause they'd get lost going from end to end.
godzilla74114 3 years ago 6
@N9155E
It's Technical.
NewWaveTH 2 months ago
Wright-Patterson AF museum in Ohio had one of these in display, stunning behemoth of a plane!
Too lazy to google so I ask Bomberguy :)
Was B-36 supposed to carry tiny fighters named "Goblin" or similar? Do you have any footage of those?
tunkki321 4 years ago
I watched these planes take off at Lackland AFB Texas in 1950. They almost went out of sight before lifting off. These were the most expensive and shortest lived bombers ever built, filling a small nich between piston engine and jet that lasted a microsecond.
twinten 4 years ago
Keep 'em coming, Bomberguy!
denberg2 4 years ago 3
That Meteor was 'tiny' !
stjohnstjohn 4 years ago
huge up close :O
SmiertSpionem 4 years ago
I was on my bike near Cambridge (UK), not far from Lakenheath, when three of these flew over at no more than 3000ft. Very,very noisy. Thanks Bomberguy.
2775754raf 4 years ago
a very strange yet wonderful sound as the props combine with those jets. keep them comming Bomberguy, this stuff if wonderfull.
Neritoc 4 years ago