The prototype Convair XB-36 made its first flight at Fort Worth, Texas on August 8, 1946. It was powered by six 28-cylinder, 4,360-cubic-inch radial engines. From Air Force Engineering Division Film: Experimental and Research Aircraft.
The sad part of this story is that the military ordered all YB-49's to be destroyed, and they did. Early one morning in 1945 demolition crews came to the Northrop plant in Hawthorne CA, and destroyed every single YB-49. This happend in front of Northrop employees that put their heart and soul into these aircraft.
This was the aircraft that the US decided to with after the military had purchased some 20 or so YB-49 (flying wings) from Northrop. This plane was so heavy that it could only land in texas and some other base in europe cause it would crack the runway cement anywhere else. Mechanics hated to work on this aricraft, engines needed an enitre overhaul after every flight. Also it was common for engines to turn off in flight. The secretary of defense had a monetary interest in Consolidated, so be it.
It was a good plane.
kuluku 2 years ago 2
The sad part of this story is that the military ordered all YB-49's to be destroyed, and they did. Early one morning in 1945 demolition crews came to the Northrop plant in Hawthorne CA, and destroyed every single YB-49. This happend in front of Northrop employees that put their heart and soul into these aircraft.
pilot1962 2 years ago
This was the aircraft that the US decided to with after the military had purchased some 20 or so YB-49 (flying wings) from Northrop. This plane was so heavy that it could only land in texas and some other base in europe cause it would crack the runway cement anywhere else. Mechanics hated to work on this aricraft, engines needed an enitre overhaul after every flight. Also it was common for engines to turn off in flight. The secretary of defense had a monetary interest in Consolidated, so be it.
pilot1962 2 years ago
sweet..a little sound would be nice >))
davethomas4061 2 years ago