Inside The Convair B-36 Peacemaker

From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Convair_B-36
The Convair B-36 "Peacemaker" was a strategic bomber built by Convair and operated solely by the United States Air Force (USAF) from 1949 to 1959. The B-36 was the largest mass-produced piston engine aircraft ever made. It had the longest wingspan of any combat aircraft ever built (230 ft or 70 m), although there have been larger military transports. The B-36 was the first bomber capable of delivering nuclear weapons that fit inside the bomb bay without aircraft modifications. With a range greater than 6,000 mi (9,700 km) and a maximum payload of 72,000 lb (33,000 kg), the B-36 was the first operational bomber with an intercontinental range. This set the standard for subsequent USAF long range bombers, such as the B-47 Stratojet, B-52 Stratofortress, B-1 Lancer, and B-2 Spirit

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[videomaniac108]

True, the 50s & 60s were a golden age of prosperity and hope. Hope of the power of science and technology to help solve some of the vexing problems of mankind and hope in the collective wisdom of organizations like the UN to solve conflicts without war. You could sees this optimistic hope in the eyes of children and in the literature and creative arts of the time. It is profoundly disappointing to see how far short of those lofty goals we've fallen.

[cojdth]

@Psyche777able , I lived in St. Louis, Mo. I was in grade school at the time. I think you could feel (especially if the props were even a little off sink) that great ship before you could actually hear it! I will never forget that plane, and I wish I could hear it just one more time...

[wa5iyx]

At a Sep 1956 airshow in Oakland, CA one of these did two low-level s-n runway passes. The first was with all engines running, and (after a wide turn over SF Bay) the next was with just the jet engines (no thundering drone that time). When they were at high altitudes you could always identify one by the "extra" contrails that it left vs a B-29, etc.

[alexander1485]

woah, i never knew it had turrets!

[TheDazachman]

What documentary is this?

[nimo1934]

it was the biggest plane i ever saw, we used to guard these babies in our pickups i was so impressed i get goose bumps even now, the sound of those engines were one of a kind, if any of you saw jimmy stewart in the movie he was a full col. at that time, the engineer was played by the late harry morgan fro mash thank god we had that ace in the hole

[2007Colonial]

They could deliver a world of hurt, love the B models without the jet pods!

[maurirossi]

I have a question about it: was the jet engines used only for takeoff extra thrust?

Thanks for sharing this video.

[safetychoice]

It's amazing that general Arnold had the foresight to order this plane in l941.

[JTLaser1]

@videomaniac108 I would vote thumbs up on your comment, but I can't seem to make myself do it. I DO agree with you 100% though.

[zekezero12345]

Seems like a golden age doesn't it? World beating manufacturing, standard of living improving noticeably for the average man every year and the warm afterglow of freeing the world from tyranny...

Oh how things have changed :(