Convair B-36 Peacemaker at PIMA interior tour

PIMA has performed a superb restoration to the exterior of its B-36 but the aircraft's glazing is painted to keep the scorching desert sun out of the aircraft and prevents anyone from looking inside. Many people believe the airplane is only a shell with none of the interior still intact. This video tour will give a short glimpse of what lurks inside behind the paint.

Category:

Science & Technology

Tags:

• B-36
• B36
• Peacemaker
• Convair
• PIMA
• Tucson
• Fort Worth

[ad356]

i wonder how close this thing is to being airworthy. looks pretty complete. would cost a huge fortune to put one of these back into the air. something that only the government could afford to operate

[JetMechMA]

Thanks for making this video and slide show.

[JetMechMA]

Uh....tradition changed! Crew Chief emptied the can on B-52s.

[JetMechMA]

From the looks of it, I doubt very seriously that actual vandals ever got their hands on this aircraft. It was more likely veterans who just wanted to take a little souvenir. Again, I've seen it on active B-52s. Overall, things look pretty good inside this pre-restoration aircraft, in my opinion.

[JetMechMA]

The pre-restoration pictures don't look that bad. Believe me, I served on active B-52's that didn't look much better. I personally made an effort to beautify my aircraft when I had the time after more pressing duties. Other Crew Chiefs got jealous and did the same.

[JetMechMA]

1:49....looks like the Millenium Falcon from Star Wars. Muts be where they got the inspiration for it's design.

[stuntmanmike37]

@SaucyJake They did.  It was called the XC-99.

[admmaddog1]

The jet engines ran on standard aviation fuel/// A good book to read on the B-36 is Magnesium Overcast. one b-36 had ten miles of wiring in it just an amazing aircraft/// what is it there is only 5or6 b-36$left out of 359 or something like that the one at Pima is a b-36 J AM I Wright and that is the last one to roll off the production line i hope i am right on that if not please let me know. thanks.

[SaucyJake]

What if they made a passenger aircraft variant of the B-36....?

[vanamonde2]

Thanks for posting this! I worked on the restoration with the old guys back in the mid-1990s on this B-36. I'm glad to see the interior we worked on remained intact! There was virtually nothing remaining inside this plane when the restoration began. It was gutted. We pieced together the interior with what we had available and did our very best to get it as close to original with what we had. The plane was in storage for years after we finished. I'm glad it finally found a home out in Arizona.