And what country can preserve its liberties if their rulers are not warned from time to time that their people preserve the spirit of resistance? Let them take arms. The remedy is to set them right as to facts, pardon and pacify them. What signify a few lives lost in a century or two? The tree of liberty must be refreshed from time to time with the blood of patriots and tyrants.
Friday, July 31, 2020
XB-36 making its first flight at Fort Worth, Texas on August 8th, 1946.
the only reason for the size of this thing was the size and weight of the bomb it was to carry. in the the USAF Museum, there is a B-36D and an inert training round of the bombs it was designed to carry. you can walk beneath the open bomb bays and come to a realization of what was asked our airmen to attempt. Any thought of the impressive size of the MOAB would be dispelled by the size of the original operational H bomb.
Yes, they did run on avgas. (I've been researching the B-36 for an article I'm doing for Aviation History magazine, of which I'm the Contributing Editor.). The jets were intended to be used only for takeoff and for over-the-target dash speed. They used a lot of gas and decreased the -36's range substantially if used too much.
Interestingly enough, I was able to catch the Antonov AN 225 as it landed in Bangor Maine on Friday. I had a delivery schedule to meet, and after waiting at a real good spot for touchdown, it started filling up with cars, so I left, rather than getting caught in a fustercluck. Just as I was getting back on I-95, here she comes. It looked like a whole nother planet coming at me. This is the second time I've seen that beast in Bangor. It will send a shiver down your spine, but not as good as when I watched Air Force One leaving a couple of months ago.
Is that Barney Fife on the right side of that big bad-boy wheel?
ReplyDeleteThat was the only B-36 to have those huge single mainwheels, though the cargo version (XC-99?) did as well.
ReplyDeletethe only reason for the size of this thing was the size and weight of the bomb it was to carry. in the the USAF Museum, there is a B-36D and an inert training round of the bombs it was designed to carry. you can walk beneath the open bomb bays and come to a realization of what was asked our airmen to attempt. Any thought of the impressive size of the MOAB would be dispelled by the size of the original operational H bomb.
ReplyDeleteIf I'd only seen the nose I'd have thought it was an Antonov or Ilyushin!
ReplyDeleteDoes anyone know if those jet engines were designed to burn av gas? I thought I had read that somewhere........
ReplyDeleteThat aircraft did not have jet engines. Later models had four jet engines in addition to the six non-jet engines.
DeleteThanks for the post.
Paul L. Quandt
I understand the rear wing engines didn't cool as well as front ones.
DeleteYes, they did run on avgas. (I've been researching the B-36 for an article I'm doing for Aviation History magazine, of which I'm the Contributing Editor.). The jets were intended to be used only for takeoff and for over-the-target dash speed. They used a lot of gas and decreased the -36's range substantially if used too much.
DeleteWhen I was a boy in Methuen, Mass., Pease AFB (NH, now civilian) had a wing of them, and we got flyovers during patriotic holidays.
ReplyDeleteInterestingly enough, I was able to catch the Antonov AN 225 as it landed in Bangor Maine on Friday.
ReplyDeleteI had a delivery schedule to meet, and after waiting at a real good spot for touchdown, it started filling up with cars, so I left, rather than getting caught in a fustercluck.
Just as I was getting back on I-95, here she comes.
It looked like a whole nother planet coming at me.
This is the second time I've seen that beast in Bangor.
It will send a shiver down your spine, but not as good as when I watched Air Force One leaving a couple of months ago.