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.
A and B series were built without jet engines. B-36C were planned but built as B-36B. Many B-36B were later upgraded to D configuration, with jets. There were also new-built B-36D. All the B-36A were modified to reconnaissance RB-36E which also had the four jets. Everything after B-36D had jets.
In the late 50s in Dallas, I saw, heard and felt one fly over my neighborhood at an extremely low altitude.
It blotted out the sun and the rumble rattled the windows as I stood in my backyard feeling the engine’s vibrations in my chest. Our poor dog went scampering into the garage with her tail between her legs….
It was a close encounter of the Convair kind……they were stationed or flew out of Carswell AFB, Ft Worth at the time.
I saw one in flight about that time frame also, down in the RGV and the experience was much the same, without the dog. The next time I saw or heard anything that big and loud was a C5A in the landing pattern at Tan Son Nhut passing overhead at very low altitude.
I knew I'd heard "aluminum overcast" for the B-36, here it is in this Wikipedia quote: "Convair touted the B-36 as the 'aluminum overcast', a so-called 'long rifle, giving SAC truly global reach." Source . . . : https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Convair_B-36_Peacemaker
Convair seems to have appropriated the term from that given to WWII ETO bomber formations for its huge, single B-36.
My book on the B36 is titled "Magnesium Overcast" as much of the airframe was built from a magnesium alloy. That included the flaps initially but aluminium replaced magnesium because magnesium couldn't cope with the stress. The recon versions had a larger section of the fuselage made from aluminium as well as magnesium couldn't cope with the pressurisation cycles.
They were built with an alloy containing strontium. That had to be machined and dismantled carefully because of low levels of radiation from the strontium. The dust of magnesium alloys also could ignite.
SITREP: no airworthy Peacemakers exist, the four surviving airframes are all on static display. Therefore, this is an old photo. I was a bit saddened.
ReplyDeleteLooks like an early prototype—no jets.
DeleteA and B series were built without jet engines. B-36C were planned but built as B-36B. Many B-36B were later upgraded to D configuration, with jets. There were also new-built B-36D. All the B-36A were modified to reconnaissance RB-36E which also had the four jets. Everything after B-36D had jets.
Deletehttps://youtu.be/9FJVxtTNjJk?feature=shared
ReplyDeleteThey had one on display at Chanute AFB, it's big!
ReplyDeleteSpent a winter there and they had the flight line filled with great planes. Cold as hell too.
DeleteOne of the early samples, got the six turnin (props), but not the four burnin (Jets).
ReplyDeleteThere's a photo of a B-29 and a B-36 parked together on the Wikipedia B-36 page. Shows just how HUGE the B-36 actually is.
ReplyDeleteYep, seen it !
Deletethe 29 span will nearly fit under ONE of its wings
In the late 50s in Dallas, I saw, heard and felt one fly over my neighborhood at an extremely low altitude.
ReplyDeleteIt blotted out the sun and the rumble rattled the windows as I stood in my backyard feeling the engine’s vibrations in my chest. Our poor dog went scampering into the garage with her tail between her legs….
It was a close encounter of the Convair kind……they were stationed or flew out of Carswell AFB, Ft Worth at the time.
They were actually built there.
DeleteI saw one in flight about that time frame also, down in the RGV and the experience was much the same, without the dog. The next time I saw or heard anything that big and loud was a C5A in the landing pattern at Tan Son Nhut passing overhead at very low altitude.
DeleteYou saw a C5 in Vietnam?
DeleteCan't recall where I heard it, but, because of the B-36's immensity, at some point someone dubbed it The Aluminum Overcast.
ReplyDeleteAluminum overcast was the nickname they gave to the bomber missions in the ETO in WWII.
DeleteI knew I'd heard "aluminum overcast" for the B-36, here it is in this Wikipedia quote: "Convair touted the B-36 as the 'aluminum overcast', a so-called 'long rifle, giving SAC truly global reach." Source . . . : https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Convair_B-36_Peacemaker
DeleteConvair seems to have appropriated the term from that given to WWII ETO bomber formations for its huge, single B-36.
My book on the B36 is titled "Magnesium Overcast" as much of the airframe was built from a magnesium alloy. That included the flaps initially but aluminium replaced magnesium because magnesium couldn't cope with the stress. The recon versions had a larger section of the fuselage made from aluminium as well as magnesium couldn't cope with the pressurisation cycles.
DeleteYah gotta give 'em props.
ReplyDeleteGood one!
DeleteAmazing just how large that plane was. Wow.
ReplyDeleteGiant flying pepperoni!
ReplyDeleteSeen the duct work for the engines under the nacelles, amazing sheetmetal work.
ReplyDeleteThey were built with an alloy containing strontium. That had to be machined and dismantled carefully because of low levels of radiation from the strontium. The dust of magnesium alloys also could ignite.
ReplyDelete