Convair B-36

My father on the B-36 out of Carswell in the mid 50's as a gunner. Anybody out there know him or have any stories? Thanks for anything.

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My father on the B-36 out of Carswell in the mid 50's as a gunner. Anybody out there know him or have any stories? Thanks for anything.

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Dick Ingerle,
My father, along with 14 other crew members was killed in April 1952 at Fairchild. Were you there at that time? My fathers name was Earl Davis the family called him bill and might have been known as Red.

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ac electrian jan 1955 to aug 1958 did a lot of crawling around the 36. got up in those wings. never forgot the expr

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In 1950 when I lived in Mississippi I recall seeing & hearing the B-36s fly overhead with their unusual engine noise & sometimes their guns firing. The guns cycled rather slowly so I assume they were cannon & not .50 cals.
The engine sound was a distinct undulating sound as though the engines were NOT in scynch. I have never forgotton that.

I retired from the Air Force in 1974 as a MSGT.

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I was assigned to Fairchild in October 1954 as ECM specialist in the 348th squadron. I flew on the crew of Capt. John Herberg during my entire time there. We participated in the Ficon program and some other experiments. I had about 800 hours B 36 time. There were about five times that I remember when getting back in one piece was questionable. My crew transferred to Westover Massachusetts in November 56 for B-52 training. I did not go, and was discharged in February 1957.

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enlisted 3 /1951 4years. stationed at carswell, trained as an electrical specialist and did a lot of experimental modifications on the big bird. spent time at eglin in fla. some very interesting duty like taking high altitude pics of the captured mig 15 that plane was a true hot rot and we had nothing that could keep up with it at the time. did get to see a fire power demo with a 36 drop of 160 500 pounders at one a second, thank goodness the ruskies were watching as well. the crews competed by bombing most large us cities with radar to get there hits by reflection. we had no real targets , thank goodness..

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I was assigned to the 95th at Biggs directly from basic in Nov '54. As the Flying Safety office clerk, later the Wing Directorate of Safety, I spent 4 years typing engine fire reports on those awful P&W engine. The configuration of the engines, icing problems kept me on that Royal manual typewriter distributing Flying Safety Messages to the Squadron Safety Officers. Knew the pilot of the "fuel starved" acft that crashed near El Paso International and many of the crew of the "short of runway" at Lake Worth at Carswell. Respected all flying and maintenance that supported SAC mission. I worked the Wg Control Room on Guam in '55 as the 95th relieved the 28th. Most rewarding 4 years of my 30 year career. P Gill, CMsgt 54 /84 (ret)

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I was assigned to the 72 FMS, Ramey AFB. Puerto Rico in 1957. Worked on the R-4360's till we retired the last bird in 1959. I always loved the sound of those engines on take-off. The 72nd received the U.S. Air Force Outstanding Unit Award for Operation Curtain Riser with this aircraft. I was proud to be a part of that along with all my fellow A.F. comrades.

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I wish the miltary channel would do a documentary, about this wonderful plane and the crews. It is probably one of the most important AC in our history and the people who flew in it. My brother was a FLT Engineer and intructor on one, and oh the stories he he told. One story was when one of the outboard engines had a runaway prop on take off and two thirds down the runway, going thru all the adjustments, power etc with anew student. in the end all came out fine. But the excitement was really something else.

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During my enlistment, I was trained as an an aircraft electrician , at Chanute, and then sent to Lowery for training as aircrew gunner AFSC 42351E. I was assigned to 5th Recon Bomb Wing, 31st Recon Bomb Sqdn, crew L21F, Travis, AFB during period Mar '55 to Dec '57. All our birds were "H" model "RB's". Have lots of memories of long flights, 24-48 hrs, most were pleasantly boring, but there were a few scary times. Lots of oil leaks, with shut down engines. and an occasional engine fire. Like every other person,who flew the plane, the sound, I can still remember, after a few hours of flight, it seemed to sink into your body, and you became a part of the plane. When you got back to the barracks, you would still vibrate the next day. As I look back on that period of my life, I am especially proud of being a part of the Air Force during the cold war.

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I went thru basic elec., B-36 TG Radar & Control, Flt crew training all at Lowry AFB, Denver, then was assigned to Ramey AFB in PR, then assigned as Tail Gunner on RB-36 crew in 73rd Recon. Sqdrn. After 26 months Crew S-43 rotated to Carswell AFB, Ft. Worth. Even tho I did not have my 36 mos. in, I was fortunate enough to stay on crew and transfer with them to Ft. Worth. I owe so much to my AF training. I served my four years, then got my degree in Elec. Engineering from TEXAS A&M. I thank the AF for my electronics trng, which made the EE degree possible.
Also, I really enjoyed flying with a top notch B-36 crew

Thanks to AF and the electronic schools for really laying the groundwork for my very sucessful career in electronics.

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I was a B-36 tail radar gunner at Fairchild AFB 1952-54. 327 Bomb Sqdn. on Col. Frank Sanders crew. We had quite a few hairy flights also. Explosive decompression at 40,000, a hard landing in 0 visablity and many lost engines but it was great on a crew that was like family.

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In addition to my previous posting about my father, James E. Litchfield... his units were 60th bombardment squadron H (SAC)out of Ramey AFB in Puerto Rico. and the 305th Original Maintenance Sq (SAC) out of Bunker Hill AFB. Again, thank you.

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My name is James F. Litchfield. I am the son of James Edwin Litchfield (AKA Smokey or Litch). He was a crew chief on board a B36. I do not know which one. He was stationed at Ramey AFB in Puerto Rico in the late 1950s, early 1960s. He was also a crew chief on a C-47. He was sent to Vietnam in 1963, I think. He lived off base at Ramey AFB and owned a small rum bar on the beach. If anyone has information regarding James Edwin Litchfield, please feel free to email me at my address. We are trying to get information together for him in regards to the VA. Thank you in advance. James Litchfield

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The Strategic Air Command's top mission that justified their huge budget was to A-bomb the USSR secret atomic bomb war plants in the Ural Mountains, by flying UNESCORTED forf 1000 miles over the Arctic, then 3000 miles through 19,000 USSR interceptors guided by nine radar rings painting the huge B-36. Lost of luck. The B-35 Wing, Sealthy in 1948, faster, flew higher, and was invisible!

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I Inlisted in the USAF 12 /26 /52 and eventually was sent to SAC Base, Fairchild AFB, Spokane, WA. 1953-Dec.1956. Was with the RB36, 99th Recon wing as a ECM tech. made it to S /sgt. Went to TDY Fairford England in May, 1954, to Anderson, on Guam and then Yakoda, Japan, 1955. I had great times being around the B-36, Had excitement on every flight. Never had all six running, and two, many of the times. Saw two crashes at Fairchild and some heroic landings. One of our planes lost a rudder while on a flyover the AF Academy during the opening of Colorado Springs. The AC landed in Rapid City by using his ailerons to control. Made a smooth landing and recieved the Distinguish Flying Medal. Never a dull moment. 2 /13 /12

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Did the B36 have an onboard APU? (auxiliary power unit) If so, where was it, what kind of engine, and did it supply hydraulic and generator power? thanks (R4360 mech on C124)

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In case no one ever noticed, the Russian TU-95 and TU-142 sound EXACTLY like a B-36 when they take off and fly overhead.

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