Convair B-36

IN 1956 AND 1957 I WAS STATIONED AT WHEELUS AFB, TRIPOLI LYBIA, WE HAD THE PLEASURE OF WATCHING THE B-36 TAKE OFF AND LAND. THE REAL SIGHT WAS WHILE PLAYING GOLF, WE WATCHED THE 36 LAND. IT WAS A BEAUTIFUL SIGHT TO SEE THAT BEAUTIFUL MONSTER LOW ENOUGH TO BE ABLE TO COUNT THE RIVITS. JUST TO SEE IT GAVE YOU CHILLS AND NO WONDER IT WAS CALLED THE "PEACE MAKER".

reply

USAF, 1959-1954. Initially assigned to Basic Electronics School, Lowry AFB followed by APG-32 Tail Gunners School and upon completion was assigned to the 42nd Bomb Squadron at Carswell AFB performing maintenance on the radar directed B-36 tail gun. Next sent to initial '71 level Armament Systems School at Lowry AFB. Returned to Carswell AFB and was placed in charge of all 100 hour inspections of the B-36 armament System. Saw the transition from mechanical computer gun laying system to the electro-mechanical system. Transferred to flying status as one of the B-36's turret gunners (right lower waist). Was assigned member of a Select Crew and experienced many 25 hour minimum training flights over the southern U.S. sometimes with nuclear weapon aboard (simulated or real, I never knew). As a Select Crew, I was able to attain the rank of T /Sgt. There were memorable TDY flights to Puerto Rico and Morocco where we stayed for one week. Completed my enlistment as tail gunner on a light-weighted B-36, but never flew at the extreme altitudes, >63,000 feet, that it was capable of. Very dependable aircraft in my experience. In my 356 hours of B-36 flight only experienced loss of an engine on one flight, prop went into reverse while in final approach on one occasion and our Master Gunner had to go out in the wing and crank down the landing gear on one occasion.

Richard T. Nicolls, M.D.

reply

I had the extreme pleasure of working on "730" (Which is now "static" at the old Castle AFB in CA)as an aircraft electrician when it was active at Ellsworth AFB in SD 1953,1954 and 1955. can be viewed www.air-and-space.com /castlb36htm. Like a big dummy, I never took the opportunity to fly in one of these giants. The 36 was one of my favorites to be worked on during my 22 years in the USAF. I do have to say that it was the dirtiest one to work on in the engine conpartment. Those 28 cylinder recips really blew a lot of oily sooty crap all over the inside of the engine area. Working in the j-47 area gave me the idea of how nice and clean it could be working on jets. After leaving Ellsworth in 1955, I continued my Air Force career mainly working on jet aircraft of which my favorite "bird" was the A-10 warthog.
John Wagar, Msgt, retired

reply

It would be nice if one of the existing B36's could be restored to flying status. It would look fantastic doing the airshow circuit along with the B29 "Fifi". Why the Air Force would not allow it is beyond me. As a flying aircraft, it would be a most fitting tribute to all the men who flew and worked on her during her relatively short service career.

reply

After Flight Engineer training at Mather in B-50's was in the 99th at Fairchild as Second Engineer which was an Officer rated job. Attached to several Select Crews.
Made one memorable trip to Guam - took 33.5 hours to get there and 29.5 hours on the return. Mt Rainier never looked so good. Another memory was when as second engineer I had to go out into the starboard wing one night because the landing gear and the 'Canoe door' wanted to come up at the same time. I had to manually crank the gear down and recycle it. A fun experience. The true max gross weight was 410,000 and the 4360's were rated at 3800 hp 'wet'. A person could stand up inside the wing at the third engine out.

reply

I flew in B-52's but wish I had at least one flight in the
B-36. I have always been intriqued with reports mechanics
could go out in the wing to make repairs. I have never
seen any pictures of how they worked their way out the wing. Are there any such pictures. Thanks

reply

Does anyone know where I can see a B 36 on the east coast ?

reply

For those interested in the Flight Manuals for the Convair B-36. My son researched and found this CD which is the complete Flight Manuals in great detail.

This CD is available at: www.flight-manuals-on-cd.com Ltd
P.O. Box 38-847
Wellington, New Zealand

reply

I was ann Aircraft performance engineer on B-36s from 1951-1954. Stationed at Fairchild AFB, Fairfield, CA, Biggs at El Paso, TX. Would like to know what happened to Col Pete Sianis, Col. Estes, Lt. Bob Swanson, Frank Cavanaugh. Any leads would be appreciated. I would also like to know that any B-36 restored and on display would allow one to climb aboard and reminice. Gus

reply

I was in the USAF 1952-56 thru Lowry B-29 gunnery thence to Carswell AFB tng. for B-36 as tail gunner. Eventually formed with other transfers as a member of a combat-ready crew and shipped to Limestone (Loring AFB ME.) We began flying in B36-Ds "profile missions" mostly around artic regions,and in "show" missions to UpperHeyford England, Preswick Scotland etc. Later (1955-6)we got into "featherweight" H and J models which discarded 14 of the 16 20mm cannons and turrets, (leaving just the radar-controlled tail guns.) These last models were virtually "hot-rods" of the breed and we marvelled at some of the steep angles of attack some pilots achieved in takeoffs...perhaps beyond regulations. All aft-compartment gunners were also "scanners"...an extremely boring job of watching engines, intercooler settings, gear movements locking down lock, canoe-door closing,and any hints of oil leaks, smoke, flame, etc. (We lost at least one engine in flight about 25% of the time) We also were tasked with spotting AD Command fighters who "attacked" us on a fairly regular basis..We used gun cameras in return..learning later how many times we were shot down by F-89s, F-86s, even by Glouster Meteors over Canada. As "gunners" we shared multiple tasks, mostly related to emergency procedures and practices thereof. Aside from loading and arming all the 16 guns under the direction of our "senior gunner", scanner duties, and operating the tail radar armament system...we also could crawl into the wing (at low altitude) and crank down the gear (I never did this, thank God)..we could go to a panel and run a back-up for lowering flaps, and we could also do emergency retraction of the lower and upper turrets (which folded into the fuselage) There were six bunks in the aft compartment of all the models I rode..also an electric stove with 4 burners where we presumably could cook ham and eggs...but we seldom, if ever did that, even on long missions of more than 30 hours. (Inflight "Box lunches" were not all bad, except for the ubiquitous "Purple Plums in Syrup, and the vitamin fortified chocolate bar..) Advancement for combat-ready crews was more rapid than in the rest of the Air Force, (we were told) our AC,Pilots,and Radar /Nav /Bombradiers all gained heavier metal within the first eighteen months after passable flight safety records and a good bombing scores. Enlisted crewmembers would usually make an NCO (E-4+)grade within or shortly after 4 years. As a crew after "combat ready" we became a "select crew" then an "instructor crew" which placed us into other people's aircraft, drilling them remorselessly on SOP. I'm now 75 years old...I think I was told that for a time, in 1954-55, I was the youngest tail gunner in SAC. Those were memorable days.

reply

I was assigned to the 717th Strat Recon Sq. at Rapid City AFB as an aerial photographer (1953-54). SAC and the B-36 were our nation's main deterent to Russian /Chinese expansion and war threat. In August '54 we attained an altitude of 57,000 feet in a featherweight RB-36E. It was a marvelous aircraft and maintained by excellent ground crews.

reply

I was a jet mechanic in early 50's and later a licensed A&P mechanic with commercial airlines. I have always been facinated with the B-36 and would like to know if mainteance or flight manuals are available??

reply

Re the Jimmy Stewart movie: It was "Strategic Air Command", in color, starring J. Stewart and June Allison. It came out in 1955 while the B-36 was still our primary strategic bomber.
All are invited to join B-36 vets on a Delphi Web site called "B-36 Era and Cold War Aviation Forum". You can find answers to most questions you can thing of about the B-36.
Walt Mitchell

reply

Wasn't there a B&W Jimmy Stewart movie about the B-36? What was that title? I seem to recall it crashed in the snow. It had great shots of the plane, it's insides and all that went with it. I think it was the largest plane we ever made.

reply

Here at Castle Air Museum (Castle Air Force Base Merced) We have the RB-36 that was at Chanute AFB ILL. Our restoration Crew went to Chanute and dismantled the aircraft and had it shipped to Merced and then reassembled it. Truly a monumental piece of work, the aircraft looks great www.elite.net /castle-air /ondisplay.html or you can see the pictures of the assembly at www.air-and-space.com /castlb36.htm For our last open cockpit day they cranked one of the forward upper gun turrets up. you can also get up into the cockpit. You can check out the stats for all Aircraft at the museum (around 49 and counting)

reply

I flew the RB-36 as a Lower Aft Gunner,Ramey AFB,P.R.,1953-1955.Loved the Airplane & the deployments to French Morroco,North Africa.Crew transferred to Fairchild AFB,Wn Nov.'55. The B-36 had the MOST DISTINCT SOUND with those 6 4360's.

reply

Reply to Bob Miller. Can't tell you about B-36, but GSW was NOT incotporated into DFW. GSW is the site of several office buildings designated as "CP #1" through 'CP # 5" CP being the designator for "Center Port". The old B=36 pad was on yhe extreme West side of GSW facing the service road of State Highway 360.

reply

For the B36H & B36J models I believe that the max gross weight at t /o was over 400,000 lbs. The 357,508 lbs. would be applicable to earlier models. Cheers, Stan

reply

The narration describing the B36 says it had a pressurized fuselage; that's not quite accurate as the B36 had two pressurized compartments, one forward and one aft of the bomb-bays. The RB36 had three pressurized compartments a fore and aft and another photo compartment aft of the forward crew compartment, in place of #1 bomb-bay. Therefore, the B36s had four bomb-bays and the RB36s had three bomb-bays. Cheers, Stan

reply

The B-36 formerly on display in Ft Worth is currently in Tuscon, AZ at the Pima museum being refurbished and assembled for permanent display.

reply