Cool Military Tech, B-36 Peacemaker
[Might turn this into a once a week thing, any suggestions are greatly appreciated]
Today we'll be talking about the largest piston bomber ever built, the
B-36 Peacemaker
[A B-29 superfortress(Left) dwarfed by XB-36(Right)]
[General Stats]
Role-Strategic Bomber
Maiden flight- August 8, 1946
Retired- February 12, 1959
# produced- 384
[Technical Stuff]
Engines- 6 P&W R-4360 radial piston engines(later variants added 4 GE J47 turbojet engines)
Wingspan- 230ft(70m)
Length-163ft(50m)
Ceiling- 45,700ft(13,929m)
Max speed- 435mph(700kph)
Cruise- 230mph(370kph)
[Early vision]
During WW2 the U.S needed a bomber that could conduct Transatlantic Bombing raids on Nazi Germany in the event RAF base access was lost in Britain. The war ended before the B-36's maiden flight in 1946.
[Operational history/Variants]
Despite being a bomber, the B-36 had never dropped a bomb in anger.
The RB-36 variant flew recon and was the highest flying, long distance US aircraft until the U-2.[Below is where the camera was located on the RB-36]
The NB-36H variant was the world's first test of a nuclear reactor on a aircraft for the Aircraft Nuclear Propulsion Program. It carried a 1 megawatt, air cooled nuclear reactor in it's bombay. [Below is the ASTR(Aircraft Shielding Test Reactor)]
The GRB-36 variant was apart of a larger project named the FICON(fighter conveyer) program to test the idea of bombers carrying parasite fighters.[Below is the GRB-36 carrying a F-84 thunderflash Parasite fighter]
[Successor and Legacy]
Despite being a worthy nuclear deterent, The B-36 came with many issues as well. It was weighted down with maintenance issues such as frequent engine fires and high operational costs. It's cruising speed of 230mph also made it weak to intercepters of the era. With advancements in missiles and jet engines, the B-36 was not long for this world.
The B-36 was retired on February 12, 1959, to be replaced with the all jet powered B-52.
Stay tuned and thanks for sticking til the end!