"ttyymmnn" (ttyymmnn)
07/28/2020 at 09:02 • Filed to: good morning oppo, wingspan, Planelopnik
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"ttyymmnn" (ttyymmnn)
07/28/2020 at 09:02 • Filed to: good morning oppo, wingspan, Planelopnik | 2
| 11 |
Carswell AFB, 1949
Fill ‘er up. And, while you’re at it, check the oil and wash the windows.
Not sure which flavor of B-36 this is, but the Peacemaker was renowned for its extreme long range. The B-36J, the so-called “featherweight” variant, which first flew in 1955, had a smaller crew and only had a rear-firing gun with 1200 rounds. The other guns, with their retracting mechanisms, as well as the fire control systems, were removed. In this configuration, the B-36J could carry 30,600 gallons (183,600 pounds) and allowed missions of up to 50 hours. Fifty. Hours.
facw
> ttyymmnn
07/28/2020 at 09:05 |
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Looks like it was a thirsty boy even before they added the jets.
pip bip - choose Corrour
> ttyymmnn
07/28/2020 at 09:07 |
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50 hours is a bit extreme, and good morning
Grindintosecond
> ttyymmnn
07/28/2020 at 09:32 |
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336 spark plugs ad 168 cylinders to eventually change = a shitty attitude in the maintenance pool.
Turbineguy: Nom de Zoom
> ttyymmnn
07/28/2020 at 09:42 |
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50 hours assuming no in-flight engine shutdowns, which were fairly common.
Of course
if two wackos can stay aloft in a Cessna 172 for 64 days, 50 hours doesn’t seem so bad.
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ttyymmnn
> Turbineguy: Nom de Zoom
07/28/2020 at 09:48 |
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Well, yeah, definitely best case scenario. And that’s probably also a recon mission and not bombed up. Interestingly, the ferry range of the J was about 10,000, which is about the same as the longest commercial airliner flight today. Looks like fuel load was about the same too. I guess one just goes a bit faster.
user314
> ttyymmnn
07/28/2020 at 09:53 |
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Two wheel main bogies, so it’s not the XB-36. It’s got the production nose and cockpit, so it’s not a YB-36. There’s no gun fitted in the nose turret, and no jets, so it’s not a B-36B or later. Has to be an A model:
The B-36A included several of the new elements developed on the YB-36, including the domed canopy and the four-wheel main landing gear (as opposed to the single-wheel landing gear used on the XB-36 and the YB-36). These new features were in a sense first seen on the B-36A rather than the YB-36, because it was the former that flew first — by six months.
The first B-36A ever built was destroyed by a series of brutal stress tests, consisting mainly of applying more and more load to various parts of the aircraft until they disintegrated.
On April 8, 1948, a B-36A made a 6,922 mile (11,140 km) flight of 33 hours, shuttling between Fort Worth and San Diego three times without landing, and carrying a 10,000 lb (4,500 kg) bomb load. In May, the same aircraft did a round trip of 8,062 miles (12,970 km) lasting 33 hours.
By virtue of its designation, the B-36A was technically a production aircraft. However, it lacked defensive armament because the system wasn’t ready. It was an explicitly interim plane used by the 7th Bomb Group at Carswell Air Force Base in Texas for the sole purpose of flight testing and transitional crew training. When the newer B-36B became available, all B-36As were converted to reconnaissance aircraft and redesignated RB-36E .
A total of 22 were built.
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ttyymmnn
> user314
07/28/2020 at 10:00 |
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Photo is dated 1949, so that definitely checks out.
Highlander-Datsuns are Forever
> Grindintosecond
07/28/2020 at 10:06 |
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100 gallon oil tank, per engine!
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user314
> ttyymmnn
07/28/2020 at 10:22 |
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Looks like that shot was taken before this one:
Personnel and equipment required to get and keep a B-36 Peacemaker airplane in the air. Reading from front to back, left to right, the personnel represent:
the wing commander;
the ground and squadron commanders;
administrative personnel;
a cook representing personnel that feed the men and prepare the food for the missions;
the line chief whose responsibility it is to see that all the planes in his squadron are properly maintained;
the crew chief and his crew of fifteen men, who are responsible for the maintenance on this particular aircraft;
the men who fly the plane;
the gasoline and oil trucks required to keep the bomber fully loaded with fuel, 21,116 gallons of gasoline and 1,200 gallons of oil;
an example of a small bomb load that is usually taken on a practice mission;
an ambulance that is on hand in the event of an accident;
hospital personnel;
a fire truck that is on hand when the plane starts its engines or making an emergency landing;
and a load of oxygen bottles. (The B-36 is pressurized, however, in the event of an emergency when the plane is at a high altitude, oxygen may be used.)
Others not shown in this photograph that help, are the control tower operator that clears the plane for its taxiing, takeoffs and landings; the radar and radio maintenance personnel; and the air police.
krustywantout
> Turbineguy: Nom de Zoom
07/28/2020 at 12:26 |
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I had to google it but great story for reference.
https://www.aopa.org/news-and-media/all-news/2008/march/01/endurance-test-circa-1958
John Norris (AngryDrifter)
> ttyymmnn
07/28/2020 at 21:10 |
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Ahhhh. Superleggera.