- Yes
- No
Background
Spoiler
The B-36B was a further improvement of the earlier B-36A which was modified with more powerful engines, a better navigational system, and an increase of payload.
During the prototype stage of the B-36B, it far exceeded expectations of both Convair and the AMC. On December 5th 1948, the B-36B would perform its first long distance test flight, it flew 6,880 kilometers nonstop, with a average speed of 488 km/h over the entire 14 hour flight at a height of 12192 meters. There would be better results when a similar test flight was conducted on the 12th of December, where its average top speed would increase to 513 km/h at a similar height. The next significant event would be a live munitions test on the 29th of January, 1949, where a B-36B would drop a 43,000 lb Bomb on a target from 10668 meters and then again from 12192 meters, with both munitions successfully hitting the target.
The first B-36B’s to join operational service would be deployed with the SAC’s 7th Bomb Group stationed at the Carswell AFB in November 1948. from the 7th of November to the 8th, the unit simulated a nonstop round-trip bombing mission from Carswell to Hawaii, carrying 10,000 lb of payload, for a total distance of around 8,000 miles completed in less than 2 days time. This flight showed many errors in the B-36B, so the B-36B was put on hold while engineers worked out the bugs of the B-36B. It was not until 1951 that the B-36B would be readily available, albeit full operational capacity would not be met until 1952.
59 B-36B’s were delivered in 1948, and a additional 11 were planned to be obtained, that is, until Truman held the defense budget to $11 billion that proved to be a drastic blow to the procurement of additional B-36B’s. Although this somewhat aided the B-36B as the Air Force started canceling orders for other aircraft, and General Curtiss E. lemay’s request for the procurement of more B-36B’s. A second augmentation of the program would be approved in the spring of 1950, with the cancellation of RB-54’s in the R/B-36B’s favor, and in April, the president would recertify the program, with a release for more funding to follow in May.
The B-36B’s self defense system proved to be astronomical unreliable mess, there were numerous problems with the turrets and the cannons which would prevent them from being operational for a large portion of the B-36B’s life span, as well constant fuel leakage from the “Self Sealing” fuel tanks, followed by a common occurrence of part shortages plagued the B-36B. Many B-36B’s were used as parts to keep other B-36B’s flying, old tools from the maintenance of the B-29 were used in place of the tools they were “supposed” to be equipped with, as well as a overall equipment shortage that plagued B-36B crewman’s morale.
The production of the B-36B would stop with the 73rd leaving the production line in September, 1950. It would not be over 2 years until B-36B would be phased out and replaced, with 64 of the B-36B’s being converted to B-36D’s.
Technical Data
Specifications
Crew - 15
Length - 49.4 m
Height - 14.3 m
Wingspan - 70.1 m
Empty Weight - 63,530 kg
Gross Weight - 103,283 kg
Max Takeoff Weight - 148,778 kg
Powerplant - 6 x Pratt & Whitney Wasp Major R-4360-41 Pusher Prop Radial Engines (2,600 kW per engine.)
Takeoff Run - 1838 m at Sea Level.
Rate of Climb - 2.54 m/s Standard, 7.67 m/s Emergency Power.
Service Ceiling - 11,217 m
Cruising Speed - 326 km/h Average.
Max Speed - 613 km/h at 10,516 m
Range - 6926 km
Armament
Up to 72,000 lb (32,659 kg) of Bombs Standard, 86,000 lb (39009 kg) Overload.
100 lb Bombs.
250 lb Bombs.
325 lb Bombs.
350 lb Bombs.
500 lb bombs
1,000 lb Bombs.
1,600 lb Bombs.
2,000 lb Bombs.
4,000 lb Bombs.
2 × T-12 43,000 lb Bombs.
2 x VB-13 “Tarzon” Guided Bombs.
Atomic Munitions
(2 x 1) x 8 M24A120mm Cannons in Retractable Mounts. (16 Cannons Total) (92,000 Ammunition Total)
Avoinics
AN/APQ-24 Bombing and Navigational Radar.
K-1 Bombing System
APG-3 Radar (Tail Gunner)
Images
Sources
Spoiler
(Book) Marcelle S. Knaack’s Encyclopedia of U.S. Air Force Aircraft and Missile Systems Volume II, Post-World War II Bombers 1945-1973
