B-36 restore project

Wow. Amazing work.

That would be REALLY impressive to see in the air. Phenomenally costly, I'm sure. At least it's restored. I'd love to go inside.
 
Where did that B-36 come from? Did they have one in Storage at Davis Monthan/Pima???
 
Man I would SOOOOOOO love to see that thing fly!
 
I used to walk past a B36 on static display everyday when I was at summer camp as a kid. I love that big ugly, beautiful airplane.
 
tdager said:
Man I would SOOOOOOO love to see that thing fly!
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Not going to happen. If you noted in one of the early pictures, they only have 1 engine. Without the other 5 just taxiing would be a challenge. :D

But, I'm with you. I'd love to see it fly, too.
 
Ghery said:
Not going to happen. If you noted in one of the early pictures, they only have 1 engine. Without the other 5 just taxiing would be a challenge. :D

But, I'm with you. I'd love to see it fly, too.
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Other 5!!! You mean the 9! Remember that thing had 4 jet engines too.
 
I first saw this B-36 when I was a little kid. It would be amazing to see one fly again. They say that the sound is unmistakable and they took for ever for one to pass.
 
Ghery said:
I know. I was just talking about the recips. Remember, prior to the D (I think it was) model all you had were 6 turning.
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I know, but I like the idea of a 10 engine hybrid bomber!!

I am thinking that the dreaded 9 engine approaches is not that big of a deal! ;)

I had heard from a guy who worked on those planes years ago that they had a lot of problems with the jet engines. They ran so smooth that the flight crews would often over power them as they had throttled back the props to minimize noise and vibrations.
 
smigaldi said:
I know, but I like the idea of a 10 engine hybrid bomber!!

I am thinking that the dreaded 9 engine approaches is not that big of a deal! ;)

I had heard from a guy who worked on those planes years ago that they had a lot of problems with the jet engines. They ran so smooth that the flight crews would often over power them as they had throttled back the props to minimize noise and vibrations.
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The story our PAS (Professor of Aerospace Studies) told us in AFROTC (many years ago) was about how the engine control system caused the demise of one at Fairchild AFB. Seems the throttles on the jets were controlled by a Wheatstone bridge. Needed electrical power to change the setting. No power, no change. B-36 was rolling down the runway for take-off, PIC called an abort and the FE chopped the throttles on the piston engines, leaving no electrical power, all before the FO could shut down the jets. Now they are rolling with 4 burning and none turning. Oops. PIC tried to lift off, stalled, pancaked and broke the plane in three pieces. Crew bailed out, grabbed vehicles that drove up and split for their respective clubs. When the investigators caught up with the pilot in the O club, he just told them to "check it for a hard landing."
 
Strategic Air Command with Jimmy Stewart gives a good representation of the sound of one (if not for the background music).

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=3wvEzhyY9F4

Takeoff video

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=hN2gYduKeW0

Something I hadn't seen before

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Pxrwpur_Op8


kmead said:
I first saw this B-36 when I was a little kid. It would be amazing to see one fly again. They say that the sound is unmistakable and they took for ever for one to pass.
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Steve said:
This airframe use to be on display at the entrance to Carswell AFB in TX.

http://www.itasca.net/~corrie/B36-2827/

I saw it there once while touring General Dynamics when my brother was working on F-16s before Lockheed took over.
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Steve:

I know that this plane spent most of its existence between being mustered out from USAF service and being disassembled and stored on display outside the entrance to Amon Carter Field, aka Greater Southwest International Airport, which was also in Ft. Worth (and 1600' feet of one runway still exists at the southern extremity of DFW Airport land). Are you certain that you did not see it at GSW, rather than at Carswell?

http://www.cowtown.net/proweb/last_one.htm
 
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Could be, I just remember there was a "memorial park" with several Consolidated/GD aircraft near the entrance to Carswell and there was a B-36 prominently featured there. Could have been another airframe, but I was under the impression it was the one that ended up at Pima.

SCCutler said:
Steve:

I know that this plane spent most of its existence between being mustered out from USAF service and being disassembled and stored on display outside the entrance to Amon Carter Field, aka Greater Southwest International Airport, which was also in Ft. Worth (and 1600' feet of one runway still exists at the southern extremity of DFW Airport land). Are you certain that you did not see it at GSW, rather than at Carswell?

http://www.cowtown.net/proweb/last_one.htm
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Come to think of it, I would be surprised if Carswell had not had a 36, but I am pretty certain it is not this one.
 
I think this is the aircraft that was on display Amon Carter Field then moved and put on display in the Southwest Aerospace Museum, an open air display of several aircraft on the White Settlement (West) side of Carswell at the entrance to (then) General Dynamics (now Lockheed). There was a multi-year battle over where they were going to move it once it was taken off display in the late 80's, early 90's because it was deteriorating from weather exposure. The Airforce planned to transfer it to a base in South Dakota and there was a big uproar from enthusiasts in Fort Worth. Plans were made to keep it in Fort Worth and it was at GD for several years in storage in pieces.

Fort Worth could never come up with the funds to get it restored and find a decent place to display it (even though proceeds from airshows at Meacham and Alliance were supposed to be financing it). There was talk of displaying it under cover at that entrance to (now) Nas-JRB Fort Worth (then Carswell Field) and even DFW, but again they couldn't raise the funds to build a decent display site. I thought it ended up at the Museum planned (could be built by now) at Meacham Field or Alliance Airport, but I guess that didn't pan out either. It's a shame.
 
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ausrere said:
I think this is the aircraft that was on display Amon Carter Field then moved and put on display in the Southwest Aerospace Museum, an open air display of several aircraft on the White Settlement (West) side of Carswell at the entrance to (then) General Dynamics (now Lockheed). There was a multi-year battle over where they were going to move it once it was taken off display in the late 80's, early 90's because it was deteriorating from weather exposure. The Airforce planned to transfer it to a base in South Dakota and there was a big uproar from enthusiasts in Fort Worth. Plans were made to keep it in Fort Worth and it was at GD for several years in storage in pieces.

Fort Worth could never come up with the funds to get it restored and find a decent place to display it (even though proceeds from airshows at Meacham and Alliance were supposed to be financing it). There was talk of displaying it under cover at that entrance to (now) Nas-JRB Fort Worth (then Carswell Field) and even DFW, but again they couldn't raise the funds to build a decent display site. I thought it ended up at the Museum planned (could be built by now) at Meacham Field or Alliance Airport, but I guess that didn't pan out either. It's a shame.
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If it the Carswell B36 then it is the one that I saw at summer camp at Chanute AFB. That is where they shipped theirs to when they no longer were an AFB base.
 
smigaldi said:
If it the Carswell B36 then it is the one that I saw at summer camp at Chanute AFB. That is where they shipped theirs to when they no longer were an AFB base.
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The one on display at Carswell was never actually based there. It was based somewhere in Washington initially and then El Paso before it was retired. My grandmother was working at the Convair plant when it was flown from El Paso back to the Fort Worth area. She mentioned to me once when we drove by it at SAM how odd it was to have the plane named after the city when it never saw duty there.
 
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ausrere said:
The one on display at Carswell was never actually based there. It was based somewhere in Washington initially and then El Paso before it was retired. My grandmother was working at the Convair plant when it was flown from El Paso back to the Fort Worth area. She mentioned to me once when we drove by it at SAM how odd it was to have the plane named after the city when it never saw duty there.
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Ok, different plane then. The one at Chanute was non-flyable and had to be shipped in crates. I was really sad the museum did not keep it.
 
smigaldi said:
I know, but I like the idea of a 10 engine hybrid bomber!!

I am thinking that the dreaded 9 engine approaches is not that big of a deal! ;)
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I'd love to see any B-36 fly, but I don't think it's possible to fly one of the hybrid piston/jet ones any more - IIRC they used the same fuel for both engine types: 145-octane avgas. :yikes: Not exactly gonna find that at your local FBO! :no:
 
flyingcheesehead said:
I'd love to see any B-36 fly, but I don't think it's possible to fly one of the hybrid piston/jet ones any more - IIRC they used the same fuel for both engine types: 145-octane avgas. :yikes: Not exactly gonna find that at your local FBO! :no:
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I haven't seen 115/145 for a lot of years. Even if you could find 115/145, and had the money to fuel it, I think there were pretty significant reliability problems with the engines so it might not be a good risk to even try.


Trapper John
 
Trapper John said:
I haven't seen 115/145 for a lot of years. Even if you could find 115/145, and had the money to fuel it, I think there were pretty significant reliability problems with the engines so it might not be a good risk to even try.
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Oh come on. There are TEN of them. I wouldn't mind losing one or three. :rofl:
 
Man, looking at the size of the rear half of the spinners in comparison to the Rubbermaid garbage can puts the size of that plane in some perspective:

B-36_prop-spinner_6863.jpg
 
TangoWhiskey said:
Man, looking at the size of the rear half of the spinners in comparison to the Rubbermaid garbage can puts the size of that plane in some perspective:

B-36_prop-spinner_6863.jpg
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Looks like they'd make a GREAT kid's "club house" if you threw a roof (or the rest of the spinner!) on 'em! :yes:
 
flyingcheesehead said:
I'd love to see any B-36 fly, but I don't think it's possible to fly one of the hybrid piston/jet ones any more - IIRC they used the same fuel for both engine types: 145-octane avgas. :yikes: Not exactly gonna find that at your local FBO! :no:
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No big deal. The Corn Cobs will be perfectly happy to run on 100LL so long as you keep the boost levels and altitudes down. Considering it won't be carrying several tons of nuclear bombs, it should be no big deal to T/O at those reduced power settings. You could also fit tanks for Jet A and more efficient turbofans on the outboards.
 
The one from Pima came from Carswell, and before that came from a Civilian field in DFW that was closed in the ~70's.

I have a picture at Carswell from 1987 of me and my then-girlfriend standing under the nose of the beast. Incredible airplane. Too bad it sat outside for so many years, and is relegated to the same (but drier) fate at Pima..
 
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