John. Romero
Convair B-36 "Peacemaker"
The Convair B-36 "Peacemaker" was a strategic bomber built by Convair and operated solely by the United States Air Force (USAF) from 1949 to 1959. The B-36 was the largest mass-produced piston engine aircraft ever made. It had the longest wingspan of any combat aircraft ever built (230 ft or 70 m), although there have been larger military transports. The B-36 was the first bomber capable of delivering all the nuclear weapons in the US arsenal from inside its two bomb bays without aircraft modifications. With a range greater than 6,000 mi (9,700 km) and a maximum payload of 72,000 lb (33,000 kg), (and thereby having the ability to carry both the US's atomic fission and thermonuclear weapons), the B-36 was the world's first manned bomber with an unrefueled intercontinental range. This bomber had an unrefueled range greater than all subsequent USAF long range bombers, such as the Boeing B-52 Stratofortress, Convair B-58 Hustler, and the Rockwell B-1 Lancer; until the Northrop Grumman B-2 Spirit was deployed.
B-36J-1-CF AF Serial No. 52-2220, is on display at the National Museum of the United States Air Force, (formerly The U.S. Air Force Museum) at Wright-Patterson Air Force Base near Dayton, Ohio. Its flight to the museum from Davis-Monthan Air Force Base in Arizona on 30 April 1959 was the last flight of a B-36. This B-36J replaced the former Air Force Museum's original YB-36 AF Serial Number 42-13571. This was also the first aircraft to be placed in the Museum's new display hangar, and was not moved again until relocated to the Museum's latest addition in 2003. It is displayed alongside the only surviving example of the massive 9 ft (2.7 m) XB-36 wheel and tire.
General characteristics
* Crew: 13
* Length: 162 ft 1 in (49.42 m)
* Wingspan: 230 ft 0 in (70.12 m)
* Height: 46 ft 9 in (14.25 m)
* Wing area: 4,772 ft²[60] (443.5 m²)
* Airfoil: NACA 63(420)-422 root, NACA 63(420)-517 tip[citation needed]
* Empty weight: 166,165 lb (75,530 kg)
* Loaded weight: 262,500 lb[60] (119,318 kg) (combat weight)
* Max takeoff weight: 410,000 lb (186,000 kg)
* Powerplant:
o 4× General Electric J47 turbojets, 5,200 lbf (23.2 kN) each
o 6× Pratt & Whitney R-4360-53 "Wasp Major" radials, 3,800 hp (2,835 kW) each
Performance
* Maximum speed: 418 mph (363 knots, 672 km/h)
* Cruise speed: 230 mph (200 knots, 370 km/h)
* Combat radius: 3,985 mi (3,465 nmi,[60] 6,415 km)
* Ferry range: 10,000 mi (8,700 nmi, 16,000 km)
* Service ceiling: 43,600 ft (13,300 m)
* Rate of climb: 1,995 ft/min (10.1m/s)
Armament
* Guns: 1 remotely operated tail turret with 2× 20 mm (0.787 in) M24A1 autocannons[60]
* Bombs: 86,000 lb (39,000 kg) with weight restrictions, 72,000 lb (32,700 kg) normal
Convair B-36 "Peacemaker"
The Convair B-36 "Peacemaker" was a strategic bomber built by Convair and operated solely by the United States Air Force (USAF) from 1949 to 1959. The B-36 was the largest mass-produced piston engine aircraft ever made. It had the longest wingspan of any combat aircraft ever built (230 ft or 70 m), although there have been larger military transports. The B-36 was the first bomber capable of delivering all the nuclear weapons in the US arsenal from inside its two bomb bays without aircraft modifications. With a range greater than 6,000 mi (9,700 km) and a maximum payload of 72,000 lb (33,000 kg), (and thereby having the ability to carry both the US's atomic fission and thermonuclear weapons), the B-36 was the world's first manned bomber with an unrefueled intercontinental range. This bomber had an unrefueled range greater than all subsequent USAF long range bombers, such as the Boeing B-52 Stratofortress, Convair B-58 Hustler, and the Rockwell B-1 Lancer; until the Northrop Grumman B-2 Spirit was deployed.
B-36J-1-CF AF Serial No. 52-2220, is on display at the National Museum of the United States Air Force, (formerly The U.S. Air Force Museum) at Wright-Patterson Air Force Base near Dayton, Ohio. Its flight to the museum from Davis-Monthan Air Force Base in Arizona on 30 April 1959 was the last flight of a B-36. This B-36J replaced the former Air Force Museum's original YB-36 AF Serial Number 42-13571. This was also the first aircraft to be placed in the Museum's new display hangar, and was not moved again until relocated to the Museum's latest addition in 2003. It is displayed alongside the only surviving example of the massive 9 ft (2.7 m) XB-36 wheel and tire.
General characteristics
* Crew: 13
* Length: 162 ft 1 in (49.42 m)
* Wingspan: 230 ft 0 in (70.12 m)
* Height: 46 ft 9 in (14.25 m)
* Wing area: 4,772 ft²[60] (443.5 m²)
* Airfoil: NACA 63(420)-422 root, NACA 63(420)-517 tip[citation needed]
* Empty weight: 166,165 lb (75,530 kg)
* Loaded weight: 262,500 lb[60] (119,318 kg) (combat weight)
* Max takeoff weight: 410,000 lb (186,000 kg)
* Powerplant:
o 4× General Electric J47 turbojets, 5,200 lbf (23.2 kN) each
o 6× Pratt & Whitney R-4360-53 "Wasp Major" radials, 3,800 hp (2,835 kW) each
Performance
* Maximum speed: 418 mph (363 knots, 672 km/h)
* Cruise speed: 230 mph (200 knots, 370 km/h)
* Combat radius: 3,985 mi (3,465 nmi,[60] 6,415 km)
* Ferry range: 10,000 mi (8,700 nmi, 16,000 km)
* Service ceiling: 43,600 ft (13,300 m)
* Rate of climb: 1,995 ft/min (10.1m/s)
Armament
* Guns: 1 remotely operated tail turret with 2× 20 mm (0.787 in) M24A1 autocannons[60]
* Bombs: 86,000 lb (39,000 kg) with weight restrictions, 72,000 lb (32,700 kg) normal