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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 at 230 ft (70.1 m).
The B-36 was the first bomber capable of delivering any of the nuclear weapons in the U.S. arsenal from inside its four bomb bays without aircraft modifications.
With a range of 16,000 km (9,900 mi) and a maximum payload of 33,000 kg (73,000 lb), the B-36 was the world's first manned bomber with an unrefueled intercontinental range.
Until it was replaced by the jet powered Boeing B-52 Stratofortress, which first became operational in 1955, the B-36 was the primary nuclear weapons delivery vehicle of the Strategic Air Command (SAC), and the B-36 set the standard for range and payload for subsequent U.S. intercontinental bombers.
The Peacemaker bus, a customized Aerocoach, is owned by the Twelve Tribes religious group. The bus tours North American, visiting events and concerts to offering free medical care and hospitality. In this 2015 photograph the bus was parked near a festival at Waterfront Park on the Ohio River in Louisville, Kentucky.
A miniature built for a character maquette for a client. it is constructed mostly out of brass, and faux wood.
Work in Progress.
The B-36D had a K-3A bombing and navigation system upgrade and added the Western Electric AN/APS-23 radar, which was equipped with anti-jamming features. The K-1 system had experienced its share of reliability problems, chiefly due to vacuum tube failures. A quarter of the B-36 mission aborts were caused by radar failures of one sort or the other. During later modernization programs, the K-1 system was replaced by the much more reliable K-3A system. This included the Farrand Y-3 periscope bombsight, an A-1A improved bombing/navigation computer, and an improved version of the Western Electric AN/APS-23 radar.
An AN/APS-32 radar-controlled the tail turret and the Peacemaker was fitted with snap-action bomb-bay doors that could open and close in only two seconds. The maximum bombload was 86,000 pounds, consisting of two 43,000 pound (19,500 kg) bombs. Smaller alternative loads consisted of three 22,000 pound (9,980 kg) bombs, four 12,000 pound (5,440 kg) bombs, 12 400 pound (181 kg) bombs, 28 2000 pound (907 kg) bombs, or 132 500 pound (227 kg) bombs. Such loads were not equalled until the "Big Belly" B-52D modifications during the Vietnam War.
In this image, a converted B-36B to B-36D configuration flies over the Texas farmlands. This B-36D (serial number 492050) flying with the 98th Bombardment Squadron of the 11th Bombardment Wing (Heavy) stationed at Carswell AFB in Texas suffered damage on landing on 6 August 1949 and was eventually sent for conversion at San Diego, California. The 11th BW was activated on 16 February 1951. Both the 7th BW and the 11th BW were stationed at Carswell AFB and comprised two-thirds of SAC's intercontinental bomber force. The 11th BW also had the distinction of flying in the James Stewart movie "Strategic Air Command" although the aircraft seen in the movie were later J-variants of the Peacemaker.
On the wing of the model, you can see the angled/tilted plates and curved bricks used to create the wing profile. The flaps extend and the ailerons, elevators, and rudder move as well.
The FICON (FIghter CONveyor) project began in the early 1950s in an attempt to extend the range of fighter and reconnaissance jets by having them operate as parasites from B-36 bombers. Convair modified one of its RB-36F bombers to carry and recover a modified F-84E Thunderjet using a retractable H-shaped cradle in the modified bomb bay. In this image, a YRF-84F swept-wing Thunderstreak looks to hook onto the lowered trapeze. The Thunderstreak has a hook on the nose ahead of the cockpit. Docking could be difficult because of the vortices put out by the Peacemaker’s six propellers.
The insufficient maximum speed and long take-off run of the B-36 were addressed by the addition of two pairs of General Electric J47-GE-19 turbojets in pods underneath the outer wings. These turbojets would be used for take-off and for short bursts of speed during the bombing run. With “four burning and six turning,” the maximum speed increased to 435 mph (700 km/h) and the ceiling to more than 45,000 feet (13,715 m).
The conversion of the B-36B to the D configuration began on 4 January 1949 with the first prototype flying on 26 March 1949. Vibration problems required an external brace to be fitted for the nacelle. The modification was successful enough that the USAF contracted for additional bombers of the D-variant for the 1949 fiscal year and opted to modify existing B-36Bs to D configuration. The first true production B-36D flew on 11 July 1949. The first B-36Ds were accepted by the USAF in August of 1950 and were initially sent to Eglin AFB for testing. By June of 1951, 26 B-36Ds had been delivered. The last B-36D was accepted in August of 1951. A total of 81 B-36Ds were delivered to the USAF: 22 built as B-36Ds from the start and 59 others were converted from B-36Bs.
In this image, one of the first B-36D conversions (serial number 44-92097) from the B-36B production flies over the hills of the American south. The aircraft sports the new Triangle-J tail code indicating it is assigned to the 7th Bombardment Wing (Heavy) at Carswell AFB This aircraft would later serve with the 336th Bombardment Squadron (Heavy) of the 95th Bombardment Wing (Heavy) stationed at Biggs AFB in El Paso, Texas. It would crash on 28 August 1954 due to engine failure during a practice landing approach near El Paso with the loss of one crew member.
The design of the model's wing was challenging. I chose to create as smooth a surface as I could. I used building techniques from my Caspian Sea Monster and B-29 Superfortress to get the wing profile correct. Luckily, the depth of the Peacemaker's wing at this scale (seven feet thick at the root) allowed for some relatively straightforward internal structuring. The wing may be rigid, but I pray for the poor landing gear that would struggle to support this flying leviathan.
Their website is twelvetribes.com and is heavily religious-based. I couldn't find any pictures of this bus there.
In this image, a B-36H (serial number: 50-1085) of the 11th Bombardment Wing (Heavy) stationed at Carswell AFB in Texas performs a practice run over the Eniwetok Atoll. This aircraft was used in nuclear tests as part of Operation Ivy in 1952.
The H-variant became the major production version of the Peacemaker, with a total of 83 being built. You can see the Mark-17 hydrogen bomb in the forward and aft bomb bay. The four bomb bays of the Peacemaker were accessed by two sets of large bomb bay doors. For the larger payloads, the bomb bay interiors needed to be reconfigured. The model can accept many different bomb load configurations.
Composite ..... For my dear friend Jelica, I used beauty dish from the front above eye level and from the sides gridded softboxes for rim ....
The massive Convair B-36J Peacemaker cold war era bomber at the Pima Air & Space Museum in Tucson, Arizona.
Notice the person standing near the landing gear.
The B variant used the AN/APQ-24 bombing/navigation radar, the Sperry-built K-1 bombing system, and APG-3 radar for the tail turret. In late 1948, the first B-36Bs were assigned to the 7th Bombardment Wing (Heavy) at Carswell AFB, which already were training on the B-36A variants. Beginning in 1949, the Peacemaker began several long-flight tests. Often flights lasted as long as 43 hours and covered over 9,500 miles (15,290 km). Missions included crossing the North American continent, including Canada and the Arctic, and the Strategic Air Command (SAC) conducted mock-attacks on American cities as training for its flight crews.
In this image, the red tail and outer wing markings were used for aircraft on Arctic operations. These two B-36B-1-CF aircraft, serial numbers 44-92027 and 44-92035, were the second and tenth B-model variants constructed and flown with the 492d Bombardment Squadron (Heavy). The 492d BS(H) and other 7th Bombardment Group (BG) units flew operational readiness missions from Carswell AFB in Texas to Eielson AFB in Alaska. The 492d BS(H) also flew navigation missions from Goose Air Base in Labrador, Canada, to Thule Air Base in Greenland and a simulated strike mission over North Africa to Nouasseur Air Base in French Morocco. For this image, I tried to reconstruct the famous Life magazine photograph of two Peacemakers returning from an Arctic patrol.
This is the second sword (of 10) from the Legends Line "Peacemaker" design.
OAL: 52"
Blade: 40"
Weight: 4 lbs 9 oz
POB: 6"
Steel: 5160H
Photographed in the Historic Site Visitor Centre in Lincoln in New Mexico, USA. There are many artefacts from the wild west era history of Lincoln.
0309-1823-24
Convair B-36J Peacemaker
Responding to the U.S. Army Air Forces' requirement for a strategic bomber with intercontinental range, Consolidated Vultee (later Convair) designed the B-36 during World War II. The airplane made its maiden flight in August 1946, and in June 1948 the Strategic Air Command received its first operational B-36. Some B-36s served as photographic reconnaissance aircraft, and others were adapted to launch and retrieve specially modified RF-84F/K reconnaissance planes.
Powered by six Pratt & Whitney R-4360 engines, the B-36J cruised at 230 mph, but for additional bursts of speed its four General Electric J47s increased the maximum speed to 435 mph. It carried 86,000 pounds of nuclear or conventional bombs. When production ended in August 1954, more than 380 B-36s had been built for the U.S. Air Force. In 1958-1959, the USAF replaced the B-36 with the all-jet B-52. Although never used in combat, the B-36 was a major deterrent to enemy aggression. Making the last B-36 flight ever, the aircraft on display flew to the museum from Davis-Monthan Air Force Base, Ariz., on April 30, 1959.
TECHNICAL NOTES:
Maximum speed: 435 mph
Cruising speed: 230 mph
Range: 10,000 miles
Ceiling: 45,700 ft.
Span: 230 ft.
Length: 162 ft. 1 in.
Height: 46 ft. 9 in.
Weight: 410,000 lbs. loaded
Serial number: 52-2220
The H-variant was almost the same as the B-36F that preceded it but had a rearranged crew compartment. Deliveries of the H-variant began in December 1952 and ended in September 1953. The USAF also bought 73 long-range reconnaissance versions of the B-36H under the designation RB-36H.
In this image, a B-36H (serial number: 51-5718) of the 42d Bombardment Squadron of the 11th Bombardment Wing stationed at Carswell AFB, Texas flies over the Lone Star state. Here, you can see the elegant lines of the Peacemaker and just how thick the wing is in relation to the fuselage! There were a lot of similarities in the design and construction of my B-29 and the B-36 models. The largest difference was the model's obvious scale and the large wing's assembly. Getting the air intakes to fit into the wing's profile was difficult, as was creating the right profile. I sought to keep a balance between the original design and the buildability of the model. I like designs that use various Lego pieces in unique ways to get simple yet elegant effects. Personally, this is my favourite image!
This is the second sword (of 10) from the Legends Line "Peacemaker" design.
OAL: 52"
Blade: 40"
Weight: 4 lbs 9 oz
POB: 6"
Steel: 5160H
Thanks in advance for stopping by, your interest and your comments on my photography © www.juergenbodamer.com
This lady told us that her husband and sons worked on all the metal and woodwork, while the women handled all the interior fabric work.
Antonio Canova conceived Napoleon as Mars the Peacemaker in 1802, shortly after Napoleon had consolidated power as First Consul. Inspired by ancient Roman statuary, Canova portrayed him nude and idealized, holding a staff and a small winged Victory.
The original marble was meant for the Louvre, but Napoleon disliked its heroic nudity and kept it hidden. Despite his reluctance, the statue became one of Canova’s best-known works, a bold blend of neoclassical ideals and political propaganda. The head was often reproduced in busts of Napoleon.
The imposing bronze cast, unveiled in 1811 in the courtyard, continues to welcome visitors to the Brera. Here Napoleon appears as a Roman god, serene yet commanding, his body modeled with classical perfection.
Inside, Canova’s full-size plaster model from 1809 provides a more intimate view of the same vision. The surface retains a softness and detail absent from the polished bronze, revealing the sculptor’s working process. Up close, the contrapposto stance and lifted arm carrying Victory (only on the bronze outside) feel less like cold imperial iconography and more like an exploration of balance and anatomy.
After Napoleon’s defeat, the British government acquired the original marble version and gifted it to the Duke of Wellington. It is still displayed indoors, as Canova intended, in Apsley House in London.
The Pinacoteca di Brera is the top art museum in Milan. Its main focus is Italian paintings from the late Middle Ages to the 19th century. The collection includes world-class works by famous Italian artists, including Mantegna, Titian, Tiepolo, Tintoretto, Raphael, Caravaggio, and Hayez. Visit the Brera for an education in Italian paintings in fewer than 40 rooms.
One of the lessons of World War II was that the United States would not always be able to count on friendly nations to base its bombers in—England had come very close to being overrun, which had been the impetus behind the B-29 Superfortress and the B-36 Peacemaker. In addition to this, the weight of nuclear bombs at the time was such that very large aircraft would be required to carry them. Looking ahead to a replacement of the B-36, a specification was issued for an aircraft that could fly 10,000 pounds of ordnance 5000 miles to a target, and back, at 300 mph. Boeing was awarded the contract in June 1946 with its Model 462, a gigantic six-engined aircraft that would carry two crews; it was designated the XB-52. The USAF soon had second thoughts and asked Boeing for a smaller bomber with the same specifications.
This began an arduous process and the XB-52 went through several different designs, scaling down the design, adding wing sweep, and moving from piston engine to turboprop design. All were rejected by the USAF as being no improvement over the B-36 in speed. After being rejected again on 21 October 1948 by the USAF’s chief of bomber development, a team of Boeing engineers locked themselves in a hotel room for the weekend, only leaving to buy supplies at a hobby shop. By that Monday, the USAF was given the Model 464-49 and a model to go along with it: a swept-wing bomber powered by eight jets. At last, the USAF was satisfied, and objections to the engines were swept aside by Curtis LeMay, head of Strategic Air Command: the engines, he stated, would catch up to the design.
Finally, Boeing rolled out the first XB-52 in April 1952; the USAF had already ordered 13 B-52As by this time, with the only major change to the design a switch from B-47 style tandem seating to a more traditional flight deck. So successful was the test program that only three B-52As were built: the Stratofortress, as Boeing had named it, was ordered into full production as the B-52B.
While teething problems, such as fuel leaks, plagued the B-52 fleet in the 1950s, it was considered very successful, rapidly replacing first the B-36 and then the B-47. It showed its global reach in an around-the-world flight in January 1957, which easily broke the previous record set by B-50s. The B-52’s range and loiter time was proven in Chrome Dome and Giant Lance deployments, where bombers from the continental United States would fly to points around the Soviet Union, wait at “fail-safe” locations in case of nuclear war, and then return to base. Following the Cuban Missile Crisis, it was thought that the B-52 force would not survive against Soviet surface-to-air missiles, and B-52s were switched to low-level penetration duties. There was fear that this would overstress the airframe, but the BUFF (Big Ugly Fat Fellow) soldiered on.
Though built for nuclear war, the B-52 was to instead find its first combat high over the jungles of Vietnam. Because the B-52 flew at such high altitude and was capable of carrying an enormous bombload, it was hoped that B-52 strikes could surprise the Viet Cong and destroy them en masse in their jungle strongholds. Codenamed Operation Arc Light, the first B-52 mission was undertaken by a mix of B-52Es and Fs in June 1965. To increase bombloads even more, the B-52D force was modified under Project Big Belly to carry over a hundred 750-pound bombs, for a total bombload of 60,000 pounds. These were first used operationally during the Battle of Ia Drang Valley in November 1965.
The effects of Arc Light were mixed: because of both operational restrictions and Rules of Engagement, VC and North Vietnamese Army units would often be gone by the time the B-52s arrived, with the bombs doing little but rearranging the South Vietnamese landscape. When a VC/NVA unit was caught in the open, however, as at Khe Sanh, the results were devastating. Several North Vietnamese divisions were destroyed in Operation Niagara, mass B-52 strikes around the besieged Marine base.
While B-52s had been prevented by restrictions from going into North Vietnam, those restrictions were gradually ended by President Richard Nixon, beginning in 1971. Unlike in South Vietnam, B-52s would be facing a much higher antiaircraft threat over North Vietnam, especially from SAMs and MiG fighters. With this in mind, the B-52D force was equipped with the latest in electronic countermeasures under Project Rivet Rambler. The B-52s were sent north during Operation Linebacker (May-October 1972) but on a limited basis; the real test would come during Operation Linebacker II in December 1972, when the B-52 attacked Hanoi itself. The B-52Ds came off better than the later G models also committed to action: due to their Rivet Rambler ECM, SAM fire control radars had a difficult time locking on in the mass of jamming in B-52D cells. Of the 17 B-52s lost during Operation Linebacker II, only two were B-52Ds. As for their effectiveness, by the end of Operation Linebacker II, North Vietnam was effectively rendered defenseless and quickly returned to the negotiation table.
Vietnam was the swan song for the “tall-tail” D models. With the B-52Bs out of service and the B-52E/Fs withdrawn by 1978, the B-52D continued in service until 1982, when it was withdrawn from service, having hit the end of its airframe life. The B-52 was to continue on, but the next wars would be fought by comparatively newer, “short-tail” B-52G/Hs. 28 B-52Ds survive in museums today, including both MiG-killer aircraft.
The grandaddy of them all, this is 52-0003, the third B-52 built, one of only three B-52As produced, and the oldest B-52 in existence. It never entered frontline service, and was kept by Boeing as a JB-52A testbed until 1957, when it was converted to a NB-52A carrier aircraft for the X-15 program. A large pylon was mounted on the right wing, which was modified so the X-15's tail would clear the wing. Named "The High and Mighty One" and given a bald eagle as nose art, it would fly 72 X-15 missions, along with 17 missions with experimental lifting body aircraft, such as the M2-F2 and X-24. All missions were flown from Edwards AFB under the auspices of the USAF Flight Test Center.
In 1969, "The High and Mighty One" was retired, as the lifting body program began to wind down; a slightly younger NB-52B, "Balls 8," was already taking over most of the mothership duties. It was flown to Davis-Monthan AFB, Arizona for storage. By 1981, there was fear that this historic aircraft might be scrapped, so it was donated to the Pima Air and Space Museum.
The aircraft was on display for many years in Pima's main display area, but recently it was towed over to the museum's storage corner and stripped of paint, as the intent (as I understand it) is to completely refurbish and repaint it as it appeared during the X-15 missions. It is not accessible to the public per se, but going over to the museum's firefighting aircraft collection gives you a good view of the legendary "High and Mighty One."
Pilot No-Shoot; part of the Down in the Desert Stage of the 2016 West Virginia IDPA Championship at Peacemaker National Training Center (PNTC) sponsored by Kahr Firearms
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This is the second sword (of 10) from the Legends Line "Peacemaker" design.
OAL: 52"
Blade: 40"
Weight: 4 lbs 9 oz
POB: 6"
Steel: 5160H
Convair B-36B-15 “Peacemaker”
of Capt. Harold L. Barry, Aircraft Commander
436th BS, 7th BG, 7th BW, 8th USAF
Carswell AFB, Fort Worth, TX, February 1950
Monogram 1/72 kit
Redesignated the GRB-36D, the Peacemaker continued tests until in the fall of 1953 when the USAF ordered ten modified B-36D bombers to serve as mother ships for the RF-84K Thunderflash reconnaissance fighters. The GRB-36D mother ships saw limited service with the 345th Bombardment Squadron of the 99th Strategic Reconnaissance Wing at Fairchild AFB in Washington while the RF-84Ks of the 91st Strategic Reconnaissance Squadron were based at nearby Larson AFB. The Thunderflash would either be loaded aboard the mother ship or rendezvous in flight, sometimes at night! In this image, the RF-84K Thunderflash approaches the GRB-36D mothership.