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Years ago, dad and I went over to Omaha, NE and visited the SAC Museum at Offutt Air Force Base. They had a building full of cool stuff, but what I remember most was the outside displays. There were a host of aircraft and, though one couldn’t climb inside the cockpit, one could stand next to them, stand in the bomb-bays (of the bombers), and (if one wanted to get in big trouble) climb on the wings. I did the first two…not the third.
I had seen and knew something about nearly all the planes on display, but seeing them “in-person” for the first time was a whole different experience. One never gets the proper perspective of a plane’s size until a bunch of different ones are put together.
Which brings us to today’s topic: the Convair B-36 Peacemaker, and it’s a gigantic plane. It’s nearly 3 feet longer than a B-52, and it’s wingspan is 230 feet (remember a football field with no end-zones is 300 feet), 45 feet longer than a ’52. One cannot fully grasp the proportions unless it’s seen in person. It’s the largest non-cargo plane ever used by the U.S. military, and one of the largest ever.
The most recognizable feature of the B-36 is the engines. The props are mounted in a push position (behind the wings), a design that reduced turbulence over the wings. The prototype (shown above) and all initial models were powered by 6 radial engines with 3,000 horsepower each. But takeoffs still required too much runway, so later models got bigger engines, and two turbojets were fitted to the outer wingtips on all Peacemakers.
The B-36’s first flew on August 8, 1946 and entered service two years later. But advancements in jet propulsion meant its life on the front line would be short. By 1959, all Peacemakers were “resting in peace”, having been retired from active service and replaced by Boeing’s legendary B-52.
But I still marvel at the behemoth that is the B-36, and there are still a handful of them in existence that you can see and touch. The SAC Museum has moved from Offutt AFB since I visited (just a few miles away to Ashland), and the Peacemaker moved with it. If you ever get a chance, go see one. If I can find the photos of my visit, I’ll scan those of the Peacemaker and post them.
Recommended Activity: Visit the SAC Museum and see all the aircraft and displays. You won’t have to look hard to find the B-36.
Today's History Lesson 