Convair B-36: A Comprehensive History of America's "Big Stick" is a collaborative effort edited and co-authored by Meyers H.Jacobsen exploring the history of one of SAC's air giants, the six-engine Convair B-36. From the origins of the use of six engines on bombers from around the world, along with the history and development of SAC and the use of its numbers of B-36's, this book will give the reader a greater amount of information than has ever before been published on the Convair B-36. Included with the technical and historical aspects of the B-36′s use in SAC, are first hand anecdotes and accounts from the men who serviced, flew, and proudly served in SAC under Curtis LeMay. There are also detailed sections on the electronic countermeasures and various armament configurations applied in the B-36, as well as chapters containing information on B-36 attrition, and detailed accounts of the survivors that exist to this day. A wonderful book for aircraft historians, modellers, and SAC enthusiasts.

Details six- and ten-engined monsters of the 1950s. Coverage includes tech manual excerpts, engineering drawings, structural and power plant review, cutaway drawings, and pilot analysis.

A fully illustrated study into the extraordinary Convair B-36 during the Cold War. Conceived during 1941 in case Germany occupied Britain, when US bombers would then have insufficient range to retaliate, the B-36 was to be primarily a '10,000-mile bomber' with heavy defensive armament, six engines and a performance that would prevent interception by fighters. Although rapid developments in jet engine and high-speed airframe technology quickly made it obsolescent, the B-36 took part in many important nuclear test programmes. The aircraft also provided the US nuclear deterrent until the faster B-52 became available in 1955. It was one of the first aircraft to use substantial amounts of magnesium in its structure, leading to the bomber's 'Magnesium Overcast' nickname. It earned many superlatives due to the size and complexity of its structure, which used 27 miles of wiring, had a wingspan longer than the Wright brothers' first flight, equivalent engine power to 400 cars, the same internal capacity as three five-room houses and 27,000 gallons of internal fuel – enough to propel a car around the world 18 times. Much was made of the fact that the wing was deep enough to allow engineers to enter it and maintain the engines in flight. B-36s continued in the bomber and reconnaissance role until their retirement in February 1959 following 11 years in SAC. Convair employees were invited to suggest names for the giant aircraft, eliciting suggestions such as 'King Kong Bomber', 'Condor', 'Texan' and 'Unbelievable', but the most popular was 'Peacemaker'. Oddly, objections from religious groups deterred the USAF from ever adopting it officially. This fully illustrated volume includes first-hand accounts, original photographs and up to 30 profile artworks depicting in detail the complexity of this superlative aircraft.

The Convair B-36 Peacemaker was the ultimate statement of American air power at the beginning of the Cold War. Extensive research at various archives around the country have uncovered new and previously unpublished details about the B-36 and its derivatives. Among these are the first-ever photos of the never-flown second prototype YB-60 all-jet version, details about Convair's flying-boat version of the XC-99 cargo aircraft, and technical information of the stillborn Variable Discharge Turbine B-36C variant. Includes extensive photographic coverage of the devastating 1952 Texas tornado that severally damaged and grounded a good portion of the B-36 fleet. A detailed serial number list covers each airplane and its final disposition, and a chapter covers the efforts to reclaim and scrap the aircraft as they were taken out of service.

The Convair B-36 "Peacemaker" was the last of the classic heavy bombers, bristling with gun turrets and piston engines driving huge propellers. Born in the desperate days of World War II, the B-36 became an icon of the early Cold War when it represented the only weapon that could reach the Soviet Union from bases in North America. But technology was changing rapidly, and the advent of all-jet-powered bombers and intercontinental ballistic missiles conspired to make the B-36 obsolete after only a few short years of service. The airplane was retired only a decade after it entered service, and nobody who ever heard the thunder of the six Pratt & Whitney engines will ever forget the experience. An in-depth history of the B-36 may be found in Magnesium Overcast: The Story of the Convair B-36, by Dennis R. Jenkins. This scrapbook began as a collection of illustrations that were assembled for Magnesium Overcast but would not fit into the finished work. Since many of these are significant - or at least interesting - and most have never been published previously, it was decided to print the scrapbook as a companion volume to Magnesium Overcast. However, as work went into the scrapbook, additional images and illustrations were discovered and are also included here. With over 300 b/w and color photos, this scrapbook provides an excellent visual look at a very exciting period of the Cold War.

Theodore Roosevelt once said, referring to foreign policy, "Speak softly and carry a big stick", which was the essence of Strategic Air Command's big stick, the B-36 Peacemaker. The B-36 was the mainstay of United States strategic deterrence policy during the early years of the Cold War. Given its ability to carry two of the largest 43,000-pound Mk 17 thermonuclear weapons in the arsenal, the B-36 seemed purpose-built for the role. But it was simply in the right place at the right time. Its design started even before the United States entered World War II, long before the Cold War was imagined, and well before the advent of an air-droppable nuclear bomb.The B-36 was a truly incredible aircraft and unlike any other in its day. Because of its immense size and unprecedented wingspan, it could lift more weight to higher altitudes than any other aircraft. It was the first aircraft to carry a 10,000-pound bombload over 10,000 miles. It was the first, and only, true intercontinental bomber capable of flights of over 9,000 miles without refueling and capable of remaining aloft for over 51 hours. The B-36 was the largest piston engine bomber ever built and, at 230 feet, still holds the record for the longest wingspan of any American combat aircraft. This book is a concise history of the B-36 Peacemaker and its derivatives. It is intended as a quick read, and enduring reference source, that will leave you with a complete understanding of this amazing aircraft's history. It covers the aircraft's design and development, including its evolution from the Army Air Corps' "Giant Bomber" project to the Air Force's primary strategic deterrence weapon. It includes a complete aircraft lineage chart tracing every model and derivative through its evolution, a complete tail number listing of every aircraft and its lineage, detail specifications for each model, and a comprehensive basing chart by base, model, and year. If you love SAC Cold War bombers, and great planes, you will love this book!

Beskriver det amerikanske bombefly B-36 herunder udviklingshistorie og versioner. Forsøgene med at bære et jagerfly ("Parasitfly") er omtalt.

The aviation historian and author of Memphis Belle presents an authoritative analysis of the groundbreaking, post-WWI series of military aircraft. In the years following the First World War, a new imperative arose in aviation technology: stealth, speed, and precision. American aircraft designer Jack Northrop developed a streamlined craft that did away with superfluous appendages, including the weighty fuselage and tail units. This was an extreme measure, but Northrop was determined to push aircraft design to a new level. Eliminating both the fuselage and tail meant placing the pilot, the engines, and the payload entirely within the wing envelope. The resulting craft, Northrop’s flying wings, were some of the most spectacular machines ever to grace the skies. With barely any vertical surfaces at all, they looked like something from the realm of science fiction. Indeed, one even appeared in the film version of H.G. Wells’ War of the Worlds. Written off by many as a mere novelty, the development of these unique bombers provided aeronautical innovations that paved the way for a raft of new designs. During the 1970s, when the United States needed a new strategic bomber to replace the B-52 Superfortress, the flying wing design was brought to the fore once again. The B-2 Spirit was born out of this, continuing the legacy of this stealthy design. This craft, along with the B-35, the eight-engined YB-49 and the YRB-49A, are all highlighted in this authoritative history. Detailed analyses of each design, set within a wider historical context, make for a compelling record of this landmark design.