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Opinion by Bonnie Henry: Giant Cold War plane welcomed
Arizona Daily Star ^
| May 20, 2005
| Ernesto Portillo Jr.
Posted on 05/20/2005 7:03:17 PM PDT by AZHua87
One pilot likened it to "sitting on your front porch and flying your house around."
Another crew member called it "a horrible, lazy beast to fly."
Janet Hess has another view of the B-36 - one admittedly gained at ground level.
"I loved that plane," says Hess, who did modification work on the bomber during the early '50s.
Designed to fly long distances at high altitudes and drop nuclear payloads, the huge, 10-engine plane never did go to war.
(Excerpt) Read more at dailystar.com ...
TOPICS: Culture/Society; Extended News; Foreign Affairs; US: Arizona
KEYWORDS: b36; b52; bomber; coldwar; tucson; usaf
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1
posted on
05/20/2005 7:03:18 PM PDT
by
AZHua87
To: HiJinx; Spiff; JackelopeBreeder; Alamo-Girl; windchime; Grampa Dave; Marine Inspector; ...
2
posted on
05/20/2005 7:03:39 PM PDT
by
AZHua87
(Insurgent BloggerVet!)
To: AZHua87
B-36 BUMP!!
3
posted on
05/20/2005 7:04:50 PM PDT
by
TADSLOS
(Right Wing Infidel since 1954)
To: AZHua87
This is a BIG FREAKING airplane bump!
4
posted on
05/20/2005 7:08:04 PM PDT
by
TMSuchman
(2nd Generation U.S. MARINE, 3rd Generation American & PROUD OF IT!)
To: AZHua87; Professional Engineer; SAMWolf
A couple of pics of the Magnesium Overcast for ya
Regards
alfa6 ;>}
5
posted on
05/20/2005 7:09:30 PM PDT
by
alfa6
(Same nightmare, different night)
To: TMSuchman
6
posted on
05/20/2005 7:11:43 PM PDT
by
AZHua87
(Insurgent BloggerVet!)
To: alfa6
We got 6 turnin & 4 burnin!
7
posted on
05/20/2005 7:13:31 PM PDT
by
TMSuchman
(2nd Generation U.S. MARINE, 3rd Generation American & PROUD OF IT!)
To: AZHua87
8
posted on
05/20/2005 7:13:47 PM PDT
by
TADSLOS
(Right Wing Infidel since 1954)
To: AZHua87
I lived near Carswell AFB for a while during my early childhood. I can still remember these monsters starting up and taking off over our house. The ground shook.
9
posted on
05/20/2005 7:13:58 PM PDT
by
clintonh8r
(So....Is means testing now a conservative value? Apparently 40% of FReepers think it is.)
To: alfa6
Did it use turboprops and jet engines? Are are they takeoff boosters?
10
posted on
05/20/2005 7:14:39 PM PDT
by
spanalot
To: AZHua87
Every so often on the AMC Movie Channel they run Jimmy Stewart's propaganda film for the Air Force in the 1950's, "Strategic Air Command". Not a bad picture and this plane was featured in the film, this was before the arrival of the B-52, which will be around another 40 years as the workhorse of the Air Force.
The only thing I really hate about that movie in the portrayal by June Allyson as Stewart's whinny, immature wife. Otherwise if nothing else is on of interest I will watch it.
By the way that actor playing the General Curtis LeMay character is great & a hoot to watch, General LeMay was know as "The Great White Father" to the Air Force guys and made SAC what it was.
To: TADSLOS
Yep! Top Grade film. Still can see it sometimes on Turner Classics on Cable.
12
posted on
05/20/2005 7:15:02 PM PDT
by
AZHua87
(Insurgent BloggerVet!)
To: clintonh8r
Glad to bring back childhood memories.
13
posted on
05/20/2005 7:15:44 PM PDT
by
AZHua87
(Insurgent BloggerVet!)
To: AZHua87
A good pilot on a B-36 knew how to lean out the fuel mixture to maximize range and could literally make those engines sing(6 turning,4 burning). During one endurance test, the USAF stocked up a B-36 with rations,coffee etc and had it flying around the Arctic Circle while being refuled by KC-97 tankers flying out of Thule AFB,Greenland and Eilesen AFB,Alaska. That plane stayed up for an entire week and as far as I know that record stands to this day.
14
posted on
05/20/2005 7:16:28 PM PDT
by
Armigerous
( Non permitte illegitimi te carborundum- "Don't let the bastards grind you down")
To: Captain Peter Blood
As I recall, General Hawks was played by Frank Lovejoy. "Don't tell me your little problems,Mister. I want RESULTS!"
15
posted on
05/20/2005 7:21:19 PM PDT
by
Armigerous
( Non permitte illegitimi te carborundum- "Don't let the bastards grind you down")
To: Armigerous
That is an amazing record. I had not heard this one before. A testament to American Ingenuity and Craftsmanship.
To: Armigerous
After the Week in the air, did they stop because they ran out of food or because they hit the ground?
17
posted on
05/20/2005 7:25:23 PM PDT
by
Husker24
To: Captain Peter Blood
One more for the books- the B-36 was responsible for determing the maximum altitude that birds could fly. In 1954 a B-36 flying SE out of Thule, encountered a flight of 30 Trumpeter Swans flying at an altitude of 27,000 ft. The existing altitude record for any species of bird
18
posted on
05/20/2005 7:27:07 PM PDT
by
Armigerous
( Non permitte illegitimi te carborundum- "Don't let the bastards grind you down")
To: AZHua87
Didn't they modify one of the Consolidated beauties to operate on nuclear power?
I sort of remember that.
19
posted on
05/20/2005 7:29:53 PM PDT
by
Mr. Jazzy
(Bumper sticker "Martyrs or Marines: Who do YOU think will get the virgins?")
To: Mr. Jazzy
Don't know if they ever did but I remember reading about it being discussed in Dad's Popular Mechanics magazine.
20
posted on
05/20/2005 7:31:25 PM PDT
by
AZHua87
(Insurgent BloggerVet!)
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