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.
That is an amazing record. I had not heard this one before. A testament to American Ingenuity and Craftsmanship.
After the Week in the air, did they stop because they ran out of food or because they hit the ground?
Talked to a Crew Chief at Tinker AFB years ago and he told me that the B-36 was "so much airplane" that they always had something broke when it flew.
Armigerous,
I flew as an Aircraft Performance Engineer (Flight Engineer) from 1955 to 1957 on B-36's at Ellsworth AFB, Rapid City, SD. Engineers handled the six R4360's and the pilots controlled the four J-47 jets. We didn't have airial refueling but one might have been modified for it. I loved flying in that beast!
sp