Castle AFB RB-36H Peacemaker

Fri Dec 10, 2004 8:09 am

Some nice photos of the Castle AFB RB-36H Peacemaker bomber. The size of that bomber is staggering.

http://www.air-and-space.com/castlb36.htm

Fri Dec 10, 2004 8:43 am

That is pretty cool, thanks.

Fri Dec 10, 2004 4:20 pm

Thanks for the link of a favourite aircraft of mine.

I just love watching the start up and take off sequence in "Stategic Air Command" through the surround sound. That B-36 noise just shakes the floor !! :shock:

TNZ

Fri Dec 10, 2004 4:23 pm

Actually I have a question for you B-36 experts.

I notice that the Aircraft Commander sat on the left and the pilot sat on the right. There was no co-pilot but they both had controls and instruments.

Whats's the difference between them in roles etc ?

TNZ

Fri Dec 10, 2004 4:25 pm

My Dad tells me when he was a kid he remembers them flying over. He said they had a sound like nothing else.

The first time he (we) saw one up close was when we stopped in to Castle. We where talking to a guy there and said that sound was created by the slot that is in the Prop Blade. Is that true and what was it for?

Fri Dec 10, 2004 10:25 pm

Ah, of course,
thanks Rob.

Cheers
Chris

Sat Dec 11, 2004 3:28 pm

Is this ACFT the same one that Chanute used as a maintenance training bird in the learly 60's? I have a couple of pictures I picked up from a friend when he was in crew chief school in the 60's.

Sat Dec 11, 2004 10:57 pm

I think it was in IL before moving to CA. I could be wrong but I had a friend who said he use to get up in it there after a few drinks and just hang out. I wish I could hav e had a chance to do that.

I remember the B-47 at Pease had the hatch in the Nose wheel well open, how I wanted to climb up and get in her.

Sun Dec 12, 2004 4:34 pm

The web site says it was at the Chanute Air Park or some such, but it didn't mention it being a tinker toy. Knowing the AF, in their infinite wisdom, They just might have sent one away and brought in another in its place. :roll:

Tue Dec 14, 2004 6:36 pm

TimApNy wrote:I remember the B-47 at Pease had the hatch in the Nose wheel well open, how I wanted to climb up and get in her.

A couple of years ago I was stationed at Dyess and was (and hopefully is still) good frinds with the airpark director. He opened up the '47 and let me inside. Aside from being unbearably hot in the summer, I felt just like Jimmy Stewart in the movie. Really neat.

Wed Dec 15, 2004 11:24 am

My favourite American aircraft!.
Instead of losts of people spending lots of money restoring lots of Mustangs and painting them all alike. Why doesn't the warbird community club together and restore ONE of these to fly?. That would turn a few heads at Oshkosh!!. (And it can come over on a Euopean tour when you'r board with it!!!)

Rgds Cking

P.S. I do like Mustang's too!

Wed Dec 15, 2004 6:37 pm

Cking wrote:My favourite American aircraft!.
Instead of losts of people spending lots of money restoring lots of Mustangs and painting them all alike. Why doesn't the warbird community club together and restore ONE of these to fly?. That would turn a few heads at Oshkosh!!. (And it can come over on a Euopean tour when you'r board with it!!!)

Rgds Cking

P.S. I do like Mustang's too!

Hiya

I read once that a B-36 was restored to flyable status in the ‘70’s but was quashed at the last minute as the US government felt it was a threat to national security or something like that.

Maybe someone here can elaborate on that.

Cheers
TNZ

Wed Dec 15, 2004 7:50 pm

I think the answer to the restoration question is that there aren't that many around; there were never that many in the first place. Many of the warbirds we see in the air now are actually compliations of several others that were wrecked through accident or combat. Therefore, pieces can be found to fill the gaps. There were a few B36 wrecks through accident, but I suspect that they were quickly cleaned-up by the USAF rather than left where they lay.

My own feeling is that our only chance to get one back in the air is if the USAF decides to get their J model at Wright-Patterson serviceable again. It was the last B36 to fly and has been kept in immaculate condition.

Walrus

Wed Dec 15, 2004 8:11 pm

From what I've read and the video on the B-36 I've watched, it appeared that the Peacemaker was a maintenance nightmare and the sheer logistics to keep it in the air would be a huge undertaking.

You only have to look at what's required to keep FiFi up and running.

However, I would travel to USA to see one fly if the impossible was achieved, that's for sure !!!!!!!

TNZ

Thu Dec 16, 2004 8:20 am

Just think of the AvGas that thing would suck down