@ Tucson, AZ
March 2018
This mighty Convair B-36 Peacemaker is the largest aircraft in the collection of the Pima Air & Space Museum, absolutely dwarfing the Cessna T-37 Tweet at the left. The B-36 was unique in being powered by six piston propeller engines and four turbojets (six turnin’ and four burnin’), more engines than any other mass-produced aircraft. As the B-36 gained a reputation for engine fires with the radial engines, some crews humorously changed the aircraft’s slogan into “two turning, two burning, two smoking, two choking and two more unaccounted for”. The XB-36 prototype had a conventional streamlined cockpit while production aircraft incorporated a raised flight deck with domed greenhouse canopy, providing improved visibility and accommodating the addition of a nose turret. The circular panel in the nose glazing is an optically flat panel for use by the bombardier.
First flown in 1946, 384 Peacemakers were produced before retirement in 1959 and replacement by the B-52 Stratofortress. The B-36J was the last production variant, with strengthened landing gear, increased fuel capacity, reduced armament (tail guns only) and reduced crew. Only 33 of these were built. This is one of only four surviving examples of the B-36.