B-36

[Simpo Two]

Yes, that's a B29 for comparison... that is one big mutha:




http://www.air-and-space.com/b-36%20variants.htm

Edited by Simpo Two on Monday 7th February 23:48

[Eric Mc]

Last of a line.

I was extolling the virtues of the B-36 on here a few months ago and got a lot of flak - for some odd reason.

[Simpo Two]

Eric Mc said:

Last of a line.

I was extolling the virtues of the B-36 on here a few months ago and got a lot of flak - for some odd reason.

You flew over enemy territory?! I flew over Germany last week and got a Krupps Espresso machine through the port petrol tank... things ain't what they used to be...

[mrmaggit]

Simpo Two said:

You flew over enemy territory?! I flew over Germany last week and got a Krupps Espresso machine through the port petrol tank... things ain't what they used to be...

Sure is a new take on the "they threw everything but the kitchen sink at us" line!

[IroningMan]

Simpo Two said:

You flew over enemy territory?! I flew over Germany last week and got a Krupps Espresso machine through the port petrol tank... things ain't what they used to be...

You're taking the 'p', surely?

[Simpo Two]

Damn, rumbled. Krupps made the legendary 88mm AA gun; now they make coffee machines

Good job too; if they still made 88mm shells I'd be hiding in a barn right now

[Total loss]

Simpo Two said:

... that is one big mutha:

And to think that one successfully, if unintentionally landed on farmland near Salisbury !
Notice the double decker bus on the road just behind for another size comparison.

Edited by Total loss on Tuesday 8th February 23:00

[perdu]

That probably was not a good thing

er

and

oops

[Eric Mc]

When I was in Majorca two years ago I saw a factory which had the Junkers insignia (a winged letter "J") on display outside. It turns out they make air conditioning units. Not as sexy as one of these -

[mrmaggit]

Total loss said:

nd to think that one successfully, if unintentionally landed on farmland near Salisbury !
Notice the double decker bus on the road just behind for another size comparison.

Edited by Total loss on Tuesday 8th February 23:00

If we're talking landing big on a little area, my Dad landed a glider on one of the dispersal pads at Bardney once. He landed short because he misjudged how strong the wind was, they had to lift the glider over the fence at the edge of the pad to get it back on the field. The dispersal pads are a little bigger than a Lanc wingspan.

[Simpo Two]

Eric Mc said:

When I was in Majorca two years ago I saw a factory which had the Junkers insignia (a winged letter "J") on display outside. It turns out they make air conditioning units.

It's interesting to ponder the fate of the major German arms companies. I think many if not most of them are still going in one form or another, but making things for the home market instead of - uh - overseas.

Are there any equivalent British businesses still trading from WW2?


Of course the famous one is when Herbert Austin was asked if he'd like to have the VW factory. He said 'no thanks'. Industrious people, Germans.

[dr_gn]

Eric Mc said:

When I was in Majorca two years ago I saw a factory which had the Junkers insignia (a winged letter "J") on display outside. It turns out they make air conditioning units. Not as sexy as one of these -

I rather like the Junkers watches. Not sure if there's a direct link with the original manufacturer though. Might pick one up next time I'm over there (just for the sake of buying a Junkers watch in Germany!).

http://www.junkers-uhren.de/

[strudel]

Total loss said:

Is that equipped with some sort of B52 prototype engine?

[Eric Mc]

Later B-36s had ten engines - six pistons and four turbojets (6 turnin' and 4 burnin' - as they liked to say at the time).

The jets were General Electric J-47s of about 5.000 lbs thrust (pretty weedy by modern standards).

[badgers_back]

Eric Mc said:

Later B-36s had ten engines - six pistons and four turbojets (6 turnin' and 4 burnin' - as they liked to say at the time).

The jets were General Electric J-47s of about 5.000 lbs thrust (pretty weedy by modern standards).

4 burning 2 turning 2 smoking and 2 joking

The piston engines were just a tad unreliable

[Tango13]

The XC-99...


A close up of the XB-36 main wheel...


An experimental under carriage, tested on the B-36 to see how it would work on a very heavy aircraft. It didn't.


Useless fact... The jet pods were lifted straight from the B-47 production line and still contained the stabiliser wheels which were locked in place.

Edited by Tango13 on Wednesday 9th February 18:26

[blueedge]

I saw one of those wheel units up close in the USAF Museum:



It's absolutely massive!

[Tango13]

There was a very good reasons both Convair and the Airforce pushed for a four wheel bogy, there were only three runways in the whole of the continental USA strong enough to take the weight of aircraft without cracking up under the weight.

[AAGR]

Simpo Two said:

It's interesting to ponder the fate of the major German arms companies. I think many if not most of them are still going in one form or another, but making things for the home market instead of - uh - overseas.

Are there any equivalent British businesses still trading from WW2?


Of course the famous one is when Herbert Austin was asked if he'd like to have the VW factory. He said 'no thanks'. Industrious people, Germans.

Interesting, that. Lord Austin died in 1941 ao he wouldn't have been able to say much in 1945.....

It was Sir William Rootes, actually.

[Simpo Two]

AAGR said:

Interesting, that. Lord Austin died in 1941 ao he wouldn't have been able to say much in 1945.....

It was Sir William Rootes, actually.

Well it wasn't a bad effort from memory and the principle is the same