I was in the USAF 1952-56 thru Lowry B-29 gunnery thence to Carswell AFB tng. for B-36 as tail gunner. Eventually formed with other transfers as a member of a combat-ready crew and shipped to Limestone (Loring AFB ME.) We began flying in B36-Ds "profile missions" mostly around artic regions,and in "show" missions to UpperHeyford England, Preswick Scotland etc. Later (1955-6)we got into "featherweight" H and J models which discarded 14 of the 16 20mm cannons and turrets, (leaving just the radar-controlled tail guns.) These last models were virtually "hot-rods" of the breed and we marvelled at some of the steep angles of attack some pilots achieved in takeoffs...perhaps beyond regulations. All aft-compartment gunners were also "scanners"...an extremely boring job of watching engines, intercooler settings, gear movements locking down lock, canoe-door closing,and any hints of oil leaks, smoke, flame, etc. (We lost at least one engine in flight about 25% of the time) We also were tasked with spotting AD Command fighters who "attacked" us on a fairly regular basis..We used gun cameras in return..learning later how many times we were shot down by F-89s, F-86s, even by Glouster Meteors over Canada. As "gunners" we shared multiple tasks, mostly related to emergency procedures and practices thereof. Aside from loading and arming all the 16 guns under the direction of our "senior gunner", scanner duties, and operating the tail radar armament system...we also could crawl into the wing (at low altitude) and crank down the gear (I never did this, thank God)..we could go to a panel and run a back-up for lowering flaps, and we could also do emergency retraction of the lower and upper turrets (which folded into the fuselage) There were six bunks in the aft compartment of all the models I rode..also an electric stove with 4 burners where we presumably could cook ham and eggs...but we seldom, if ever did that, even on long missions of more than 30 hours. (Inflight "Box lunches" were not all bad, except for the ubiquitous "Purple Plums in Syrup, and the vitamin fortified chocolate bar..) Advancement for combat-ready crews was more rapid than in the rest of the Air Force, (we were told) our AC,Pilots,and Radar/Nav/Bombradiers all gained heavier metal within the first eighteen months after passable flight safety records and a good bombing scores. Enlisted crewmembers would usually make an NCO (E-4+)grade within or shortly after 4 years. As a crew after "combat ready" we became a "select crew" then an "instructor crew" which placed us into other people's aircraft, drilling them remorselessly on SOP. I'm now 75 years old...I think I was told that for a time, in 1954-55, I was the youngest tail gunner in SAC. Those were memorable days.

I was assigned to the 717th Strat Recon Sq. at Rapid City AFB as an aerial photographer (1953-54). SAC and the B-36 were our nation's main deterent to Russian/Chinese expansion and war threat. In August '54 we attained an altitude of 57,000 feet in a featherweight RB-36E. It was a marvelous aircraft and maintained by excellent ground crews.

I was a jet mechanic in early 50's and later a licensed A&P mechanic with commercial airlines. I have always been facinated with the B-36 and would like to know if mainteance or flight manuals are available??

Re the Jimmy Stewart movie: It was "Strategic Air Command", in color, starring J. Stewart and June Allison. It came out in 1955 while the B-36 was still our primary strategic bomber.
All are invited to join B-36 vets on a Delphi Web site called "B-36 Era and Cold War Aviation Forum". You can find answers to most questions you can thing of about the B-36.
Walt Mitchell

Wasn't there a B&W Jimmy Stewart movie about the B-36? What was that title? I seem to recall it crashed in the snow. It had great shots of the plane, it's insides and all that went with it. I think it was the largest plane we ever made.

Here at Castle Air Museum (Castle Air Force Base Merced) We have the RB-36 that was at Chanute AFB ILL. Our restoration Crew went to Chanute and dismantled the aircraft and had it shipped to Merced and then reassembled it. Truly a monumental piece of work, the aircraft looks great http://www.elite.net/castle-air/ondisplay.html or you can see the pictures of the assembly at http://www.air-and-space.com/castlb36.htm For our last open cockpit day they cranked one of the forward upper gun turrets up. you can also get up into the cockpit. You can check out the stats for all Aircraft at the museum (around 49 and counting)

I flew the RB-36 as a Lower Aft Gunner,Ramey AFB,P.R.,1953-1955.Loved the Airplane & the deployments to French Morroco,North Africa.Crew transferred to Fairchild AFB,Wn Nov.'55. The B-36 had the MOST DISTINCT SOUND with those 6 4360's.

Reply to Bob Miller. Can't tell you about B-36, but GSW was NOT incotporated into DFW. GSW is the site of several office buildings designated as "CP #1" through 'CP # 5" CP being the designator for "Center Port". The old B=36 pad was on yhe extreme West side of GSW facing the service road of State Highway 360.

For the B36H & B36J models I believe that the max gross weight at t/o was over 400,000 lbs. The 357,508 lbs. would be applicable to earlier models. Cheers, Stan

The narration describing the B36 says it had a pressurized fuselage; that's not quite accurate as the B36 had two pressurized compartments, one forward and one aft of the bomb-bays. The RB36 had three pressurized compartments a fore and aft and another photo compartment aft of the forward crew compartment, in place of #1 bomb-bay. Therefore, the B36s had four bomb-bays and the RB36s had three bomb-bays. Cheers, Stan

The B-36 formerly on display in Ft Worth is currently in Tuscon, AZ at the Pima museum being refurbished and assembled for permanent display.

I was a tail gunner on RB-36s. Fairchild (99th)in '54, Ramey (72nd) '55/56, Ellsworth (28th)'56. Gunner's primary jobs were gunners only. Exceptions were the forward positions which were manned by the 2nd radio operator, third pilot (extra gunner if no third pilot assigned to crew) and an officer in the nose (sometimes an enlisted weather trained gunner). One gunner was trained in mechanics and then electrical systems before going to gunnery school. Other gunners were trained as turret or gunlaying (Radar) systems technicians before gunnery school. We normally did not work on any equipment other than install the cannons, load ammo and preflight systems prior to gunnery missions.

99th field maint sq. Fairchild AFB Washington. 1952/1955. A&P school Sheppard aircraft elect DC&AC.After 10 years Air Force,enlisted US ARMY.Helicopters/CV2 Caribou Vung Tau Vietnam.US Army Civil service Fort Eustis VA. Navy air Resv. Flight Enginer VR 56 NAS NORFOLK. The B-36 was my introductionin into aviation and as a kid had no idea that this B-36 experience would set the aviation standards for the me the rest of my life. The first time I looked at the flight engineers panel in the 36 was my introduction to the real world. FIRST THOUGHT! I'll never learn all this "CRAP"!!!!!This was right up there with that stray round that came up through the floor between my feet in NAM.61st aviation ving tau 1962/63.

Does anyone know what happened to the static display B-36 that was found at Greater Southwest Int'l Airport (before it was expanded and rebuilt as DFW)?

I was a crew chief on a
RB-36 D model. I was in the 717th bomb recon squardon in the 24th bomb wing of SAC stationed at Ellsworth AFB in Rapid City SD. I was in a flight of RB-36s that flew out of the Azores island accross the Atlantic at one thousand feet above the cold wet north Alnatic on a penetration mission back into the USA to test the air defince command. That is when General Ellsworth, in a 36 several planes ahead of us, crashed into the shore line cliffs in New Foundland.. Rapid City AFB was then renamed Ellsworth AFB. This was a great plane that keep the Russians at bay hence the name Peace Maker - that never dropped a bomb in anger.

As a kid growing up in Denver, Colorado in the mid 1950's, I remember that the USAF brought one of these to town. Lowry AFB did not have a runway long enough to accomodate the beast, thus it landed at Stapleton Field, the Commercial Airport, Thanks to warm weather and the overall weight of the plane, it literally sank into the Asphalt parking apron and had to be moved out with a pair of very large BullDozers. The last time one landed there! My recollection is that this airplane had the most distinct "sound" of anything flying and you could identify them before you could see them. Also left some interesting con-trails with 6 engines, plus 4 Jets.

Seen this in the movie Stragetic Air Command with Jimmy Stewart & John Wayne in Jet Pilot.
Big beast of a plane.
Unique
2 bad Non fly in Retro mode like some B17s do,
Must get one 2 fly to honor Cold War era & USAF crews.

I went through Aircraft Electrical Repairmen School at Sheppard AFB , Wichita Falls, TX and was told that I would attend Gunnery School after to train as a gunner on the B-36
But after school was shipped to Westover AFB ,Mass and serviced B-52's so I never got to see the Inside of a B-36 or attend gunnery school. Thanks E. Ruggles

The GRB-36J (FICON) carried one RF-84F "parasite" reconnaissance aircraft in the bombay which could be launched and retrieved in flight. The 10,000 range of the B-36 combined with the 2,000 mile range of the RF-84F permitted lengthy reconnaissance missions.

One day in my home town of Griffin, GA, c1958, while walking home from school,I saw a B-36 flying a few hundred feet off the ground right down the center of our main street, heading east. I could clearly see the pilots. A friend from Arizona says he remembers about the same time seeing B-36's low level across the area around Prescott, AZ. I guess it was some training thing. When I was in Nam, flying Hueys, I bought thru the PX a B-36 balsa kit made in Japan. It has a 10 ft wingspan. I still have the un-built kit in the original box. One of these days I'll build it, when I retire..................

I was a crew chief on a Rb-36F, was a lot of work to get it off and keep it flying, we carried a 21 ton h-bomb, our service cealing 52000 feet where we were at most of the time, I was very lucky to have 6 very good men working under me, we would fly for 48hrs missions a very long time to say the least, I was in the 99th bomb wing, 346th sqd. at Fairchild afb.

It is a beautiful aircraft of the USAF. 6 Turn...4Burn.
I was able to checkout both exterior&Interior of this
beautiful aircraft,which i have wonder thoughts of,while
i was in the USAF a A&P Student @ Chanute AFB ILL.

Gerald, I was a tail gunner on B-36's. No we couldn't service engines in flight. If we were low enough, we could go out into the wing thru a crawl space in the bombay, and lower the Landing Gear manually.
Yes the B-36 Was larger than the B-52 I also flew as tailgunner on B-52's. The B-36 was more fun !

Was that plane bigger than the B-52 or B-29?

after "airplane and engine school" at sheppard afb in 1951, i went to "dc" then "ac" electric repairman courses at channute afb. i was told that this was the preliminary to becoming a gunner on the b-36. however , i ended up sewart afb ( c-119's) then to korea ( b-26's).

my memory tells me that the gunners on the b-36 crews had other jobs (hence me being an aircraft electrician). i remember that i was told that on the b-36 in flight, that a crewmmber could reach and service an engine if needed. is there a book that can be recommended that woexplain the duties in detail re their responsibilities.

thanks
gerald roberts (s/sgt discharged in 1955)