B-36 Peacemaker

After observing Nazi Germany’s aggression and Japanese dare to attack Pearl Harbor, the

US decided to develop a plane that will counter this antagonism – the B-36 was the end result of this decision. The Army Air Forces (AAF) needed a long range bomber that will carry the war to the enemy, B-36 provided that though its process moved on rather slowly.

The B-36 had six engines with a 3,740-nm combat radius and a 1,757-nm radius. It could carry bomb load of 86,000 pounds. With a wingspan of 230 feet, a length of 162 feet, and a height of nearly 49 feet, the B-36 had an official range of 10,000 miles. When loaded, the B-36 burned fuel at an excessive rate. Actual range for the bomber was 6,800 to 8,175 miles, with aerial refueling required.

Military setbacks in 1942 forced the Army Air Forces to focus on the Boeing B-29 which was already under making since September 1941; and it happened at the expense of the B-36. But in spring of 1943, the situation changed following indications that

China would collapse. The Army Air Forces thought that B-36 might be the only bomber able to attack the Japanese homeland. AAF therefore ordered 100 B-36s. The manufacturer soon after struggled with several development troubles, engine and weight increase problems. During mid 1944, engine problems reached at peak. Convair’s request at that time of considering another engine was also ignored because of high cost, time and technical unknowns. B-36