B-36 Walkthrough

Take a trip around the B-36 airplane at the Strategic Air Command & Aerospace Museum!
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[exclusiverecluse]

This tour trigger a good memory. My father was in the Air Force (1950-1971). He was a navigator on B-25’s in Korea, then B-52’s (1957-67). Last duty station was Offutt AFB where this B-36 greeted us on arrival at the Bellevue Gate. The ‘museum’ at that time was a modest collection of aircraft and misses on the end of the runway butted up against the city of Bellevue. Col. Carl Jansen (ret) was hired as Director of the SAC Aerospace Museum in 1971, and hired my newly retired father (Lt. Col. Harvey Stovall, retired) as Asst Director. He worked there as a caretaker of sorts for all the planes he had flown or been involved with over his 21 year career, finally retiring in 1991 when the private foundation that owns/ runs the museum now, took over and built the large facility it’s now located in near North Platte NE. I’ve been to the museum many times and heard many stories about the various planes they had and continued to collect over the years (the SR-71 now beautifully suspended in the entryway as you come in among them). Good memories all. Glad to see the museum still going strong.

[fishbike]

I was little circa 1954, living with my family in Denver, and clearly remember how impressed I was with the amazing sound of groups of B-36s flying over at high altitude, with 168 cylinders popping away in each. Presumably they were flying out of Texas to buzz Siberia and come back. Their sound in the movie “Strategic Air Command” refreshed the memory.

[markowsley]

I saw this B36 the museum as a kid with my dad. He worked as a mechanic on this exact B36 when he was in the AirForce. Finding that out made my visit to the museum.

[stevehager]

Dad was Flight Engineer on one of these beasts. He had plenty of B36 stories to tell. I only heard the plane one time, a sound unlike any other.

[anaetadesireechandler]

Absolutely beautiful aircraft. The early backbone of SAC. As a USAF brat I thought the B-52 was a big bird but it’s not even close size wise. Love the commentary.

[bullettooth]

I went to the SAC Museum for the first time last Thanksgiving week. My family and I were driving through and it made for the perfect pitstop along the way. We spent hours wandering through the place. My family were surprised at how much I geeked out over everything and all the info I had to share on all the planes. It was the first time I ever got to see a B-36. It was a great experience. Hoping to return soon.

[Cleatus]

When I was a little kid growing up in San Jose, CA in the '40s and '50s, a B-36 routinely flew very low over our may have been temporarily stationed at Moffett Field. The sight of that huge plane at extremely low altitude and the unforgettable sound of the six Pratt & Whitney R-4360 Wasp Majors was quite a thrill for a little kid and an experience I shall never forget.

[brianb]

I was inside that exact airplane back in the late 70s. My buddy and I used to give on the fly tours in many of the aircraft that were a part of The Offutt Aerospace Museum. Fun times.

[prsearls]

When I growing up in the 1950's, I remember hearing their distinctive sound at night on their practice bombing missions on American cities. Those big engines and pusher propellers sounded different from any other propeller driven aircraft. I'm sure I'd recognize it today. It is an amazing aircraft. I was in SAC (weapons) in 1963-64 on the B-58's.

[ussling]

1955 "Strategic Air Command" with Jimmy Stewart for good interior and beautiful flying sequences of the B-36.

[thomasfondren]

My dad was stationed in Rapid City and flew on these in the Korean War. He was had amazing stories about the B-36.

[farmallfan]

I live about an hour and a half from the museum. Been there many times. Its a big place and well worth going too

[pascalcoole]

Every one visiting the museum can make a video like this.
Please make a highly detailed video of the inside.

[tonerotonero]

What a beast. The golden age of technical endeavors and nearly unlimited budgets. Wow, what an era and how I'd love come and see this monster by myself. Thanks for the video

[thomaspagan]

A nice short view...many thanks! Your efforts appreciated.

[douglasbuck]

Served it's design and purpose without fail!

[Ruckweiler]

Saw the one that was on the parade ground at Chanute AFB in Rantoul, Illinois in the mid '80's before they closed the base. I'd seen the CAF's Fifi in Houston and the -36 made it look little in comparison. The horizontal stabilizers looked as big as the wings on a DC-3, at least to me. Finally, one of my A&P Instructors in the early '80's was a Flight Engineer on one of these in the '50's and he said he was ALWAYS right busy in the air.

[BHPeacemaker]

As you stated, the B-36J was not a Featherweight by default. The first 18 B-36J models, serial numbers 52-2210 through 52-2226 were completed as standard bombers with full crew comfort amenities and full hemispheric turret protection. Ergo, your B-36J -1-CF 52-2217 (along with B-36J -1-CF 52-2220 at the NMUSAF) left the Convair factory in Fort Worth, TX with all full crew comfort amenities and full hemispheric turret protection, and were subsequently converted to configuration Featherweight III at Convair San Diego, CA. It was the last eight B--36J models; serial numbers 52-2819 through 2827 that left the factory in Featherweight, configuration III.

[Navigator]

My dad was a flight engineer and pilot on those things.

[StevieinSF]

Lucky to have seen 2 of the 4 remaining B-36's: Castle AFB, CA & USAF Museum, OH. Just enormous!