Convair B-26: Six turning, four burning

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Tuesday, July 2. 2019

Convair B-26: Six turning, four burning

Largest mass produced piston plane every built. Strange.

Interesting: Mr. James Stewart retired from the Air Force in 1968 as a Brigadier General and was instrumental in the formation of The U.S. Air Force from the Army Air Corp in 1947. Mr. Stewart was a bomber pilot in WW2 in Europe and received the Distinguished Flying Cross among many other awards. Mr. Stewart was certified and licensed pilot as single engine, twin engine, multi-engine, B-36 Strategic Bomber, B-47 medium bomber and B-52 Stratofortress. Mr. Stewart never discussed his military career in public. Truly a great man in many ways!!!!! And a damn good actor.

Posted by The News Junkie at 18:02 | Comments (12) | Trackbacks (0)

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AKA Aluminum Overcast

#1 RickinJax on 2019-07-02 19:28 (Reply)

The post title needs fixin'. Add ten and we'll call it good.

Also: some crew chiefs felt it better described as two turning, two burning, two smoking, two choking, and two more unaccounted for. YMMV.

But I still think it's one of the most amazing planes ever, and only wish I'd been able to hear and feel one fly overhead, rattling the windows in the house. The Sound of Freedom.

#2 Nona Mouse on 2019-07-02 20:19 (Reply)

That was beautiful. Thrilling.

#3 Jeffersonian on 2019-07-02 20:54 (Reply)

The B-36 used P&W R4360 radials. Those engines were dual ignition. So, a tuneup of all 6 radials, each of which had 28 cylinders, meant changing 336 spark plugs. Dude. The strategic reconnaissance version, the RB-36, was based out here at Ellsworth AFB. BGEN Richard Elmer Ellsworth, commander of the 28th BW, was killed in early 1953 in the Newfoundland crash of an RB-36H. All 23 crew tragically lost their lives. Newly-inaugurated President Eisenhower flew out to rename Rapid City AFB as Ellsworth AFB in June of that same year. We’ve got B-1Bs now, and soon will have B-21s as well.

#4 dhmosquito on 2019-07-02 21:37 (Reply)

My dad remembers seeing the B36 flying so low over Rapid City that all you could see was the tip of the vertical stabilizer as it flew behind a ridge named Skyline Drive near Ellsworth AFB. He said that it made the earth tremble with the sound of its engines. People were so proud to live in the shadow of the mighty deterrent of war, the B36. Later their symbol of freedom was the B52 Stratofortress. They now stop ball games to watch the B-1 Lancers rumble overhead. What patriots!

#4.1 #7 Angusranch45 on 2019-07-03 02:45 (Reply)

My dad served at Ellsworth same time frame He still had his pictures of the 36 in his belongings when he passed. I was born at the base hospital. Mom said there were so many expecting moms then you took a number to see the obstetrician.

#4.2 Proud son on 2019-07-03 08:35 (Reply)

Worked with a guy who was a crew chief on one. He knew that spark plug statistic at least. I also remember looking up in the SE US sky and seeing them flying overhead. What an awesome beast, can't believe we built the damn thing.

#5 XRay on 2019-07-02 21:50 (Reply)

Forgot to add, Gen. Stewart was back when H-town had stories based on real men and not cartoon characters. Commies don't want to show real men anymore, that might give folks ideas.

#6 XRay on 2019-07-02 21:58 (Reply)

The B36 flew out of Kirtland AFB in Albuquerque, NM, and I watched then fly overhead as a kid. The reconnaissance version was awesome and that huge wing allowed it to fly at 58,000 feet, well above Russian air defenses.

#7 Ray on 2019-07-03 11:32 (Reply)

Never got to see one in the air. Have seen a B-17 and B-24 overhead, though.

#8 Sam L. on 2019-07-03 13:33 (Reply)

A good friend who was Air Force 1943 (8th Air Force) to 1964, saw Stewart speak at a dinner-ceremony in the middle '50's. He was fine until he was asked to speak about the Ploesti raids and after attempting a few words it was apparent he could not.

#9 james wilson (Link) on 2019-07-04 01:58 (Reply)

There's a B-36 in great shape on static display at the Castle Air Museum near Atwater, California.

You get to walk around inside too.

#10 Whitehall on 2019-07-05 03:47 (Reply)

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Tuesday, July 2. 2019

Convair B-26: Six turning, four burning