[ARC5] B-36J Radio Operator Position

[D C _Mac_ Macdonald]

The use of AVGAS for the four J-47 engines was a big surprise to me!  The J-47 jet engine was used in F-100, B-47, B-36, and other aircraft. The site (http://92ndma.org/92bw/sixchurning.pdf) about the KC-97 tankers states that the J-47 engines were specially modified to run on AVGAS to simplify the B-36's fuel system.  The KC-97s had both AVGAS and jet fuel tanks and could even transfer AVGAS from their own wing tanks to a receiving aircraft. 

 

My SAC career started in 1963 in B-52Fs at Carswell AFB, TX and lasted about 3 1/2 years. 

 
* * * * * * * * * * * 
* 73 - Mac, K2GKK/5 * 
* (Since 30 Nov 53) * 
* k2gkk at hotmail.com * 
* Oklahoma City, OK * 
* USAF & FAA (Ret.) * 
* * * * * * * * * * * 
 
 
 

 

> Date: Tue, 11 Jun 2013 14:14:25 -0400
> From: scr287 at att.net
> CC: arc5 at mailman.qth.net
> Subject: Re: [ARC5] B-36J Radio Operator Position
> 
> On 6/11/2013 12:34 PM, J. Forster wrote:
> > Did the B-36 have two, different fuel systems?
> 
> No, the J-47 engines burned the same avgas as the
> R-4360s.
> 
> I have a book, titled B-36 Photo Scrapbook, which
> shows two different radio installations. The
> earliest one is from the 1948-50 time frame and
> depicts an early B-36B. The radio op position is
> an AN/ARC-8, and is pretty uncluttered. There is
> an AN/ARC-3 shown there as well. Along with what
> is probably a BC-453 mounted alongside the desk.
> 
> A later picture, from 1955, of an RB-36H,
> shows the AN/ARC-8, but it looks like the HF radio
> was installed more as an afterthought, nestled in and among ECM gear.
> 
> Jack Antonio WA7DIA/4