[ARC5] B-36J Radio Operator Position

[Bob Macklin]

In 1955/56 I was assigned to the F-101 Voodoo test program at Edwards AFB. 
We were a TDY group from SAC.

Our group commander (a major) spotted a B-36 one day and decided to try a 
pursuit gunnery run(from the tail).

The result was he determined a fighter with guns could not get close enough 
to a B-36 to use the guns. You cannot fly in the prop wash from a B-36.

His report was the B-36 did not need the tail guns.

At the time SAC had ordered the F-101 as an escort for the B-47 and B-52. In 
1957 they determined the B-47 and B-52 did not require a fighter escort.

There was a test program where they tried connecting 2 F-84s to a B-36 by 
coupling them at the wing tips. This was not a good idea either.

Bob Macklin
K5MYJ
Seattle, Wa.
"Real Radios Glow In The Dark"
----- Original Message ----- 
From: "Robert Eleazer" <releazer at earthlink.net>
To: <arc5 at mailman.qth.net>
Sent: Tuesday, June 11, 2013 1:05 PM
Subject: Re: [ARC5] B-36J Radio Operator Position


> According to a book I have, B-36 In Action, the B-36J (III) Featherweight 
> version, in which all of the guns but the tail gun were removed, 
> demonstrated a combat range of almost 4000 miles. a top speed of 418 mph 
> at 37,500 ft, and a service ceiling of 43,600 ft.  But it could go higher 
> than the service ceiling.
>
> At max altitude and speed there was some concern that the localized 
> airflow around some parts of the B-36 was resulting in a localized 
> supersonic condition.
>
> One B-36 crewman I talked to said they used to laugh at the F-86's trying 
> to intercept them at 50,000 ft.  Then one day they heard someone say 
> "Bang!  you're dead!" and something went whizzing past. And then they saw 
> their first F-100.  Which could not begin to slow up enough to fly 
> formation with them.  Another day the same thing occurred with an F-102, 
> which was able to fly formation.
>
> I also read where one day an F-82 from Eglin AFB was on a max altitude 
> test at 50,000 ft and encounter a B-36 doing the same thing.  The  B-36 
> guys were astonished to see anyone else up there, especially since an F-82 
> was not on the list of aircraft that was supposed to try to intercept 
> them.  On the other hand, the F-82 pilot noted that the 20MM gun turrets 
> on the B-36 had been tracking him during the whole approach and he likely 
> would have been shot down multiple times.
>
> Wayne
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