[ARC5] B-36J Radio Operator Position

[jmfranke]

They also berthed a F-84 to the B-36 belly.

John  WA4WDL

--------------------------------------------------
From: "Bob Macklin" <macklinbob at msn.com>
Sent: Tuesday, June 11, 2013 6:23 PM
To: "Robert  Eleazer" <releazer at earthlink.net>; <arc5 at mailman.qth.net>
Subject: Re: [ARC5] B-36J Radio Operator Position

> 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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