Historic aviation's book of the month

Air Classics, Mar 2002 by Hulett, George

NEW BOOKS COVER A VARIETY

Of SUBJECTS

HISTORIC AVIATIONS'S BOOK OF THE MONTH

The plane they called the Peacemaker

The Convair B-36 Peacemaker was the ultimate statement of American airpower at the beginning of the Cold War. An intriguing mix of proven World War Two concepts and early 1950s high-tech, the B-36 would spark more controversy than any weapon system until the Star Wars program of the 1980s.

Magnesium Overcast by Dennis R. Jenkins (Specialty Press, $34.95) is the result of the author's extensive research at various archives and the book uncovers new and previously unpublished details about the giant bomber and its many variants. Among these are the first-ever photographs of the never-flown second prototype of the YB-60 which was an all-jet development of the B-36 built to compete with the Boeing B-52. New photographs illustrate the radar-equipped nose, cockpit layout, and defensive armament.

A Convair proposal for a flying boat version of the giant XC-99 cargo aircraft designed for Pan American World Airways is also detailed while technical information and drawings of the stillborn Variable Discharge Turbine B.36C variant are included.

The volume (which includes over 500 excellently reproduced black and white photos and 53 color photos) includes extensive photographic coverage of a devastating 1952 Texas tornado that almost wiped out a good portion of the B-36 fleet. A detailed serial number list covers each airplane and its final disposition, and a chapter details the efforts to reclaim and scrap the aircraft as they were taken out of service.

Other interesting bits are the first-ever photographs of the Buck Duck decoy drone that was designed for the B-36, and coverage of various proposed turboprop-powered versions. The Pratt & Whitney R-4360 - the most powerful piston engine to equip an American bomber - is also detailed.

There had always been questions as to whether the B-36 could accomplish its assigned mission. No one denied that the aircraft was slow, although sometimes it was hard to ascertain just how slow it really was in comparison to other aircraft of the era - politics, security, and an aversion to allowing one's weaknesses to be seen contributed to that confusion. However, the B-36 flew so high that it probably did not really matter - at least initially. Few fighters of its era could climb as high, and operational surface-to-air missiles were still in the future. The aircraft had very long legs, a necessary attribute for the first truly intercontinental bomber. It is difficult to imagine a modem aircraft remaining airborne two days without refueling, but it was not particularly unusual for the B-36 to do so. After all, it took a long time to fly 10,000 miles at 250 mph! The book can be ordered from Historic Aviation by calling 800-225-5575.

BY GEORGE HULETT