The "other" Peacemaker

[Danjet500]

I was recently in the San Francisco/Napa Valley area and ran across a man who has several radial engines, one of which is the Pratt and Whitney Wasp Major. They use these in the vineyards to blow air over the grapes when the temperature gets to the frost point. I did a little research about the engine and found these videos. He also has a Volkswagen with a 7 cylinder radial pushing it.

Videos of the short lived B36 "Peacemaker" nuclear bomber. She was powered by six 28 cylinder Pratt and Whitney Wasp Major engines and four jet engines. "Six turnin' and four burnin".

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=9FJVxtTNjJk

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=1V9CWQNZRF8

This is the actual engine I saw in Napa Valley.

https://video.search.yahoo.com/search/video;_ylt=A0LEVz0imRBZSeIAgGtXNyoA;_ylu=X3oDMTE1OG9zYTB2BGNvbG8DYmYxBHBvcwMxBHZ0aWQDVUkwMkM0XzEEc2VjA3BpdnM-?p=pratt+and+whitney+wasp+major&fr2=piv-web&fr=yfp-t-s#id=18&vid=c423999a81aa3d3cf9f163f03b4240f4&action=view

And the Volkswagen. I'm not sure he's ever driven it.

https://video.search.yahoo.com/search/video;_ylt=A2KLqIElmRBZCFIAibT7w8QF;_ylu=X3oDMTBncGdyMzQ0BHNlYwNzZWFyY2gEdnRpZAM-;_ylc=X1MDOTY3ODEzMDcEX3IDMgRhY3RuA2NsawRiY2sDZGdycm1nMWNoMTUzNSUyNmIlM0QzJTI2cyUzRGQ4BGNzcmNwdmlkA3hucjRnRGs0TGpIWWIzYUFXUkNVWlFZc05qUXVNZ0FBQUFDRTE5TU8EZnIDeWZwLXQtcwRmcjIDc2EtZ3AEZ3ByaWQDZnBMRFF5UnhTSUtrd0N4UEtuMmxCQQRtdGVzdGlkA251bGwEbl9yc2x0AzYwBG5fc3VnZwMwBG9yaWdpbgN2aWRlby5zZWFyY2gueWFob28uY29tBHBvcwMwBHBxc3RyAwRwcXN0cmwDBHFzdHJsAzI1BHF1ZXJ5A3JhZGlhbCBwb3dlcmVkIHZvbGtzd2FnZW4EdF9zdG1wAzE0OTQyNjAxNzQEdnRlc3RpZANudWxs?gprid=fpLDQyRxSIKkwCxPKn2lBA&pvid=xnr4gDk4LjHYb3aAWRCUZQYsNjQuMgAAAACE19MO&p=radial+powered+volkswagen&ei=UTF-8&fr2=p%3As%2Cv%3Av%2Cm%3Asa&fr=yfp-t-s#id=2&vid=b9dfed08e988a8b21d5b326668541dbd&action=view

Cool stuff.

 

[sceva]

Did ya notice the pilot in the first Video?

Jimmy Stewart; The snippet was taken from his movie "Strategic Air Command"

Of course, he was an Air Force pilot and (I believe) Brigadier General Ret.

 

[bogus bill]

Yeah, and the guy he was talking to I think is Harry Morgan of Dragnet and Mash fame, isnt it? I met J.S. years ago when I was a studio guard at Universal Studio`s. He was working on "The Rare Breed". Nice guy. Bought my lunch once.

 

[WendyZXZ]

Those are some fine videos and an impressive airplane, thanks for sharing!

 

[Wyandot Jim]

Did ya notice the pilot in the first Video?

Jimmy Stewart; The snippet was taken from his movie "Strategic Air Command"

Of course, he was an Air Force pilot and (I believe) Brigadier General Ret.

Yes he was. He also flew combat in WWII, Korea, and Viet Nam. From B-17 to B-52s.
There is only one plane in the World that sounds like a 36 and it is a 36. One could fly over now and I could tell you what it was by the sound.
My Dad flew as a gunner in them when he returned from Korea flying in 29s. He really didn't like them because the missions could be almost 2 days.

 

[Jimbo357mag]

Great clips. It said all but five B-36 were scrapped. I wonder if any are left anywhere?

 

[Wyandot Jim]

Great clips. It said all but five B-36 were scrapped. I wonder if any are left anywhere?

Yes You can go on the internet and see where they are located.

 

[Bull Barrel]

The last one built was a gate guard at the now defunct Greater Southwest International airport (at the site of DFW) and was made flyable and flown to the General Dynamics factory where it was built. I dont recall if restoration is complete.
There is one at Wright-Pat.
They were also used for aerial recon. The film used was about 3 feet wide. The lens/film transport assembly is on display. It is amazingly like 35mm film transports I have worked on for years.

 

[Wyandot Jim]

Great clips. It said all but five B-36 were scrapped. I wonder if any are left anywhere?

Her ya go.
I marched by the one at Chanute on my way to class.
The one in Ft Worth was going to be made airworthy, but that didn't happen.
More great info http://www.air-and-space.com/peacemkr.htm

http://www.air-and-space.com/b-36%20survivors.htm

http://johnweeks.com/b36/index.html

http://www.airplanesofthepast.com/b36-castle-air-museum.htm

 

[loaded round]

There is a complete B36 in the air force museum outside of Dayton, Ohio. My wife and I visited the museum 5 or six years ago and my annual army reunion. Never realized how big this airplane was until I stood beneath it.


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Great clips. It said all but five B-36 were scrapped. I wonder if any are left anywhere?

 

[Danjet500]

Jim, thanks for all the links. Lot of information there.

 

[Paul B]

I remember the one at Chanute. Glad I was only there for tech school. Hated Chanute and Illinois as well. Shipped out March 61 to sin city itself. Lost Wages Nevada. :roll: Sure wish I kept all those silver dollars that weigh my pants down.
I also remember the very distinctive sound of the B-36 as they flew over the house in San Francisco. There usually so high you couldn't see them but you sure could hear then as everything in the house rattles as they passed. Kinda miss that sound. End of an era.
Paul B.

 

[Jimbo357mag]

Her ya go.
I marched by the one at Chanute on my way to class.
The one in Ft Worth was going to be made airworthy, but that didn't happen.
More great info

Thanks, very interesting.

 

[Wyandot Jim]

I remember the one at Chanute. Glad I was only there for tech school. Hated Chanute and Illinois as well. Shipped out March 61 to sin city itself. Lost Wages Nevada. :roll: Sure wish I kept all those silver dollars that weigh my pants down.
I also remember the very distinctive sound of the B-36 as they flew over the house in San Francisco. There usually so high you couldn't see them but you sure could hear then as everything in the house rattles as they passed. Kinda miss that sound. End of an era.
Paul B.

Paul,
I got to Chanute on July 3rd 1960 for Fuel System Specialist School. Left in November for Forbes AFB Topeka Kansas and B-47s & KC-97s.
I also lived on Travis AFB in 1952 when my Dad was flying in
the 36s.
He probably flew over your house

 

[Paul B]

Funny story. When I got done with tech school we asked where we would like to go stateside and overseas. I put in for that air base in Marin County (sorry I for get the name) and anywhere in Europe. I go my stateside wish only to get bumped and sent to Nellis in Las Vegas. I'm still bent out of shape on that deal. I got bumped because nobody had heard of Nellis and the kid that got had a Senator for an uncle. One phone call and I was bumped. :x We finally found out where Nellis was and he called uncle trying to get it back and unck refused thus screwing me out of what I wanted. We both cried getting the switch done with no luck. Vegas was no fun for lower grade GIs, take my word on that.
Paul B.

 

[Bull Barrel]

Here is a link to info about the last B-36 built and its life while on display at GSW with pics of the plane while there. Its a bit of a read because it is the history of GSW with a tidbit about the movie, Strategic Air Command.

http://www.airfields-freeman.com/TX/Airfields_TX_FtWorth_NE.htm#greaterSW