The Convair B-36 "Peacemaker"[N 1] is a strategic bomber built by Convair and operated by the United States Air Force (USAF) from 1949 to 1959. The B-36 is the largest mass-produced piston-engined aircraft ever built, although it was exceeded in span and weight by the one-off Hughes H-4 Hercules. It has the longest wingspan of any combat aircraft.

Oct 19, 2024 · By the end of 1948, a Peacemaker was used to fly an unrefueled simulated attack mission taking off from Carswell Air Force Base, Texas, to Pearl Harbor, Hawaii, where it dropped an inert 4536 kg (10,000 pound) bomb in the sea. The 8,100-mile (13,036 km) raid went undetected by local defenses!

The B-36 was first conceived in 1941 as a transatlantic bomber to strike Europe from bases in the United States. By 1943, the focus switched from the European Theater to the Pacific for use against the Japanese home islands.

Responding to the U.S. Army Air Forces' requirement for a strategic bomber with intercontinental range, Consolidated Vultee (later Convair) designed the B-36 during World War II.

B-36-J-III 52-2827 City of Fort Worth was built in Fort Worth, Texas in 1954, and was retired in 1958. It was displayed at Amon Carter Field, later Greater Southwest Airport, from 1958 until the late 1970s, when it was moved to Carswell Air Force Base.

Nov 16, 2023 · Between the legendary B-29 and enduring B-52 bombers lies one of the largest aircraft in history. The B-36 was largely overshadowed by its longer-lasting siblings but was notable for its ten engines, which used a combination of propulsion systems.

The Convair B-36 Peacemaker was one of the largest aircraft ever built, and was instrumental in maintaining peace during the Cold War with Russia during the 1950s. It was originally conceived in 1941 as an intercontinental bomber, and came into production in the late 1940s.

Nov 15, 2022 · The B-36 Peacemaker served as a pivotal strategic bomber during the early Cold War years, highlighting its extended service with the Strategic Air Command and its transition into the jet age with the introduction of the B-52.

Feb 18, 2020 · The CONVAIR B-36 Peacemaker happens to be the largest piston-engine aircraft that was ever built and mass-produced. The aircraft boasted a wingspan which was largest than any of the other combat aircraft at 230 feet. the title of being the first bomber to wield the nuclear weapons for the US also goes to CONVAIR B-36 Peacemaker.

Nov 4, 2024 · Explore the history, design, and legacy of Convair's B-36 Peacemaker—the largest piston-powered bomber ever built and a key player in Cold War deterrence.