(Download a higher resolution picture by clicking on any picture below.)

General arrangement of a late model B-36 illustrates the upper gun turrets in the extended position. Two turrets, each equipped with two 20mm cannon could be extended from behind sliding doors at three positions, two above and one below the fuselage. The nose and radar directed tail turrets also featured pairs of 20mm cannon. (courtesy General Dynamics)

Forward Cabin & Camera Compartment Arrangements

Aft Cabin Arrangement

Reciprocating Engine Nacelle General Arrangement

Aircraft Commander's Station

Main Landing Gear Arrangement

1/80 scale plans (at 72 dpi) for the construction of a B-36 model. (courtesy General Dynamics) 

By the time the X-15 was developed in the latter half of the fifties, the air launching of high speed rocket propelled research vehicles had become standard practice.

Initially the intent was to procure a surplus B-36 Peacemaker and mount the X-15 in the bomb bay as the X-1 and X-2 vehicles had been mounted in B-29 and B-50 Superfortresses. The B-36 would have been pulled up onto a pair of ramps with winches. The X-15 would have been rolled underneath the B-36 on its handling dolly and then lifted aboard the B-36 with cables. Line drawing courtesy AFFTC/HO. Colorization: Brian Lockett.

The loading ramp has been rendered in cutaway to reveal the X-15 and its handling dolly. Line drawing courtesy AFFTC/HO. Colorization: Brian Lockett.

Diagram courtesy AFFTC/HO.

The B-36 would have launched the X-15 at an altitude of 35,000 feet and a speed of Mach 0.7. Line drawing courtesy AFFTC/HO. Colorization: Brian Lockett.

In mid-1957, NASA directed North American Aviation to change the mother plane from the B-36 Peacemaker to the B-52 Stratofortress. It had been realized that the B-36 was going to be phased out of service at about the time that the X-15 began flying. Spare parts would become difficult to come by and the prospect of maintaining a single Peacemaker long after the type had been retired was daunting.

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Dueling CD-ROMs

The history of the efforts to preserve B-36J, 52-22827 at Fort Worth is well documented in "B-36: Saving the Last Peacemaker"; Second Edition, an html book on CD. This CD-ROM is viewed with your internet browser.

B-36: Moving the Last Peacemaker. These 875 photos show photographically the effort expended by all of the volunteers over a nine year period to save the aircraft. This CD-ROM is a self contained slide show that does not require a browser to view.

Go to the main Convair B-36 page.

Send a message to Brian.

Go to home page of the Goleta Air and Space Museum.

Edited December 23, 1999.