Convair NB-36

Convair NB-36
The Convair NB-36 in flight, with a B-50.
Role	Bomber
Manufacturer	Convair
Status	Cancelled
Primary user	United States Air Force
Number built	1

The Convair NB-36 was a bomber that carried a nuclear reactor. It was also known as the 'Crusader', or the NB-36H. It was built from a B-36 that had been destroyed in a tornado. It was created for the Nuclear Powered Aircraft program, or the NPA, to show the feasibility of a nuclear powered bomber. It ended with the cancellation of the NPA program, because eventually jet engines began to have longer ranges, eliminating the need for a nuclear powered bomber.

Design and Development

The 'Crusader', or NB-36, was built for the NPA, or Nuclear Powered Aircraft program. It was made from parts from a B-36 destroyed in a tornado. There was a front section, which the crew lived(a pilot, copilot, flight engineer, and 2 nuclear engineers) inside, and a rear section, where the reactor was. The nose was brand-new, and was heavily lined with lead and thick yellow glass to protect against the onboard reactor's released radiation^[1]. The engines and reactor were checked on by a television camera system,in case something would happen to either. The engines were six Pratt & Whitney propeller engines and four GE J47 jet engines. The reactor did not power any of the plane's systems, nor did it power the plane itself^[2]. It was just placed on the NB-36 to see if the plane could carry and run it in the air.

Flight Events

Underside view of the plane.

In all, the NB-36 made only 47 flights, all in daylight, and starting and ending in Carswell AFB, Texas. The plane was also followed by several support planes. The reactor was only operated once, when it was over a test range in New Mexico. There was a hotline connected to the president's office, and once it was nearly used^[3]. That was when a smoke marker went off in the reactor compartment^[3].

Specifications

The NB-36H in flight. Note the 2 pods; each was mounted near the wingtips of the aircraft and both carried two GE J47 jet engines each.

General characteristics

• Crew: 5
• Length: 49.38m (162 ft 1in)
• Wingspan: 70.10m (230 ft)
• Height: 14.23m (46 ft 8in)
• Wing area: 4,770 ft² (443.3 m²)
• Loaded weight: 162,305 kg (357,500Ib)
• Powerplant:
  • 4 × General Electric J47 turbojets, 5,200 Ib (23.1 kN) each
  • 6 × Pratt & Whitney R-4360-53 water-cooled radials, 3,800 hp (2,830 kW) each

Performance

• Maximum speed: 676 km/h (420 mph)
• Cruise speed: 270 mph
• Service ceiling: 40,000 ft (12,200 m)

Operators

 United States

• United States Air Force

See Also

Related Development

• Convair X-6

Comparable Aircraft

• Convair B-36
• Tupolev Tu-119
• WS-125

References

Citations

1. ^ Colon, Raul. [1]The Aviation History Online Museum, 6 August 2007.
2. ^ Unknown [2]National Museum of the US Air Force, 26 June 2009.
3. ^ ^{a b} [3] Aviastar,7 December 2007 . Retrieved: 16 November 2011 .

Bibliography

• Winchester, Jim. "The World's Worst Aircraft". New York City, New York: Metro Books, 2005. ISBN 0-7607-6742-4