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Convair B-36 Peacemaker

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Convair B-36 Peacemaker

The Convair B-36 "Peacemaker" was 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 (commonly known as the Spruce Goose). It has the longest wingspan of any combat aircraft. The B-36 was capable of intercontinental flight without refueling. Entering service in 1948, the B-36 was the primary nuclear weapons delivery vehicle of Strategic Air Command (SAC) until it was replaced by the jet-powered Boeing B-52 Stratofortress beginning in 1955. All but four B-36s have been scrapped.

Infobox

Type
Strategic bomber
National origin
United States
Manufacturer
Convair
Primary user
United States Air Force
Number built
384
Manufactured
1946–1954
Introduction date
1948
First flight
8 August 1946
Retired
12 February 1959
Variants
Convair XC-99Convair NB-36H
Developed into
Convair YB-60Convair X-6

Tables

· Variants
XB-36
XB-36
Variant
XB-36
Built
1
YB-36
YB-36
Variant
YB-36
Built
1
B-36A
B-36A
Variant
B-36A
Built
22
XC-99
XC-99
Variant
XC-99
Built
1
B-36B
B-36B
Variant
B-36B
Built
62
B-36D
B-36D
Variant
B-36D
Built
22
RB-36D
RB-36D
Variant
RB-36D
Built
24
B-36F
B-36F
Variant
B-36F
Built
34
RB-36F
RB-36F
Variant
RB-36F
Built
24
B-36H
B-36H
Variant
B-36H
Built
83
RB-36H
RB-36H
Variant
RB-36H
Built
73
B-36J
B-36J
Variant
B-36J
Built
33
YB-60
YB-60
Variant
YB-60
Built
2
Total
Total
Variant
Total
Built
385
Variant
Built
XB-36
1
YB-36
1
B-36A
22
XC-99
1
B-36B
62
B-36D
22
RB-36D
24
B-36F
34
RB-36F
24
B-36H
83
RB-36H
73
B-36J
33
YB-60
2
Total
385

References

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