Not the vision that we had for it back in mid-70s. But better a desert boneyard in Pima than a scrap yard. The city and citizens of Fort Worth turned their back on their own. Their loss. Thanks for posting this, Bob.
As a small child in 1956 I remember these great planes flying over our house. I grew up in Detroit . The planes would fly very low enough so, to wave at the crewmen and get waves back.. The B-36 was very loud and I remember mom covering my ears as they flew by. You could hear them from miles away. Something about hearing old piston engines I still go outside to see old planes flying around.
I'm glad to say that when I lived on Guam in 1954 I watched the B-36s fly over my house. I'll never forget that wonderful sight and sound. It's been my favorite aircraft ever since
This video made me cry.I first saw that very plane back in 1968 when it sat on static display on the Northern runway of old GSW airport. Loved it from the first second I saw it.Remember it being moved to Carswell AFB and seeing it again when it sat outside on display. In 1997,my Dad and me got to go on a tour of the front fuselage during it's it's restoration. We met Bill Plumlee then and he was a super nice guy and it was a pleasure meeting him. I was very sad to hear of his passing and watching the video made me think about not only Bill and his generosity and wonderful personality but also of the plane that started my love for military aircraft way back then. RIP Bill and Thank You for allowing me and Dad to get a first hand look at aviation history and that big beautiful B-36.
There is a B-36 on display at the Castle Air Museum in Atwater, CA. It is the only one I have ever see up close. MASSIVE is the only word to describe it! Twice a year, the Museum holds "Open Cockpit Day". They open up all the planes on display so you can see inside or walk through. The B-36 is well worth waiting in line to see the interior!
Im a B52 fan but now I’m a B-36 fan. I saw this plane the other day at Pima, and it’s has an absolutely amazing presence. the other day at PIMA it was extremely windy, I stood under the wing and watch it start to rise up. As if it wanted to reach for the sky’s again. Thank you to all that restored it.
I've been told that the B-36 was retired in the late 50s but in the very late 60s I recall seeing one B-36 flying east to west over San Juan, Puerto Rico. At that time I was a kid and loved building plastic model airplanes. One afternoon I heard this loud and strange noise made by an airplane and ran to my house backyard and lo-and-behold there it was, a B-36 flying high over our house!!! I'm sure it was a B-36 since there has not been another push-configuration plane AFAIK. Six push-configuration propeller plane is a sight you don't easily forget!!!
I remember back in 1984 while training at Chanute Air Force base in Champaign Illinois marching past a static B-36 almost every morning for 4 months, what a majestic bird... I can only imagine what it must have looked like flying in formation. Thank you for the video.
It's a shame. All that effort for a first-class restore, the airplane winds up sitting outside in the middle of a dusty yard, without any protection from the weather. :(
When the Pima B-36 was being reassembled, the museum used several coats of clear coat to protect the skin of the aircraft from the harsh Arizona elements, as well as protecting the markings. Also, they sprayed on the windows, a preservent, which prevents the glass from yellowing, and cracking.
What an amazing effort. All the great older craftsmen that could contribute to this staggering project. The W4350's had problems working when facing the designed direction for cooling. It was a problem being put in backwards! Yeah, the maintenance would be stunning to keep this friend flying, but can we imagine the EXPENSE?!! I hope they give cockpit tours with all the work they did inside.
Moved because no major corporation in FW would dig money out of their deep wallets to help give it a home in or around FW. Ironic that no aviation company in the vicinity of the FW area that made fortunes off of such aircraft, would help create a display building/home for this once proud bird. I went thru this in the flight line run station after it was finished, but in large pieces. It was truly an incredible restoration. It had sat outside the General Dynamics/Lockheed Martin USAF Plant 4 for many years as a deteriorating hulk until someone made the decision to restore her. Thank god for that. Shame it left the area, but like the B-58 that sat out beside the B-36 for years and ended up in Galveston, she found a good home.
1957,,,, one B-36 was in storage at Sheppard AFB/Wichita, TX. I was stationed at Sheppard AFB for training/school. And permitted to go in/out of it and many other types of aircraft at will. I enjoyed for months, everyday like a kid playing in a toy store.
I worked on it, during the 92-94 restoration period. According to some stories I had heard, its last flight was into Amon Carter Airport in Fort Worth in 1959. The airport was renamed Greater Southwest Airport in 1960's, the B-36 sat there on public display until GSW was closed because of the opening the new Dallas/Fort Worth Airport in 1974. The airport (GSW) fell into abandonment as did the B-36, it was during this time the aircraft suffered allot of vandalism. By late 70's as the airport was being demolished, the B-36 had to be removed. I was told that there was an idea to "FLY !" it the 15 or so miles to the General Dynamics/Carswell AFB (now Lockheed Martin/NAS Fort Worth JRB) but the Air Force got wind of it and quickly quashed the thought, going as far as cutting or drilling the spars. So, it was taken apart and trucked to Greater Southwest Aerospace Museum that was just outside the General Dynamics gate until the 92-94 restoration. As I remember the museum also had a B-52, KC-97, F-111, F-89, P-2, B-58 and a few other aircraft. As I arrived in DFW metroplex to attend A&P school in 1988, we had a field trip to the "GD junkyard" as the instructors referred it and I remember all the aircraft being in deplorable condition. Also, after the restoration, supposedly Ross Periot Jr, had donated the land for a new museum at the new Alliance/Fort Worth Airport. But the money to build the facility was never raised. Of note the same time all the B-36 restoration and fund raising going on. The Dallas side of the metroplex the Frontiers of Flight Museum that was located in a little lobby located on the second floor of Love Field Airport, ballooned into a major hanger facility. I seen the TB-58 in the museum in Galveston, anyone know the fate of other aircraft?
I have always thought that the B-36 served it's purpose well. The fact that it never had to do an operational mission proves it. That was it's mission. "Peace is our profession." No bomber ever made was more badass looking. Not even the B-52. And the B-52 is a wicked looking badass!
have absolutely loved the B36, since I first saw 'Strategic Air Command' in my early teens in the mid 80's. The opening scenes at Al Lang field when a 36 flies over makes my eyes abit watery! and the sound...! 2827 is an amazing bird, a thing of great beauty to me, and a credit to the team that rebuilt her. A visit to Pima is on my bucket list!
Glad to see that it eventually was restored. I used to go to the museum in Ft Worth to see it every time I was there. My father took me to see it when it was stored at what I think was an abandoned airport. I am not real sure I was a little kid. The B36 has and always will be my favorite aircraft.
I saw a B 36 Peacemaker at the Pima Air & Space Museum in Tuscon, Arizona way back in October 2019. To get the wingspan framed in a shot I had to walk about the lenghth of a football field to get in. It was an amazing sight, so we’re the other historical aircraft on display.
I actually have two stories to tell about this airplane. When I was a young kid I use to play inside this bird while my Dad, Charlie Reed worked with the original restoration crew in I believe the early 60's to try to get this airplane back into airworthy condition. My favorite place to hang out was in the crew tunnel and trolly that ran from one end of the airplane to the other. Many years later while I was an instructor at Texas Aero Tech in Dallas I use to bring my students over to help in the last static restoration of this wonderful old bird and was very proud to have worked on something my Dad had dedicated so many hours labor years earlier. While working with my students I climbed into the old tunnel again and found my initials that I had scratched in the paint years earlier..I was really surprised they were still there. Thank you for sharing the video, its brought back a lot of forgotten memories.
I drove past that aircraft parked outdoors at Carswell for years in the '60s and '70s on my way to work at General Dynamics. Good to hear that "Big Buzzie" has finally come to rest.
First saw this beauty in March 1963 at Amon Carter Field. Then saw her again in June 1966. When I saw her in April 1975 she was being taken apart. I'm glad they saved her. 52-2827. My favorite airplane since I can remember. Last one I saw was flying west over my hometown of Amarillo, Texas, September 1958.
I went to a tech school in Dallas in 1973-4 time frame and made a trip out to DFW, saw a B-36 setting there. Stopped in to see what was going on and noticed that people were starting to take it apart so it could be moved. I crawled up inside her and took a trip back in time. I wonder if this was the same B-36 featured in the video. There is also one at the Castle AFB museum in California. what great machines with the low rumbling noise they created due to the low prop rotation speed. When i lived in western Kansas in the early 50's, i would hear them fly over at a relatively low altitude, apparently coming from the WIchita plant headed west someplace. Sure got your attention when you heard the engines rumbling.
I lived on a farm just outside of Wichita and watched them fly overhead also with that incredible sound. You could hear them coming before they could be seen. They performed some practice runs over the U.S. during the '50s and I knew the sight was something special as a teen. There were several AFBases in the northeast that they were stationed at. I don't think they ever touched down in Wichita at McConnell AFB.
It is the same B-36 you saw being moved from what was then left of the decommissioned Great Southwest International Airport located just south of the then new DFW Airport at the intersection of 360 &183 before it was demolished. If you look at google maps you can still see a small portion of the old runway on the north side of 183 just as it intersects with 360
I remember seeing this plane sitting out by the fence by Carswell AFB. I lived near there in the late 70’s and saw it many times. I have big time mixed feelings about this. So happy it didn’t just get cut up, but, it’s not fair to all those who gave there time restoring it, just to have it yanked from under them. Sort of. In Pima it will live a long life, favorable weather conditions, but it should have been made a museum right there at Carswell. It means much more as that is where it was built and stationed. Could have put up some sort of Hagar and put all the aircraft built right there in it.
As an Air Force Brat, I witnessed the roll out and delivery of the last B-36. My Dad was a Flight Engineer in AMC and he did the test flights before delivery. This thing was loud and large to say the least!!
This huge beautiful B-36 # 383 Airplane is absolutely beyond magnificent!!! I truly love it!! Thank you so much for presenting this for all of us to view and hear. A million thanks!!
A staggering amount of work. Perhaps you've made it better than new considering that regular production schedules were tight when it was built. A beautiful thing. It will be ok in desert. Not an ideal place for display, but the best available option.
For those of you who may not know, The CAF once had this aircraft with ALL engines running ready to depart the old Amon Carter Field (next to the present DFW Int Airport) when the USAF gave orders to SHUT IT DOWN and DO NOT TAKEOFF. The USAF decided this was still capable of delivering a bomb anywhere around the globe and said she would not fly again. First case of greatly disappointed Fort Worth workers with the B-36.
To hear one of these beast take off was unbelievable along with the noise. The ear piercing throbbing sound went all through your body. And you did not have to be close to it. It looked at times as though it would fall from the sky. When you saw one at altitude from the ground, it appeared as almost not moving and you could hear it for 20-25 minutes as it eventually vanished in the distance.
I know the guy walking the B-36 towards the run station at Lockheed Martin at 1:50 in the video. That scene was the B-36 being pulled down a White Settlement public road in order to make the right hand turn into Run Station #1 where disassembly of it began. He's the engineer that was given the task to design something to pull it out of the field where it sat for 30 years or more.
I hope that the B-36 will not be a"static display", but fully flyable and flown regularly. Every aircraft restoration should have this in mind. WE want to see them fly once again. I used to help maintain the aircraft based at the Geneseo, NY grass field, and all of them flew - no matter how rare they were. We worked in co-operation with the Canadian Warplane Heritage Museum out of St. Catherine, Ontario, and put on GREAT airshows !!
Thanks for all the work restoring such a beauty for future generations to admire and be wowed by. I'm so glad you put this online for people like me to see!
I think one more B-36 D still sits out in Arizona. I would sure like to see of these fly again. Like 4014 Big Boy. They said no one would ever run one of those. I want to see a B-36 fly again!
My father was a B36 crew member, and I remember him telling me of 6 turning and 4 burning. I am fortunate enough to live a few miles from WPAFB and the AF Museum. I still think this example may very well trump the B36 currently on exhibit as far as being a prime example of AF history. Honestly, anything to get it preserved indoors. I’m curious if it still has the defensive guns. That would make it even more precious.
The aircraft you saw off the runway at Kelly AFB was the 'one off' double decker XC-99 that was built as a heavy cargo hauler by Convair. As I remember the Douglas C-133 got the 'next generation' heavy cargo hauler' from the AF. The C-133 with its 4 turboprops and the all important rear cargo ramp and a 110,000 lb payload began coming into the system in 1956. Then came the Lockheed C-130, C-141, C-5 and McDonald Douglas C-17. There are several videos on youtube of the XC-99 in operation. It languished for years off the runway at Kelly (in private hands) until it was acquired by the AF Museum at Wright-Patt, disassembled and transported to the ramp in front of the Museum's restoration hangers. Check out the AF Museum website for future restoration plans. If you have deep pockets send money for the project - lots of money. (-:
When I was at A&M the school aero dept had a trip to the old SW field which is south of DFW. That B -36 was outside in horrible shape. On the ramp was a cable turnbuckle which was cut from the aircraft. I picked it up and have today. I worked with Bill Plumtree at GD.. He was a fine man, and Superintendent of Dept 178, 176. Neal Anderson was Chief Test pilot when I worked there in Flight Test. Phil Oestricher was also a company test pilot and later the Director of Flight Test. I bought my Aeronca Defender from Phil, still have that too.
I salute all involved with this magnificent project and aircraft. I'd love to hear about how much of a difference it made to the flight characteristics after the 4 jet engines were added. I'm sure that they took a lot of the load off of those overworked and over heating radial engines. Being a person who has made his living turning wrenches for Uncle Sam's military and Civil Service for nearly 45 years, I shudder to think of what those maintenance crews had to go through on a regular basis to keep these complex, but necessary aircraft flight-worthy. Well done to all.
Ok wow as a young kid I remember the B 36. We lived on a farm about 12 miles north of Mc Cord A F B and had the fine flying on it's way or on it's way out and I could tell by it's sound what it was how big it was and a sound I will never for get. It would come in about every 2 to 3 weeks. It's really sad that is the only one left.😊😊❤❤😄😄🌺🌺
That's totally impossible, because, there are no more B-36 airframes left, to restore, and restoring one of these monsters to be a flyable warbird would be hugely expensive, and it would only fly in, and out of large fields, due to its size, plus, it wouldn't be able to operate out of smaller fields, along with an enormous fuel, and maintenence cost. So, that's why you, and the rest of the world will never see one of these monsters fly as a warbird.
Even if the restored it to flying condition, it would tremendously expensive to fly. It would probably be very difficult to get an aircrew, pilots & flight engineer, qualified to fly this beast.
Is this the same B-36 that sat for years at Chanute AFB? I was amazed at its size when I saw it while attending AMOC training in 1985. Great memories! I’m glad it was restored!
No, the Chanute RB-36 was shipped by train out to Castle Air Museum in Atwater, CA in the early 90s. UA-cam has some good videos on that restoration effort.
I was there in Pima in 2008, but somehow I missed this. It was brutal hot, and we got distracted by the A10 traffic overhead, but it kind of floors me that I must have walked by it! It was my understanding that they had loaded ballast into the wings to keep it stable in high winds. It doesn’t look like that happened. My dad had been sent out to look at a few candidates for Fairchild for possible conversion to a carrier for sections of a rocket. He said one was on a sort of playground in Fort Worth. Is this that plane?
She was at Greater Southwest International Airport from 1959 - 1974 then moved to a field next to Carswell Air Force Base.After Being restored at Air Force Plant 4, Fort Worth, it was moved to Pima Museum, Ariz.
I once met Hanley Fiskey II who flew B29s in ww2, was shot down by the Yamato Battleship and taken captive even at one point taking shelter with Pappy Boyington. Anyway sometime after the war he flew the B36 as crew chief in that famous long distance record that got almlst everyone killed. After that he put flying to rest as in his own words..."I just about had it" To see what he flew herw brings tears of joy and sorrow to me...
The desert environment will actually protect the aircraft. Its the next best thing next to having it in a hangar were you would still have to have climate control to limit corrosion.
A much smaller city Wichita, KS put together donations to build a hanger and a museum for our B29...originally made in Wichita, and brought from California to Kansas to be rebuilt...Sad Fort Worth didnt honor Convair and Fort Worth citizens like Wichita did. Good utube video about Doc...it was sitting in a bombing range in the desert of California.
It's truly a shame that this plane isn't flying today, but I understand the cost would beyond the will of most people to keep it running. At least the plane is on display, but I feel it should be treated better.
in the late 1970's i was stationed at chanute afb ill. and there was a B-36, B-58, B29, B-47 and a B-52 all on static display. i used to be in amazement of these planes being able to walk right up to them touch them and to sit under the delta wing of the B-58 and study, the massive B-36's landing gear was almost as tall as me. the props on the B-29 were so thin made me wonder how did it get off the ground! i was told that all were flown in before being displayed. what ever happened to them? where are they now?
Not the vision that we had for it back in mid-70s. But better a desert boneyard in Pima than a scrap yard. The city and citizens of Fort Worth turned their back on their own. Their loss. Thanks for posting this, Bob.
Wichita didnt with her B29 Doc...
@@kirtreeves7777 A group of people *with money* stepped forward and formed "Friends of Doc." Sadly, no such thing happened in Ft. Worth.
Yeah I live in Tucson and I've seen one of these in the museum.
Memphis lost Memphis Belle.
@@CorrieBergeron Too busy putting it in the stock market.
As a small child in 1956 I remember these great planes flying over our house. I grew up in Detroit . The planes would fly very low enough so, to wave at the crewmen and get waves back.. The B-36 was very loud and I remember mom covering my ears as they flew by. You could hear them from miles away. Something about hearing old piston engines I still go outside to see old planes flying around.
I'm glad to say that when I lived on Guam in 1954 I watched the B-36s fly over my house.
I'll never forget that wonderful sight and sound. It's been my favorite aircraft ever since
Thank you to all who did this work! I pray someone will find the money to build a museum to house her.
This video made me cry.I first saw that very plane back in 1968 when it sat on static display on the Northern runway of old GSW airport.
Loved it from the first second I saw it.Remember it being moved to Carswell AFB and seeing it again when it sat outside on display.
In 1997,my Dad and me got to go on a tour of the front fuselage during it's it's restoration.
We met Bill Plumlee then and he was a super nice guy and it was a pleasure meeting him.
I was very sad to hear of his passing and watching the video made me think about not only Bill and his generosity and wonderful personality but also of the plane that started my love for military aircraft way back then.
RIP Bill and Thank You for allowing me and Dad to get a first hand look at aviation history and that big beautiful B-36.
There is a B-36 on display at the Castle Air Museum in Atwater, CA. It is the only one I have ever see up close. MASSIVE is the only word to describe it! Twice a year, the Museum holds "Open Cockpit Day". They open up all the planes on display so you can see inside or walk through. The B-36 is well worth waiting in line to see the interior!
It’s really starting to get beaten down by the elements. It looks noticeably worse now than when I first saw it in the 90s.
Im a B52 fan but now I’m a B-36 fan. I saw this plane the other day at Pima, and it’s has an absolutely amazing presence. the other day at PIMA it was extremely windy, I stood under the wing and watch it start to rise up. As if it wanted to reach for the sky’s again. Thank you to all that restored it.
I cannot imagine tackling a job of that magnitude. Even if I was being paid good money. These men are heros.
44,000 man hours at no pay.
The word is "heroes". Even if you are speaking of sandwiches.
I've been told that the B-36 was retired in the late 50s but in the very late 60s I recall seeing one B-36 flying east to west over San Juan, Puerto Rico. At that time I was a kid and loved building plastic model airplanes. One afternoon I heard this loud and strange noise made by an airplane and ran to my house backyard and lo-and-behold there it was, a B-36 flying high over our house!!! I'm sure it was a B-36 since there has not been another push-configuration plane AFAIK. Six push-configuration propeller plane is a sight you don't easily forget!!!
One was flown to SAC Omaha.
I remember back in 1984 while training at Chanute Air Force base in Champaign Illinois marching past a static B-36 almost every morning for 4 months, what a majestic bird... I can only imagine what it must have looked like flying in formation. Thank you for the video.
I used to see and hear these beauties fly high overhead in Austin. The sound was awesome. What a machine.
It's a shame. All that effort for a first-class restore, the airplane winds up sitting outside in the middle of a dusty yard, without any protection from the weather. :(
I hope at least they protect her with some sort of covering.
When the Pima B-36 was being reassembled, the museum used several coats of clear coat to protect the skin of the aircraft from the harsh Arizona elements, as well as protecting the markings. Also, they sprayed on the windows, a preservent, which prevents the glass from yellowing, and cracking.
What an amazing effort. All the great older craftsmen that could contribute to this staggering project. The W4350's had problems working when facing the designed direction for cooling. It was a problem being put in backwards! Yeah, the maintenance would be stunning to keep this friend flying, but can we imagine the EXPENSE?!! I hope they give cockpit tours with all the work they did inside.
They don't.
90 hours of prep for 1 hour flight.
Moved because no major corporation in FW would dig money out of their deep wallets to help give it a home in or around FW. Ironic that no aviation company in the vicinity of the FW area that made fortunes off of such aircraft, would help create a display building/home for this once proud bird.
I went thru this in the flight line run station after it was finished, but in large pieces. It was truly an incredible restoration. It had sat outside the General Dynamics/Lockheed Martin USAF Plant 4 for many years as a deteriorating hulk until someone made the decision to restore her. Thank god for that. Shame it left the area, but like the B-58 that sat out beside the B-36 for years and ended up in Galveston, she found a good home.
1957,,,, one B-36 was in storage at Sheppard AFB/Wichita, TX.
I was stationed at Sheppard AFB for training/school.
And permitted to go in/out of it and many other types of aircraft at will.
I enjoyed for months, everyday like a kid playing in a toy store.
I worked on it, during the 92-94 restoration period. According to some stories I had heard, its last flight was into Amon Carter Airport in Fort Worth in 1959. The airport was renamed Greater Southwest Airport in 1960's, the B-36 sat there on public display until GSW was closed because of the opening the new Dallas/Fort Worth Airport in 1974. The airport (GSW) fell into abandonment as did the B-36, it was during this time the aircraft suffered allot of vandalism. By late 70's as the airport was being demolished, the B-36 had to be removed. I was told that there was an idea to "FLY !" it the 15 or so miles to the General Dynamics/Carswell AFB (now Lockheed Martin/NAS Fort Worth JRB) but the Air Force got wind of it and quickly quashed the thought, going as far as cutting or drilling the spars. So, it was taken apart and trucked to Greater Southwest Aerospace Museum that was just outside the General Dynamics gate until the 92-94 restoration. As I remember the museum also had a B-52, KC-97, F-111, F-89, P-2, B-58 and a few other aircraft. As I arrived in DFW metroplex to attend A&P school in 1988, we had a field trip to the "GD junkyard" as the instructors referred it and I remember all the aircraft being in deplorable condition. Also, after the restoration, supposedly Ross Periot Jr, had donated the land for a new museum at the new Alliance/Fort Worth Airport. But the money to build the facility was never raised. Of note the same time all the B-36 restoration and fund raising going on. The Dallas side of the metroplex the Frontiers of Flight Museum that was located in a little lobby located on the second floor of Love Field Airport, ballooned into a major hanger facility.
I seen the TB-58 in the museum in Galveston, anyone know the fate of other aircraft?
I have always thought that the B-36 served it's purpose well. The fact that it never had to do an operational mission proves it. That was it's mission. "Peace is our profession." No bomber ever made was more badass looking. Not even the B-52. And the B-52 is a wicked looking badass!
Fort Worth calling. We want our B-36 back. 😢
But not very much.
But not very much.
have absolutely loved the B36, since I first saw 'Strategic Air Command' in my early teens in the mid 80's. The opening scenes at Al Lang field when a 36 flies over makes my eyes abit watery! and the sound...! 2827 is an amazing bird, a thing of great beauty to me, and a credit to the team that rebuilt her. A visit to Pima is on my bucket list!
Glad to see that it eventually was restored. I used to go to the museum in Ft Worth to see it every time I was there. My father took me to see it when it was stored at what I think was an abandoned airport. I am not real sure I was a little kid. The B36 has and always will be my favorite aircraft.
I saw a B 36 Peacemaker at the Pima Air & Space Museum in Tuscon, Arizona way back in October 2019. To get the wingspan framed in a shot I had to walk about the lenghth of a football field to get in. It was an amazing sight, so we’re the other historical aircraft on display.
I actually have two stories to tell about this airplane. When I was a young kid I use to play inside this bird while my Dad, Charlie Reed worked with the original restoration crew in I believe the early 60's to try to get this airplane back into airworthy condition. My favorite place to hang out was in the crew tunnel and trolly that ran from one end of the airplane to the other. Many years later while I was an instructor at Texas Aero Tech in Dallas I use to bring my students over to help in the last static restoration of this wonderful old bird and was very proud to have worked on something my Dad had dedicated so many hours labor years earlier. While working with my students I climbed into the old tunnel again and found my initials that I had scratched in the paint years earlier..I was really surprised they were still there. Thank you for sharing the video, its brought back a lot of forgotten memories.
I drove past that aircraft parked outdoors at Carswell for years in the '60s and '70s on my way to work at General Dynamics. Good to hear that "Big Buzzie" has finally come to rest.
The B 36 was such a unique aircraft. Never to be seen flying again.im glad this plane was saved from history grave yard.
First saw this beauty in March 1963 at Amon Carter Field. Then saw her again in June 1966. When I saw her in April 1975 she was being taken apart. I'm glad they saved her. 52-2827. My favorite airplane since I can remember. Last one I saw was flying west
over my hometown of Amarillo, Texas, September 1958.
I went to a tech school in Dallas in 1973-4 time frame and made a trip out to DFW, saw a B-36 setting there. Stopped in to see what was going on and noticed that people were starting to take it apart so it could be moved. I crawled up inside her and took a trip back in time. I wonder if this was the same B-36 featured in the video. There is also one at the Castle AFB museum in California. what great machines with the low rumbling noise they created due to the low prop rotation speed. When i lived in western Kansas in the early 50's, i would hear them fly over at a relatively low altitude, apparently coming from the WIchita plant headed west someplace. Sure got your attention when you heard the engines rumbling.
I lived on a farm just outside of Wichita and watched them fly overhead also with that incredible sound. You could hear them coming before they could be seen. They performed some practice runs over the U.S. during the '50s and I knew the sight was something special as a teen. There were several AFBases in the northeast that they were stationed at. I don't think they ever touched down in Wichita at McConnell AFB.
It is the same B-36 you saw being moved from what was then left of the decommissioned Great Southwest International Airport located just south of the then new DFW Airport at the intersection of 360 &183 before it was demolished. If you look at google maps you can still see a small portion of the old runway on the north side of 183 just as it intersects with 360
I remember seeing this plane sitting out by the fence by Carswell AFB. I lived near there in the late 70’s and saw it many times.
I have big time mixed feelings about this. So happy it didn’t just get cut up, but, it’s not fair to all those who gave there time restoring it, just to have it yanked from under them. Sort of. In Pima it will live a long life, favorable weather conditions, but it should have been made a museum right there at Carswell. It means much more as that is where it was built and stationed. Could have put up some sort of Hagar and put all the aircraft built right there in it.
Take a look at the B29 Doc utube.... Wichita, KS did a far more complete rebuild, made it flyable AND built her a hanger with museum
Was hit by a tornado at Pima.
As an Air Force Brat, I witnessed the roll out and delivery of the last B-36. My Dad was a Flight Engineer in AMC and he did the test flights before delivery. This thing was loud and large to say the least!!
This huge beautiful B-36 # 383 Airplane is absolutely beyond magnificent!!! I truly love it!! Thank you so much for presenting this for all of us to view and hear. A million thanks!!
Glad you enjoyed it
A staggering amount of work. Perhaps you've made it better than new considering that regular production schedules were tight when it was built. A beautiful thing. It will be ok in desert. Not an ideal place for display, but the best available option.
It will bake to splinters.
I saw the last B-36 parked at what was Greater Southwest Airport just before DFW opened in 1972.
I'm going to have to go visit this museum. My first flight instructor was a B-36 commander back in the day.
For those of you who may not know, The CAF once had this aircraft with ALL engines running ready to depart the old Amon Carter Field (next to the present DFW Int Airport) when the USAF gave orders to SHUT IT DOWN and DO NOT TAKEOFF. The USAF decided this was still capable of delivering a bomb anywhere around the globe and said she would not fly again. First case of greatly disappointed Fort Worth workers with the B-36.
The engines have been removed.
To hear one of these beast take off was unbelievable along with the noise. The ear piercing throbbing sound went all through your body. And you did not have to be close to it. It looked at times as though it would fall from the sky. When you saw one at altitude from the ground, it appeared as almost not moving and you could hear it for 20-25 minutes as it eventually vanished in the distance.
Now, on to the XC-99.
Fantastic aircraft. Definitely one of its kind.
No words describe the dedication and hard, hard work that the volunteers and others performed to make this dream come true!
I know the guy walking the B-36 towards the run station at Lockheed Martin at 1:50 in the video. That scene was the B-36 being pulled down a White Settlement public road in order to make the right hand turn into Run Station #1 where disassembly of it began. He's the engineer that was given the task to design something to pull it out of the field where it sat for 30 years or more.
Amazing! Thank you for sharing.
Great video. I'm glad to see one of these brought back to life. My uncle flew one of these during his career. The last bomber he flew was a B-52.
When I was a teenager in the 1970's, I worked with an old janitor who flew in B 17s during WW2, and later in the 50's he flew in the B 36 bomber.
I hope that the B-36 will not be a"static display", but fully flyable and flown regularly. Every aircraft restoration should have this in mind. WE want to see them fly once again. I used to help maintain the aircraft based at the Geneseo, NY grass field, and all of them flew - no matter how rare they were. We worked in co-operation with the Canadian Warplane Heritage Museum out of St. Catherine, Ontario, and put on GREAT airshows !!
So beautiful! Brought tears to my eyes. A magnificent effort so that many will know what helped preserve our peaceful way of life.
Thanks for all the work restoring such a beauty for future generations to admire and be wowed by. I'm so glad you put this online for people like me to see!
Awesome job !!
I think one more B-36 D still sits out in Arizona. I would sure like to see of these fly again. Like 4014 Big Boy. They said no one would ever run one of those. I want to see a B-36 fly again!
I agree. I would love to see one restored and converted into a water bomber for fire service. Now THAT would be cool!
Dayton, Omaha, Pima, Castle. Thats all folks.
That's an excellent job what they did , she turned out amazing ! Definitely one of my top things I want to see if I go to America
These old guys have a lot of knowledge and skills that are not being taught in schools anymore.
My father was a B36 crew member, and I remember him telling me of 6 turning and 4 burning. I am fortunate enough to live a few miles from WPAFB and the AF Museum. I still think this example may very well trump the B36 currently on exhibit as far as being a prime example of AF history. Honestly, anything to get it preserved indoors. I’m curious if it still has the defensive guns. That would make it even more precious.
Tail gun only. Its a featherweight III.
Yeah, six turning, four burning. Such as great aircraft.
Mr. Bob Adams,Fantastic restoration of the B-36 bomber. Excelent !!! Thanks for posting !
Good luck to you.
from; Minas Gerais,Brazil.
Thank you for rescuing her to everyone involved
That is a superb example of American "Can Do"; magnificent example of bringing a great aircraft back from the brink of extinction.
Quite possibly one of the finest aircraft ever built!!
The aircraft you saw off the runway at Kelly AFB was the 'one off' double decker XC-99 that was built as a heavy cargo hauler by Convair. As I remember the Douglas C-133 got the 'next generation' heavy cargo hauler' from the AF. The C-133 with its 4 turboprops and the all important rear cargo ramp and a 110,000 lb payload began coming into the system in 1956. Then came the Lockheed C-130, C-141, C-5 and McDonald Douglas C-17. There are several videos on youtube of the XC-99 in operation. It languished for years off the runway at Kelly (in private hands) until it was acquired by the AF Museum at Wright-Patt, disassembled and transported to the ramp in front of the Museum's restoration hangers. Check out the AF Museum website for future restoration plans. If you have deep pockets send money for the project - lots of money. (-:
When I was at A&M the school aero dept had a trip to the old SW field which is south of DFW. That B -36 was outside in horrible shape. On the ramp was a cable turnbuckle which was cut from the aircraft. I picked it up and have today. I worked with Bill Plumtree at GD.. He was a fine man, and Superintendent of Dept 178, 176. Neal Anderson was Chief Test pilot when I worked there in Flight Test. Phil Oestricher was also a company test pilot and later the Director of Flight Test. I bought my Aeronca Defender from Phil, still have that too.
I salute all involved with this magnificent project and aircraft. I'd love to hear about how much of a difference it made to the flight characteristics after the 4 jet engines were added. I'm sure that they took a lot of the load off of those overworked and over heating radial engines. Being a person who has made his living turning wrenches for Uncle Sam's military and Civil Service for nearly 45 years, I shudder to think of what those maintenance crews had to go through on a regular basis to keep these complex, but necessary aircraft flight-worthy. Well done to all.
Heard Ft. Worth started an engine and the AF went nuts.
Went to Pima earlier this year (2016), this aircraft is massive!
What a massive job. Remarkable that people would do this.
The USAF should have re-engined the B36 with turboprops- the technology was available- and kept them in service as tankers for another 20 years.
Thank you for all you time and service to the country and this restoration ,so future generations will not forget .
Ok wow as a young kid I remember the B 36. We lived on a farm about 12 miles north of Mc Cord A F B and had the fine flying on it's way or on it's way out and I could tell by it's sound what it was how big it was and a sound I will never for get. It would come in about every 2 to 3 weeks. It's really sad that is the only one left.😊😊❤❤😄😄🌺🌺
I never saw one flying but saw one in a museum.
Don't think Mr Northrop had quite such a sentimental view of them...
You know of course at that beautiful aircraft needs to be brought to Dayton to Wright Patt to the Air Force Museum
The Air Force Museum already has a B-36 in its aircraft collection.
John Osbourn but it would be sitting inside and out of the weather
They Have One.
@@Radionut they already have a B36
Nice video, Bob. Now, I've got a question for you: What's the name of the tune used in this video?
Messieurs bravo & félicitation travail de fourmis
I wish rthey could restore one to flying condition
That's totally impossible, because, there are no more B-36 airframes left, to restore, and restoring one of these monsters to be a flyable warbird would be hugely expensive, and it would only fly in, and out of large fields, due to its size, plus, it wouldn't be able to operate out of smaller fields, along with an enormous fuel, and maintenence cost. So, that's why you, and the rest of the world will never see one of these monsters fly as a warbird.
@@johnosbourn4312 I know.
But a large RC model could still give people a chance to photograph this monster in the wild
Can it still fly or is it a grounded for history?
Wow, that flight engineers panel!
That looked extremely expensive. How much did it cost and where did the money come from?
Even if the restored it to flying condition, it would tremendously expensive to fly. It would probably be very difficult to get an aircrew, pilots & flight engineer, qualified to fly this beast.
Is this the same B-36 that sat for years at Chanute AFB? I was amazed at its size when I saw it while attending AMOC training in 1985. Great memories! I’m glad it was restored!
No, the Chanute RB-36 was shipped by train out to Castle Air Museum in Atwater, CA in the early 90s. UA-cam has some good videos on that restoration effort.
great job to those involved..turned out beautiful..out of 384 built.. only five survive on display today..
5? I thought there were only 2 airframe together and 1 in storage
@@Radiogirl1931 4 on display today .
@@leekenney9214 looks like Soplatas was cut up to make tags with :C was hoping someone would try to restore it.
@@Radiogirl1931 scroll down to surviving aircraft
@@leekenney9214 yeah I see now. There are 4 left. The Walter Soplata one was sold in 2019 to make plane tags with
Is there actually a crew existing that has the knowledge to fly this thing? Would be great to see it in the air again!
Getting 6 Wasp Major engines that are airworthy would be a bit of a challenge.
I was there in Pima in 2008, but somehow I missed this. It was brutal hot, and we got distracted by the A10 traffic overhead, but it kind of floors me that I must have walked by it! It was my understanding that they had loaded ballast into the wings to keep it stable in high winds. It doesn’t look like that happened. My dad had been sent out to look at a few candidates for Fairchild for possible conversion to a carrier for sections of a rocket. He said one was on a sort of playground in Fort Worth. Is this that plane?
She was at Greater Southwest International Airport from 1959 - 1974 then moved to a field next to Carswell Air Force Base.After Being restored at Air Force Plant 4, Fort Worth, it was moved to Pima Museum, Ariz.
I once met Hanley Fiskey II who flew B29s in ww2, was shot down by the Yamato Battleship and taken captive even at one point taking shelter with Pappy Boyington. Anyway sometime after the war he flew the B36 as crew chief in that famous long distance record that got almlst everyone killed. After that he put flying to rest as in his own words..."I just about had it"
To see what he flew herw brings tears of joy and sorrow to me...
I remember seeing a B-36 parked so Wright Field near Dayton,Ohio. Tis was 1961 - 1964. Remember seeing heavy snow pushing tail down
amazing! i have no words, thats just spectacular!! can engines be started again?
Removed by AF order.
it would be awesome to be able to see this aircraft fly. I know that it's not likely of that happening but you never know maybe one day.
It would be great if one was restored to flight status.
So after all that work for restoration, it's going to be kept outside to decay in the sun again. I don't get it
The desert environment will actually protect the aircraft. Its the next best thing next to having it in a hangar were you would still have to have climate control to limit corrosion.
A much smaller city Wichita, KS put together donations to build a hanger and a museum for our B29...originally made in Wichita, and brought from California to Kansas to be rebuilt...Sad Fort Worth didnt honor Convair and Fort Worth citizens like Wichita did. Good utube video about Doc...it was sitting in a bombing range in the desert of California.
Kirt Reeves Agreed 100%. From Fort Worth.
Where did you find the music used in the video? Because, I'd like to have it for my music library.
Thats the city of ft worth bomber and we want it back!
Did she ever get put inside of a building or is she still outside?
I'd love to see it restored to FLYING museum status.
Please tell me that after all that work that this aircraft was not parked on display outside in the elements only to rot a second time!
That's the coolest thing ever
Awesome
I hope I get to see it soon.
Did it flied?
It's truly a shame that this plane isn't flying today, but I understand the cost would beyond the will of most people to keep it running. At least the plane is on display, but I feel it should be treated better.
Is this plane actually flyable or is it just set up as a static display with nothing functional on it?
in the late 1970's i was stationed at chanute afb ill. and there was a B-36, B-58, B29, B-47 and a B-52 all on static display. i used to be in amazement of these planes being able to walk right up to them touch them and to sit under the delta wing of the B-58 and study, the massive B-36's landing gear was almost as tall as me. the props on the B-29 were so thin made me wonder how did it get off the ground! i was told that all were flown in before being displayed. what ever happened to them? where are they now?
Judging from the statements regarding the engines, etc, it's not surprising this baby is staying safely on the ground.
Even if the labour was all contributed by volunteers, the cost of the refurbishement must have been substantial. How was it funded? Oh, and well done!
It’s sad knowing the cost of replacing spark plugs is one of the main reasons why it’ll never fly again.
What music background??
I see this was uploaded 24 Dec 2015 ------------------- WHAT A GREAT CHRISTMAS PRESENT for fans of the Cold War Warriors. !!!
Curtis Lemay would be proud
I hope someone restores the YB-36. I’d absolutely would love to help in restoring it.
Great film, shame about the sound quality and music that nearly completely drowns out the commentary.