In April 1945 the USAF’s predecessor, the USAAF, had issued its specification for a B-35/B-36 replacement with turbine propulsion. The Convair submission to the 1945 requirement was the Convair YB-36G, which was in essence the B-36 recast with flying surfaces swept at 35 degrees and with a powerplant of eight Pratt & Whitney J57-P-3 turbojets. The type was redesignated YB-60 before two prototypes were ordered on 15 March 1951. They retained the basic fuselage of the B-36 with a modified nose and generally similar wing centre-section and landing gear offering a 75 per cent structural commonality with the B-36. The first was flown on 18 April 1952, but the type failed to gain a production contract, the USAF ordering instead the Boeing B-52. In addition to its new wings and tail, the YB-60 had a revised landing gear arrangement and a considerably larger fuel capacity. Maximum speed was 550 mph (885 km/h) at 55,000 ft (16765 m), but in all operational aspects the competing Boeing aeroplane was superior, as well as offering far greater development potential.
Engines: 8 x 4080kg J57-P-3 Max take-off weight: 300000 kg / 661390 lb Empty weight: 150000 kg / 330695 lb Wingspan: 206 m / 675 ft 10 in Length: 171 m / 561 ft 0 in Height: 50 m / 164 ft 1 in Max. speed: 520 km/h / 323 mph Ceiling: 45000 m / 147650 ft Range: 8000 km / 4971 miles Crew: 10
By December 1944 proposals had been received from Boeing, Convair, Martin and North American for medium axial turbojet-powered bomber for tactical- and operational-level use. Convair gained a contract for three XB-46 prototypes from the US Army Air Force.
Of all-metal construction, the XB-46 was of high-wing cantilever monoplane configuration, had a slim oval-section fuselage, conventional tail unit, retractable tricycle landing gear and was designed to accommodate a crew of three. Power was provided by four General Electric TG 180 turbojet engines, these being mounted in pairs.
First flown on 2 April 1947, the XB-46 was handed over to the newly-formed US Air Force in late 1947, attaining an average speed of 858km/h during its delivery flight to Wright Field at Daytona, Ohio. Despite this performance the XB-46 remained a one-off prototype, cancelled in 1947, the USAF ordering the Boeing B-47 Stratojet into production.
Engines: 4 x turbo-jet General Electric TG-180(J35), 1814kW Empty weight: 21782 kg / 48021 lb Wingspan: 34.44 m / 112 ft 12 in Length: 32.24 m / 105 ft 9 in Height: 8.53 m / 27 ft 12 in Wing area: 102.1 sq.m / 1098.99 sq ft Max take-off weight: 41278 kg / 91003 lb Max. speed: 813 km/h / 505 mph Cruise speed: 700 km/h / 435 mph Ceiling: 13105 m / 43000 ft Range: 4820 km / 2995 miles Bomb load: 9000kg Crew: 3
The first intercontinental bomber, the Convair B-36 originated from a US Army Air Force specification issued on 11 April 1941 which called for an aircraft with ability to carry a maximum bombload of 72,000 lb / 32659kg and to deliver 10,000-lb / 4536kg of bombs on European targets from bases in the United States. A radius of 5000 miles / 8047 km. An unrefuelled range of 16093km was a prime requirement, with a maximum speed of 386-483km/h and ceiling of 35000 ft / 10670m.
A number of designs were submitted and the winner was selected in November 1941 the month before the USAs entry into World War II. It was the Consolidated Model 37, which was ordered in prototype term as the XB-36, becoming the developmental YB-36 trials model, finally built by Convair, as Consolidated became known after its merger with Vultee.
The design was basically conventional by the standards of the time, but with a span of 230 ft (74.10 m) the aeroplane was exceptionally large weighing 102 tonnes (100 tons). The tyres on the prototypes main landing gear were 2.74 m (9 ft) in diameter (they also concentrated too much weight on the run¬ways of the day, and were replaced on production aircraft by four wheel bogie units). The type did introduce some novel features, however, including a slightly swept wing, a fuselage whose two main pressurized compartments were connected by an 80-ft (24.4m) tunnel containing a wheeled cart, and propulsion by six pusher propellers driven by radial engines buried in the thick wings. The wings had a root thickness of 1.83m to permit in-flight access to the six pusher engines. The B 36 used the “wet fuel tankage” pioneered by Consolidated with their B~24 liberator no fuel tanks as such, just big areas of the wing structure sealed and filled with fuel.There were leakage problems. The aircraft was designed originally with twin fins and rudders, but by the time the XB-36 prototype was ready to be rolled out at Fort Worth, on 8 September 1945, single vertical tail surfaces had been substituted. The aircraft’s tailfin was so tall that the nosewheel had to be jacked up to lower the rear and clear the top of the doors.
B-36 Peacemaker required a crew of 11 personnel to maintain all systems and weaponry on the aircraft with 4 ‘relief’ personnel flying along as well. There were high maintenance costs. Every flight up to 40 hours aloft cost thousands of man hours on the ground. For instance, every flight began with a new set of spark-plugs in the engines: 336 of them in 168 cylinder heads on six engines.
Defensive armament consisted of sixteen 20mm cannon emplacements in the nose, tail and throughout the fuselage in barbettes – though this defensive armament was not added till the B-36B models.
The prototype programme was initially slowed by World War II’s demands for current aircraft, but then placed at the highest priority in 1943 when the USA realized that strategic blows against Japan could only be struck by long-range strategic bombers.
First flown on 8 August 1946, the XB-36 had single 2.79m diameter main wheels, also a feature of the YB-36 second prototype on which they were replaced later by the four-wheeled bogies adopted for production aircraft. The original single wheel main undercarriages smashed up run way surfaces. In this form the aircraft was designated YB-36A and also differed from the first aircraft by introducing a raised cockpit roof. On 23 July 1943 100 aircraft were ordered but it was more than four years before the first of the 22 unarmed crew-trainer B-36A models took off on its maiden flight, on 28 August 1947. The Convair B-36 Peacemaker entered service with the United States Air Force’s 7th Bombardment Wing (Heavy) on 2 June 1948.
In 1949 cargo carriers were developed by Convair for carriage in the B-36 bomb-bay. One B-36 could carry six containers, each of about 100 cu.ft and maximum load of 14,000 lb. As a tanker, the B-36 could carry four 3000 USG tanks.
From 1950 the over target height and speed were boosted by adding four 2360 kg (5200 lb) thrust J47 jet engines in under slung pods to boost performance; with the six piston engines also uprated to 3800 hp each. Missions could last up to 50 hours without using the inflight refuelling capability. Complete wings were based in the UK, Morocco, Guam and other areas, as well as in the USA until February 1959. No missions were flown ‘in anger’.
In its final production version the B 36 had a combat overload weight of 208 tonnes (205 tons), more than double that of the prototype, and a maximum flight duration of 42 hours. An arsenal of 16 guns was carried, and crews numbered between 13 and 22 men, depending on the model and type of mission, some of which involved high altitude over-flights of the Soviet Union.
The B 36 was used as an extreme range spy plane (the version carried a photographic work shop instead of the usual bombload). A small number of ‘featherweight’ B-36s – aircraft without their usual armament and other non-essential equipment – with a small crew could fly at extreme altitudes, so keeping out of range of the MiG-15 interceptors. The regular B-36s, equipped with 14 cameras and electronic eavesdropping equipment, could reach 50,000 ft / 15,000 m while the ‘featherweight’ could cruise above the Soviet Union and China at more than 58,000 ft.
The last B-36J was delivered in September 1953 and the ultimate operational B-36 was retired in August 1959.
The GRB-36 operated as an airborne aircraft carrier. When the Convair B 36 Peacemaker bomber went into service with the United States Air Force’s Strategic Air Command, plans were laid for two hook on projects. The first of these was a fighter called the McDonnell XF 85 Goblin, which was 4.57 m (15 ft) long. The Goblin was to have been carried in the B 36’s bomb bay ready for launching in the event of fighter attack. Having won the ensuing dogfight it would then rejoin the mother ship for it did not give it any landing gear of its own.
Convair B-36J Peacemaker
The second attempt to use the B 36 as an aircraft carrier took place in 1955 and 1956. Seeking a reconnaissance aircraft with suffi¬cient range to reach the Soviet Union, the USAF came up with FICON, which stood for Fighter In CONvair.
By hitching a Repub¬lic RF 84 Thunderflash to a B 36, the photo-¬reconnaissance jet’s range could be extended from 3220 km (2000 miles) to 19,310 km (12,000 miles).
The parasite’s pilot could transfer to the bomber’s interior, fly in the pressurised cabin until the area to be photographed was approached (because the B-36 had a range of at least 9300 miles / 15,000 km and this could take many hours), then go down to his own cockpit to be released above enemy territory.
SAC had a number of Peacemakers modified to GRB-36 mother aircraft and ordered 25 Republic RF-84K Thunderflash to hitch a ride. During 1955-56 several operational missions were flown from Fairchild and Larson airbases in Washington State.
Some thought was also given to a nuclear bomb equipped Thunderstreak substituting for the Thunderflash, but the arrival of the U-2 and RB-57D ended the project.
GRB-36J
Twenty five RF 84Fs were modified for parasite duty. On a typical mission the mother ship B 36 would depart from Fairchild Air Force Base, Spokane, Washington to be joined in the air by an RF 84K (as the parasite Thunderflashes were designated) from Moses Lake Air Force Base. The fighter would be hoisted into the B 36’s bomb bay.
GRB-36J
In April 1945 the USAF’s predecessor, the USAAF, had issued its specification for a B-35/B-36 replacement with turbine propulsion, and the USAF pushed this programme with considerable vigour. The failing submission to the 1945 requirement was the Convair YB-36G, which was redesignated YB-60 before two prototypes were ordered in March 1951,
Two Convair X-6s were ordered to evaluate the operational practicality of airborne nuclear propulsion systems prior to committing to building a prototype of a dedicated military design. The specific areas to be tested included crew shielding, propulsion, radiobiology, and the effects of radiation on various aircraft systems. In addition to the X-6s, a single NB-36H was ordered to serve as an early flyable testbed. In the NB-36H, the nuclear reactor was functioning but provided no power to the aircraft itself. The X-6s would have been powered by a prototype airborne nuclear propulsion system installed in the aft bomb bays.
In the end, the X-6 program was cancelled before either of the two aircraft were built. The NB-36H was completed, however, making its first flight in September 1955. After conducting tests for approximately two years, the nuclear reactor was removed and the NB-36H was scrapped at Carswell AFB, Texas.
Production of the B-36 continued for almost seven years, the last of 385 examples being delivered to Strategic Air Command on 14 August 1954, and the type was retired finally on 12 February 1959.
B-36 transporting the XB-58 airframe using eight of ten engines (note both of the inboard propellers have been removed for this flight)
Convair easily transported the XB-58 prototype by air from Ft. Worth TX to Wright-Patterson Air Force Base (AFB) in Ohio for testing with the use of a modified Peacemaker bomber.
B-36 and XB-58 airframe mating, note the strut assembly joining the two wings together has been removed from the wing’s inboard engine as well as the prop.
The left and right inboard engines had their propellers removed, along with the bomb bay doors since they did not clear the wings of the XB-58 which was mounted underneath the bomber.
Since the airframe was the subject of testing the XB-58 did not have the engines attached and the vertical fin assembly was left off, as well.
Engines: 6 x P+W R-4360, 2575kW Wingspan: 70.1 m / 229 ft 12 in Length: 49.4 m / 162 ft 1 in Height: 14.3 m / 46 ft 11 in Wing area: 443.3 sq.m / 4771.64 sq ft Max take-off weight: 162162 kg / 357508 lb Empty weight: 72051 kg / 158846 lb Max. speed: 696 km/h / 432 mph Cruise speed: 362 km/h / 225 mph Ceiling: 13700 m / 44950 ft Range w/max.fuel: 16000 km / 9942 miles Armament: 12-16 20mm machine-guns, 32600kg of bombs Crew: 16
Convair B-36D Peacemaker Engines: 6 x 3,500 hp Pratt & Whitney R-4360-41 radials + 4 GE J47-GE-19 turbojet, 5,200 lb. thrust Length: 162.07ft (49.4m) Width: 229.66ft (70.00m) Height: 46.75ft (14.25m) Maximum Speed: 439mph (706kmh; 381kts) Maximum Range: 7,500miles (12,070km) Service Ceiling: 45,197ft (13,776m; 8.6miles) Armament: 12 x 20mm cannons in nose, tail and fuselage barbettes Up to 86,000 lbs of bombs internally. Accommodation: 15 Empty Weight: 171,035lbs (77,580kg) Maximum Take-Off Weight: 418,878lbs (190,000kg)
B 36J Peacemaker Engines: 6 x Pratt & Whitney R 4360 53 Wasp Major 28 cylinder radial, 3,800 hp (2834 kW) and 4 x General Electric J47 GE 19 turbojets, 2359 kg (5.200 lb). Max speed: 661 km/h (411 mph) at 11095 m (36,400 ft). Over target height: up to 12160 m (39,900 ft). Range with 4990 kg (11,000 lb) bombload: 10944 km (6,800 miles). Empty weight: 77581 kg (171,035 lb) Maximum take off weight: 185976 kg (410,000 lb). Wing span 70,10 m (230 ft 0 in). Length 49.40 m (162 ft 1 in). Height 14.23 m (46 ft 8 in). Wing area 443.3 sq.m (4,772.0 sq ft). Armament: 16 x 20 mm cannon in 8 turrets Bombload: up to 39010 kg (86, 000 lb).
GRB-36J Engines: 6 x Pratt & Whitney R-4360-53, 3800 hp & 4 x General Electric J47-GE-19, 5200 lb Wingspan: 230 ft Length: 162 ft 1 in Height: 46 ft 9 in Wing area: 4772 sq.ft Empty weight: 145,000 lb Loaded weight: 408,000 lb Max speed: 436 mph Cruise: P&W eng. Only: 290 mph at 40,000 ft Max range: 10,000 mi
The 440 was a development of the 340 with modifications to increase speed by about 8km/h and to reduce the noise level in the cabin. Special kits were also made available to convert 340 to 440 standard with longer engine nacelles and a longer “radar nose”. Accommodation was provided for between 44 and 52 passengers. The prototype first flew on 6 October 1955 and 162 were built before production was phased out in the spring of 1958. A few were also operated by the USAF and US Navy.
Convair 440 Engines: 2 x Pratt-Whitney R-2800-CB16 Double Wasp, 1864kW Max take-off weight: 22226 kg / 49000 lb Empty weight: 15111 kg / 33314 lb Wingspan: 32.11 m / 105 ft 4 in Length: 24.13 m / 79 ft 2 in Height: 8.59 m / 28 ft 2 in Wing area: 85.47 sq.m / 919.99 sq ft Cruise speed: 465 km/h / 289 mph Ceiling: 7590 m / 24900 ft Range w/max.payload: 756 km / 470 miles Passengers: 52
Although based on the Convair 240, the 340 was largely a new aircraft with greater wing span (32.11m) and area; a 54-in longer fuselage for 44 passengers; R-2800-CB16 or CB17 engines; greater all-up weight of 21,318kg; and many interior design improvements.
The first aircraft (N3401) flew on 5 October 1951 and the first delivery to an airline was N73103, to United Air Lines on 28 March 1952.
A total of 209 had been built by January 1955, when the last two production aircraft were delivered to REAL (Brazil).
CV-340-B
The C-131B, based on larger Convair-Liner 340, was being produced in 1955 as flying laboratory for electronics equipment.
YC-131C was a ConvairLiner 340 fitted experimentally with two 3,750 h.p. Allison T56 turboprops.
Some standard ConvairLiner 340s were also ordered as C-131D.
The USAF operated the 340 as C-131 or VC-131 transports, flying and ECM trainers and for other duties; while the US Navy/Marine Corps received 37 transports as R4Y. The U.S. Navy equivalent of the C-131A is designated R4Y-1Z.
Many Convair 340s were converted to 440 and 580 standard.
A total of 209 CV-340s was built, followed by 186 CV-440s.
Convair C-131A Samaritan
In November 1957 a Convair 340 with Napier Eland turboprop engines was flown to the USA to serve as a prototype. In 1958 the RCAF ordered a version of the Convair with Eland engines, to be built by Canadair as the CL-66.
Convair 340 Napier Eland conversion
In 1954 two Convair 340 were built as experimental YC-131C models to flight test Allison YT-56 turboprops. The first flew on 20 May 1954 with a gross weight of 53,200 lb compared to 47,000 lb for the standard 340.
YC-131C
The Convair 440 Metropolitan is a 52-seat development of the Model 340, having increased all up weight.
CV-340-B Engines: 2 x Pratt & Whitney R-2800-CB16, 2400 hp Wingspan: 105 ft 4 in Length: 79 ft 2 in Height: 28 ft 2 in Wing area: 920 sq.ft Empty weight: 32,399 lb Loaded weight: 47,000 lb Max speed: 314 mph at 16,000 ft Cruise speed: 292 mph Range: 1150 mi Seats: 44
Convair C 131 Samaritan Engine: 2 x Pratt & Whitney R-2800-103W, 2466 hp Length: 79.167 ft / 24.13 m Height: 28.15 ft / 8.58 m Wingspan: 105.348 ft / 32.11 m Wing area: 963.378 sq.ft / 89.5 sq.m Max take off weight: 47008.4 lb / 21319.0 kg Weight empty: 29004.6 lb / 13154.0 kg Max. speed: 265 kt / 491 km/h Cruising speed: 238 kt / 440 km/h Cruising altitude: 18635 ft / 5680 m Wing load: 48.79 lb/sq.ft / 238.0 kg/sq.m Maximum range: 1652 nm / 3060 km Range: 1652 nm / 3060 km Crew: 3 Payload: 48 Pax
Convair C-131A Samaritan Air evacuation and cargo transport. Engines: 2x 2,500 h.p. Pratt & Whitney R2800-99W Wingspan: 91 ft. 9 in Length: 74 ft. 8 in Empty weight: 29,000 lb Loaded weight: 43,575 lb. Max speed: 313 m.p.h. at 14,500 ft Cruise: 285 mph at 20,000 ft ROC: 1410 fpm Ceiling: 24,500 ft. Range: 875 miles Accommodation: 40 passengers or 27 stretchers. Armament: None
ConvairLiner project started with the Model 110, of which the prototype NX90653 was flown for the first time on 8 July 1946. American Airlines convinced Convair to alter the CV-110 into the larger CV-240. The first post-World War II commercial transport designed by Consolidated Vultee was evolved primarily as a DC-3 replacement.
Accommodation was provided for 2 crew and 40 passengers. The aircraft was powered by two 2400 hp / 1,788kW Pratt & Whitney R-2800-CA18 radial engines.
The prototype, NX90849, first flew at San Diego on 15/16 March 1947 and the first licensed aircraft was delivered to American Airlines on 28 February 1948, who put the type into scheduled service on 1 June 1948.
Military versions of the 240 were produced as the T-29A to E aircrew trainers for navigators and bombardiers.
Conversion of the commercial CV 240 for military training duties was commenced in 1948, the first version being the T-29A which first flew on 22 September 1952.
Development of the T-29A with pressurised cabin, increased fuel capacity, etc, resulted in the T-29B which first flew on 30 July 1952.
T-29B
The T-29C had higher powered engines, The T-29D for advanced navigational/bombardment training, and the VT-29E which was a personnel transport variant.
Altogether 176 were built, and the Convair 240 served VARIG for 26 years.
Convair CV-240-21 Turboliner, December 1952 (Courtesy Pat Ford)
The Allison T38 (company Model 501) engines fitted to the Convair CV-240-21 Turboliner were rated to 2,750shp.
The Convair 340 is a development of the Model 240, having a 4 ft 6 in increase in fuselage length, increased all up weight, and higher powered engines.
Engines: 2 x Pratt & Whitney R-2800-CA18, 2400 hp / 1,788kW Wingspan: 28.0 m / 91 ft 10 in Length: 22.7 m / 74 ft 6 in Height: 8.3 m / 27 ft 3 in Wing area: 75.9 sq.m / 816.98 sq ft Max take-off weight: 18972 kg / 41826 lb Empty weight: 12530 kg / 27624 lb Max. speed: 538 km/h / 334 mph Cruise speed: 480 km/h / 298 mph Ceiling: 9150 m / 30000 ft Range w/max.fuel: 2880 km / 1790 miles Crew: 3-4 Passenger capacity: 40
T-29B Engines: Pratt & Whitney R-2800-97, 2400 hp Wingspan: 91 ft 9 in Length: 74 ft 8 in Height: 27 ft 3 in Wing area: 817 sq.ft Loaded weight: 43,575 lb Max speed: 300 mph Cruise: 230 mph ROC: 1370 fpm Range: 1500 mi
The ConvairLiner project started with the Model 110, of which the prototype NX90653 was flown for the first time on 8 July 1946. American Airlines convinced Convair to alter the CV-110 into the larger CV-240.
After the end of the War, in 1946 Ted Hall and Tommy Thompson from the Consolidated Vultee Aircraft designed and built the two-seat Convair Model 116.
Convair Model 116
Convair Model 116
This prototype completed 66 test flights, and Hall designed another model, named the 118 (or the Convair Car). Two prototypes were built.
Convair Model 118
Convair Model 118
Consolidated Vultee bought rights to the original roadable design by their own Chief Development Engineer, Ted Hall. His creation was unusual in that the car portion looked exactly like a scaled down conventional automobile of the period, though suspended beneath its self contained ‘flight module’. The automobile had a streamlined glassfibre body with four seats, and was powered by a 26 hp Crosley car engine.
Where the ConvAircar also differed from previous roadables was that the company planned to sell only the car part, for $1500. Aircraft modules with 190 hp Lycoming aero engines would be rented out by the hour or day when the owner wanted to go flying. Convair spent $800,000 on building two prototypes at their San Diego plant and gearing up for a planned production run of 160,000 ConvAircars. The 725 lb auto-plane prototype first flew during November 1947. All went well until the third test flight, late in November 1947. The ConvAircar took-off with minimal gasoline in its tanks. The ConvAircar ran out of fuel and was wrecked, and shortly afterwards Convair ran out of enthusiasm.
In 1941, Consolidated Aircraft and Vultee merged to form Convair, and Stinson Aircraft became a division of Convair. In July 1948 the Stinson factory was closed and five month later Convair sold Stinson Aircraft to Piper Aircraft. The company that Eddie Stinson had founded 22 years earlier had built over 12,000 aircraft. Convair Division of General Dynamics Corporation; title adopted from April 30,1954 by Consolidated Vultee following acquisition in 1953 of major shareholdings by General Dynamics. Major products have been the Convair F-102 Delta Dagger and F-106 Delta Dart interceptors, B-58 Hustler supersonic bomber and Convair 880, and 990 four-jet commercial transports. Developed subsequently F-111/FB-111 variable-geometry combat aircraft, now the responsibility of GD’s Fort Worth Division. Convair was grouped with GD’s Fort Worth and Pomona Divisions in September 1970 to form the single Convair Aerospace Division, but Fort Worth was again made a separate division in June 1974. Convair Division at San Diego became responsible for commercial aircraft and space exploration systems, product support for Convair 240/340/440 and derivatives and the Convair 880/990. It also built major components for McDonnell Douglas DC- 10, Space Shuttle Orbiter vehicle and Tomahawk cruise missile.
USA With Robert E. Fulton Jr. as president, company was formed 1945 at Danbury, Connecticut. Prototype Airphibian flew November 7, 1946, a two-seat “roadable”aircraft, with tricycle landing gear, detachable wings/tail/rear fuselage. Certificated December 1950 as Fulton Model FA-2 Airphibian; production model, designated FA-3, appeared 1954.
