B 36 Peacemaker never dropped a bomb in anger is it the only

[TiberiusVM]

Hi

I was wondering on something, while watching discovery Wings, the commentary said that the B 36 Peacekeeper was the only American bomber, to see production, to not have dropped bombs in anger sense WW2.

So I got thinking...

B-36 nuclear bomber was in service during Korea but was too big, slow, and expensive to waste in Korea.

B - 47 served during Korea was probably used in a limited conventional role.

B 52 Dropped lots of bombs and still is

B 1 yep

b 2 yep

that leaves the B 58 it was never said if it was converted to conventional bombs. 1960 - 1970 could have been in Vietnam.

Does anyone know if the B 58 did drop bombs in a war?

[Phil D.]

As for the B-47 and B-58, I think they were strictly used in the strategic air role, for an eventual nuclear attack on Eastern Europe and Soviet Union. I've personally never heard of the B-47 and B-58 being used for Korea or Vietnam, respectively. However, I'm not 100% certain on this. If anyone can elaborate, it'd surely help.

Phil

[Mauser K98k]

No, the B58 did not fly any combat bombing missions.

There was a program (Operation Bullseye) to convert it to the use of conventional bombs, however. It was felt that the B58 could be of use in low-altitude high-speed specialty mission bombing raids. Some were actually converted to this configuration; crews were trained, training missions were deemed successful. Then, it was decided that the aircraft would be too vulnerable to enemy groundfire in these types of missions due to the integral-wing fuel tanks. So the program was abandoned.

The B58 was extremely expensive. Three B52's could be produced for the cost of one B58. Because of it's long development time, high rate of crashes, and the fact it's primary mission was taken over by ICBM's, the B58 became obsolete not long after it became operational.

But it WAS fast, and set many speed and speed w/ payload records. A neat plane, but ultimately, a waste of money.

The B47 never flew any combat bombing missions either. They went into service for SAC after the Korean War, and were phased out before Vietnam. They did fly some simulated missions in 1956 preparing for a possible role in the Suez Canal crisis, but nothing became of it.

[Takao]

Unless we're talking strictly USAF bombers, don't forget the USN's A3J-1(later redesignated A5-A) Vigilante. Originally designed and produced as a stategic nuclear bomber, but capable of a conventional payload, the aircraft was converted to the reconnaissance role in the early 1960's.

[Prit]

IMHO, the finest-looking, and technologically most challenging bomber ever produced by the USA should also feature in this list, even though only 2 were ever built.

The one-and-only XB70. Flying one at high speed was described by its pilot as like driving a greyhound bus around Indianapolis.

Prit

[TiberiusVM]

No doubt about it the XB-70 is a very good bomber, but only 2 were made, and those went to NASA when the project was canceled.

[Phil D.]

Also, while we're on the subject, was the B-50 ever used in combat? I know that its a development of the B-29 with more powerful R-4360 engines, among other improvments, but I can't find out wether it served in Korea as strictly a bomber, and not a recon plane or tanker. Anyone know?

Phil

[TiberiusVM]

Doesn't look like it.

When the B 47 came online, the b 50s went to refueling duty.

B 29s were used in Korea.

[col. klink]

Here are some articles I found interesting about the B-36.

http://www.cowtown.net/proweb/b36_mishaps.htm

The article about the tornado that hit the base in Texas and wrecked over half the bomber fleet has some great pictures of the damaged planes. It's amazing that most of the damaged aircraft were flying in about two months. The story about the first broken arrow incident is interesting. I just read this morning that they're making a film about the crash that's supposed to be shown on the Discovery channel later this year or next year. It's still unknown if the plane that crashed was carrying a dummy bomb for the test flight or if it was a live atomic device.
I saw the B-36 at the Air Force Museum at Wright Patterson. It is a huge beautiful plane.
There's that Jimmy Stewart movie Strategic Air Command that has some great film of the B-36 and the B-47 in it. Though not used as a bomber the recon versions of the B-36 as well as the B-47 and B-50 were used to gather intelligence by flying just outside Soviet air space in the arctic areas.
Another underappreciated US jet bomber is the B-45 Tornado. It was the first US jet bomber. A few were lent to the UK and were flown with RAF crews on several missions that flew deep into Soviet air space years before the U-2 overflights.

[Cantankerous]

Unless we're talking strictly USAF bombers, don't forget the USN's A3J-1(later redesignated A5-A) Vigilante. Originally designed and produced as a stategic nuclear bomber, but capable of a conventional payload, the aircraft was converted to the reconnaissance role in the early 1960's.

Although the A-5 Vigilante never flew combat missions in its initial role as a strategic bomber, it carried out reconnaissance flights over North Vietnam during the Vietnam War.

[MarkF617]

What about the B45? Did that fly combat missions?

Thanks

Mark.

[Terry Duncan]

Thread Necromancy from 20042 brought to people by Cantankerous. Please start acting your age before you find yourself taking an extended holiday.

Terry