Hypothetical "What If" B-36 question

Okay, this is a hypothetical question for all you experts, dreamers, and everyone else who wants to interject their two cents. As a future project, I’d like to turn a B-36 into a parasite mothership to a couple wingtip-mounted B-47. (Long story- I’ll indulge more once construction begins on a model.)

Anyway, I’d like to see what you would change if you had to convert a B-36 bomber to a combat-operational mothership (not just a prototype, like what was used during the FICON and Tom-Tom trials). I have a few things I’m definitely going to change, like giving the motors contra-props (to show the installation of Lycoming XR-7755 radials) and replacing the main gear with the orginal, single large wheel (simply for aesthetic reasons). I’m also toying with the idea of converting the tail gun to a manned installation (keeping the two radomes there) and saying that the radar unit there was replaced with electronics used to locate the parasite B-47s. You know, weird (but logical) changes like that.

If anyone has any other ideas, feel free to post them here.

Thanks.

How about a hose-and-drogue pod for the B-47s to refuel from Maybe wing fences to stabilize the plane during the parasite stage…

Since you didn’t describe the hookup, I’d suggest a trapeze arm arrangement hooking to the nose of each B-47. Maybe it should be on top of the wingtip (w/ winglets?) to help the B-47s clear the propwash and jet blast. The nose mount would make hooking up much easier - more like refueling. You could even include refueling capability in the mount, for longer range. (Add it to the mother ship, too.) The B-47 wing could never handle a tip-to-tip arrangement, anyway.

Don’t know where you get your ideas, but it sounds like fun. How would you ever display the model, though?

By the way, if you’re going operational, you’d better stick to the L/G bogeys. Hang the aesthetics, those single wheels were too much load for most runways. Maybe you could kitbash some from a C-17 kit. Hey, maybe you should start with the C-17, not the B-36. Then you could talk dirt/grass strip operations.

Also, you’ll need new defensive armament. See author Dale Brown and his “Old Dog”. That should help.

This sounds less like a project, more like a career. Good luck.

Dick

Thanks for the ideas. As for where I got this from, it was actually breifly concieved in 1950:

http://www.air-and-space.com/tomtom.htm (Check near the bottom of the article)

As for wingtip hookups, I’ve already recieved a possiblecoupling diagram, which I may tweak with my own idea- something like the idea of the refuling lines, only instead of being fuel lines, they will function as winches, essentially “reeling” each aircraft in. It might solve a bit of the prop wash problem.

I’m still undecided on the landing gear. (Mainly becuase you make a convincing arguement, rlawson!) [:D]

As for storage, I’m lucky to have a new bedroom being built as we speak. If my estimates are correct, this model will have a six foot wingspan, with a three foot depth. I just may have enough room to custom build a shelf that size. That’s one reason I haven’t started on this project earlier- I’ll get a place to put it before I begin to build it.

One more idea- small crew stations in each B-36 wing to help “fly” the parasite wing winch lines. Maybe a small clear bubble near the edge of each wing. We’ll see.

Hey Lucien;

how about this one, remember the old NASA concepts for the Space Shuttle? where they had it flying piggy back or have 2 fuselages mated by a pair of center wings with the Shuttle in the center, how about throwing this into the mix by having 2 B-36 fuselages and the B-47 in the center like the one proposal

think about it

This is more appearance related…Id love to see the B-36 and one of the 47’s in three tone vietnam era Camo and the other 47 in a NMF. I think that would make it very interesting to look at.

Or…All three in flat black. Clean up/ modernize the airframes, Re-engine, and make it look like it is straight out of Area 51/ Skunk works…

Here’s one for you:

Proposed 3 B-36 together with parasite F-92 fighters with large fuel tank.

This was on the History channel a few weeks ago.

[:O][:O][:O][:O][:O][:O][:O][:O][:O][:O][:O][:O][:O][:O][:O]

I need to watch the History Channel more often! (Unfortunatly, my mom’s got the TV stuck of the Food Channel! And, due to money issues, we won’t be able to get History in about a month.)

I really really like the Skunk works paint scheme idea. That’s kind of a cool idea…

Now, the major question- build the B-47/B-36/B-47, or the B-36/B-36/B-36…

You guys have got me thinkin’ now…

THANK YOU!!! [:D][:D]

Now you guys got me stoked…

Your idea about wingtip crew stations made me think. They wouldn’t need to be manned full time, so you’d want access through the wing. Maybe a tunnel w/dolly, like the B-36’s bombbay tunnel that connected the crew compartments. I used that one time, on the ground, and it was not for the claustrophobic. IIRC, there was one window, in bombbay #1. Can’t remember if it was lighted, but it must have been dark at night. However, a wing tunnel would conflict with the engine air intakes. Since you’re changing the engines, maybe you could move the intakes underneath the wing. While you’re at it, put in a few tunnel skylights, and think about some personal conveniences out at the wingtip. That would be a long way from civilization.[swg]

Regards

Dick

I would vote for the B-47/B-36/B-47. I think the wing sweep of the 47’s would really make the set up more interesting.

Yeah, I’m thinkin’ the B-47/B-36/B-47 would look better. You couldn’t get a very good look at the F-92s anyway (I’m almost dead-set on doing a wheels-down model), and a nine-foot wide model would be a little extreme even for me.

Moving the intakes is a pretty good idea. Next question- how large of an intake would a liquid cooled engine require? I’m sure it would be much less than the air-cooled P&W Wasp Major. (Yes, the Lycoming XR-7755 was a liquid cooled radial engine.) I hesitate to draw the line, however, at eliminating an intake all together.

I plan to “save weight” (as it were) by eliminating the jet pods from the B-36. With six 5,000 hp engines, I don’t think power will be as big an issue as it was with the P&W engines. And I can imagine the weight savings by removing the pods.

Thanks for all the ideas, guys. [:D][tup]

Words escape me. I think I read somewhere that the results of that report were that this project, if attempted, would result in three smoking holes in the ground, kinda like what happened to the F-84 that they tried it with. What is it about the B-36 that inspires such batty ideas? Just because it’s as big as an aircraft carrier doesn’t mean it needs to be an aircraft carrier. Hmmm, maybe someone needs to do a navalized version…

Maybe knock off the wheels and replace the jet pods with wing floats. Turn it into a flying boat… [:D]

In my opinion, sure, if ever attempted this idea would most likely be a miserable failure. But it can’t be denied it is/will be visually very impressive. And last time I checked, my models were incapable of flight in the first place. So I really don’t see a problem. (Not meant to be sinister in any way, shape, or form. Just a simple rant.)

I just happen to like these failed/never built “what if” projects. The one thing they have in common- they usually failed for a very good reason. And I don’t mind that in the least!