That was an experimental system that was only installed once, I
think. I'd imagine that it was almost impossible to keep the track on
the gear at take-off speeds!
The eventual replacement was the first four-wheel bogey that was then
used until they retired the B-36.
If you have not been to the Air Force Museum at Dayton, Ohio, stop in
if you get a chance. The original hanger was built to house the B-36
that is on display, it was by far the largest aircraft around at the
time. Freaking monster. Those six R4360 turbo radials (that's 4360
cubic inch by the way) managed to shove the beast through the air at
a stunning 375 mph at maxiumum range full bomb load over target --
they were slower until they burned off enough fuel to get over 15,000
ft.
The bomb bay can hold an object something like 12 ft in diameter and
80 ft long -- the original H-bomb was projected to be about this
large. I don't think one was ever air dropped though. At any rate it
will hold six medium sized sedans.
And every single piece of aluminum skin is wrinkled. Must have
vibrated something terrible.
Also prone to catastrophic engine fires, poor high altitude
performance, high fuel consumption, and barely functional gun systems
(the same ones that didn't work very well in the B-29 that my father
worked on during his time in Kansas making the B-29 reliable enough to
send overseas).
The guns were eventually removed and much of the skin was replaced
with thinner magnesium alloy (I think, something lighter and stronger
than the aluminum) and the four jets were added to boost the over
target speed and range.
Chance-Vought did produce a single swept wing fully jet powered
version as a replacement, but the Boeing design that became the B-52
was lighter, faster, carried more bomb weight, had a longer range, and
used much less fuel. Uncharacteristically, the Air Force bought the
better plane and the B-36 was retired.
Peter
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