Admiral Halsey
Banned
Very much so. There's a scene where F9F Panthers utterly destroy some German
Horten Ho 229's, which is rather cool.
About bloody damn time! That book is definitely on my must buy ASAP list.
Very much so. There's a scene where F9F Panthers utterly destroy some German
Horten Ho 229's, which is rather cool.
About bloody damn time! That book is definitely on my must buy ASAP list.
Would it have been possible to develop a Lycoming R-7755 powered variant of the B-36 with increased fuel and/or payload capacity, possibly with a fuselage stretch? Alternatively, what about developing an even larger aircraft?
Also, how would the B-35 and B-49 compare to the B-36 and B-60?
Yeah, TBO is before Stuart really went nuts. The biggest problem with it (and one he always had) is the editing.
Anything is possible. However realistically the B-36 had a immense fuel load and at some point you are better off investing in aerial refueling than trying to be build a larger aircraft. The B-36 was already to large for almost any hanger. It was a huge jump in size from the B-29 and with a 86,000lb bomb load it had the heaviest bomb load of any USAF bomber. The B-36 could drop more tonnage than any B-52, which is no small feat. The B-36 could carry 72 1,000lb bombs or 3 22,000 bomb grand slam bombs.
The issue with the B-35 and B-49 is the flying wing concept. Was the flying wing ahead of it's time? A lot of smart people say yes and we had to wait until the B-2 before computers advanced enough that the concept would work. The German flying wing fighters had the same issue. Maybe with enough testing the issues could be worked out but we will never know. Also with how fast things where advancing the United States needed a intercontinental bomber that could drop nuclear ordnance on the Soviet Union as quickly as possible. The B-36 was this bomber and it was starting to enter squadron service by 1948-1949 with the B-35 flying wing issues I don't see how it could have entered service by this time period. The B-36 was fairly quickly replaced by the B-52 and the B-52 bomber is superior to B-49.
True, but I'm thinking more in terms of being able to carry a payload that massive out to 4,000+ miles. At maximum range, the B-36 is only able to carry 11,000 pounds. That's a very respectable payload, but it would be even better to carry more. If it can deliver close to its 72,000 pound payload capacity, it will greatly increase the efficiency of the bombing mission. The largest B-29 raid over Japan used 839 aircraft with a maximum payload of 20,000 pounds, so if the B-36 is able to deliver its maximum payload only around 233 aircraft would be required (there would probably have to be 233 tanker aircraft though).
The B-35 could have been equipped with vertical stabilizers similar to those on the B-49.
How difficult would it be to navigate across the Atlantic Ocean (and perhaps the Pacific Ocean too) if the United States was unable to operate out of the United Kingdom?
Could LORAN receivers be carried by strategic bombers during the 1940s, perhaps on a squadron leader aircraft?
How difficult would it be to navigate across the Atlantic Ocean (and perhaps the Pacific Ocean too) if the United States was unable to operate out of the United Kingdom?