Eight-Engined Giant

摘要

The Consolidated-Vultee B-36 program was begun in 1941 when the U.S. Army Air Forces worried that it might need to conduct strategic bombing of Europe from bases in North America, Wartime priorities led to a protracted development effort, and the maiden flight of the XB-36 did not occur until 8 August 1946. The B-36 was born at an awkward time - a piston-powered bomber at the dawn of the jet age - but was still something of a technical triumph and routinely demonstrated its 10,000 mile range. Still, the Air Force wanted a bomber much faster than the B-36, even after four General Electric J47 turbojet engines were added to complement the six Pratt & Whitney R4360 piston engines.