Convair NB-36H
Convair · United States · first flew 1955 · bomber
The Convair NB-36H was a modified B-36 Peacemaker used to test a nuclear reactor in flight as part of the US Aircraft Nuclear Propulsion programme; it is the only aircraft known to have flown with an operating nuclear reactor aboard.
Recognition (WEFT)
| W — Wings | Mid-mounted, swept |
|---|---|
| E — Engines | 10 × piston, wing-mounted |
| F — Fuselage | Modified B-36 with nuclear reactor in fuselage — the only aircraft to fly with a live reactor |
| T — Tail | Conventional |
WEFT is AircraftIQ's four-point recognition method — how it works.
Spot it by:
- Modified B-36 with nuclear reactor in fuselage — the only aircraft to fly with a live reactor
- Massive ten-engine Peacemaker airframe with reactor shielding
- Large blister on forward fuselage housing reactor compartment
Standard B-36 Peacemaker outline distinguished by a large blister over the forward bomb bay and a specially shielded crew compartment; visually similar to a standard B-36 at distance.
Specifications
- The Convair NB-36H has a length of 49.38 m (162 ft).
- It has a wingspan of 70.1 m (230 ft).
- Its maximum speed is 676 km/h (420 mph).
- Typical crew: 15.
Figures are for the representative variant described above; marks differ. See how AircraftIQ sources figures.
History
A B-36H was converted to carry a 1-megawatt air-cooled nuclear reactor in its bomb bay, with extensive radiation shielding and a new crew compartment with a 12-tonne lead and rubber shield. It flew 47 test missions between 1955 and 1957 to study the effects of a reactor on aircraft systems and crew radiation exposure, though the reactor was not used for propulsion.
Variants
The NB-36H was a unique one-off conversion; the X-6 nuclear-powered aircraft it was meant to inform was never built.
Where you'll see it
The NB-36H flew exclusively as a US Air Force research aircraft; the ANP programme was cancelled in 1961 and the aircraft scrapped.
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