Jun 092014
 

A Convair film describing the NB-36H. This was a B-36 modified with a nuclear reactor in the rear fuselage, in support of the nuclear powered bomber program then under development. The reactor was a real reactor, and was brought up to power in flight, but it never actually provided any power to anything – nor was it meant to. it was meant to simply demonstrate than an aircraft could fly with a functioning reactor.

[youtube 3eOYHkiBkzA]

There is one notable error due to artistic license. The NB-36H had an all-new cockpit (the B-36 used for the project had been trashed by a tornado and lost it’s cockpit to storm damage, so this actually worked out well), a massive structure of steel and lead with leaded-glass windows nearly a foot thick. The result was that with all ten engines at full power, the cockpit was reported to be nearly silent.

 

 Posted by at 2:28 pm