Dark5 | 5 Nuclear Things that Should Have Never Been Created @dark5tv | Uploaded 3 years ago | Updated 1 day ago
After World War II, the United States military sought a solution to the limited range of aircraft in its fleet and turned to the development of a nuclear-powered airplane that would render it able to theoretically fly endlessly. The result was the Convair B-36 Peacemaker, a combat aircraft with the longest wingspan ever built, and outfitted with a small nuclear reactor...
The Convair B-36 Peacemaker was an American strategic bomber operated by the United States Air Force from 1949 to 1960. It was the largest mass-produced aircraft of its time. It had an astonishing wingspan of about 230 feet, and one of its versions included a nuclear reactor to keep it flying uninterruptedly.
When the US Air Force was exploring options to extend the range of its fleet, they looked into developing more sizable aircraft that could carry more fuel, and also considered mid-air refueling capabilities for smaller fighter aircraft.
As World War II ended, more weapons and advanced technology became available due to the hundreds of German scientists flown to the United States as part of Operation Paperclip.
In response to the atomic weapons that the Soviet Union was developing in the late 1940s, the US retaliated with massive aircraft bombers that could carry nuclear weapons from one continent to another.
One of those was the Convair B36 Peacemaker. This colossus aircraft had a wingspan of 230 feet, a payload of 87,200 pounds, and an approximate range of 10,000 miles. Besides its lethal arsenal of more than 12 remote-controlled turrets and cannons, the Peacemaker could also carry two Mark-17 hydrogen bombs.
The American Strategic Air Command decided to develop a nuclear-powered prototype that would allow it to fly endlessly. The Peacemaker was then outfitted with a small MW Air-cooled nuclear reactor placed in the bomb bay.
Several modifications were made to accommodate the delicate technology, including radiation shielding for the crew compartment and water tanks surrounding the nuclear reactor to capture radiation leaks. A four-ton lead disc shield was also installed in the middle of the aircraft between the reactor and the cockpit, while several intake and exhaust holes were added to the fuselage to cool the reactor in flight.
In order to protect the crew from radiation, the cockpit was covered in lead and rubber, including a one-foot-thick glass windshield. A special hotline was also installed to inform the president in the event of a crash, and radioactive symbol markings emblazoned the aircraft.
Between 1955 and 1959, the B36 completed 50 test flights and more than 200 hours of flight time with the nuclear reactor. But the risk of a nuclear disaster, coupled with advancements in flight technology such as aerial refueling, ended the program in the 1960s...
After World War II, the United States military sought a solution to the limited range of aircraft in its fleet and turned to the development of a nuclear-powered airplane that would render it able to theoretically fly endlessly. The result was the Convair B-36 Peacemaker, a combat aircraft with the longest wingspan ever built, and outfitted with a small nuclear reactor...
The Convair B-36 Peacemaker was an American strategic bomber operated by the United States Air Force from 1949 to 1960. It was the largest mass-produced aircraft of its time. It had an astonishing wingspan of about 230 feet, and one of its versions included a nuclear reactor to keep it flying uninterruptedly.
When the US Air Force was exploring options to extend the range of its fleet, they looked into developing more sizable aircraft that could carry more fuel, and also considered mid-air refueling capabilities for smaller fighter aircraft.
As World War II ended, more weapons and advanced technology became available due to the hundreds of German scientists flown to the United States as part of Operation Paperclip.
In response to the atomic weapons that the Soviet Union was developing in the late 1940s, the US retaliated with massive aircraft bombers that could carry nuclear weapons from one continent to another.
One of those was the Convair B36 Peacemaker. This colossus aircraft had a wingspan of 230 feet, a payload of 87,200 pounds, and an approximate range of 10,000 miles. Besides its lethal arsenal of more than 12 remote-controlled turrets and cannons, the Peacemaker could also carry two Mark-17 hydrogen bombs.
The American Strategic Air Command decided to develop a nuclear-powered prototype that would allow it to fly endlessly. The Peacemaker was then outfitted with a small MW Air-cooled nuclear reactor placed in the bomb bay.
Several modifications were made to accommodate the delicate technology, including radiation shielding for the crew compartment and water tanks surrounding the nuclear reactor to capture radiation leaks. A four-ton lead disc shield was also installed in the middle of the aircraft between the reactor and the cockpit, while several intake and exhaust holes were added to the fuselage to cool the reactor in flight.
In order to protect the crew from radiation, the cockpit was covered in lead and rubber, including a one-foot-thick glass windshield. A special hotline was also installed to inform the president in the event of a crash, and radioactive symbol markings emblazoned the aircraft.
Between 1955 and 1959, the B36 completed 50 test flights and more than 200 hours of flight time with the nuclear reactor. But the risk of a nuclear disaster, coupled with advancements in flight technology such as aerial refueling, ended the program in the 1960s...
