Is that a B-36 with B-52 engines?

[-]

JaggedMetalOs@reddit

YB-60, a jet bomber developed from the B-36. It was in competition with the YB-52. Needless to say, it did not win.

[-]

SapphosLemonBarEnvoy@reddit

Reading the Wikipedia page right now on it,

_ The YB-60 was approximately 100 mph (160 km/h) slower than the YB-52 and also had significant handling problems, due to its controls having been designed for slower operating speeds. The flight test programs were canceled on 20 January 1953, with 66 flying hours accumulated. Since Convair completed their prototype contract satisfactorily, both YB-60s were formally accepted by the Air Force in 1954. The operational aircraft never flew again, and both airframes were scrapped by July._

That’s really sad for all that work just to fall to a scrapper in months.

[-]

Such is the way with the military….tanks, APC’s, planes, trucks, jeeps, and more…they all had thousands and thousands of hours of design put in, sometimes dozens of prototypes built, but at the end it generally it all gets scrapped except the one that wins.

[-]

luciusdominus66@reddit

Does make me wonder if it's B36 based would be larger then the 52 and also surprised didn't redesign the flight controls and surfaces for the change as imagine the weight of the 36 was a key factor in regards to slower speeds

[-]

Specialist-Ad-5300@reddit (OP)

Now that you say that I can read YB-60 under the cockpit. Thanks I’ve never heard of it!

[-]

JaggedMetalOs@reddit

Well done on spotting the B-36 heritage just from the photo!

[-]

deepaksn@reddit

The size as well as that cockpit is unmistakable.

[-]

raven00x@reddit

YB-52 wasn't much smaller, and had a similar cockpit, as was the fashion at the time. Convair's YB-60 proposal was cheaper, but had worse handling characteristics due to being designed as a straight-winged prop plane that was redesigned to be a swept-wing jet. Ultimately the YB-52 went through several revisions to become the aerial behemoth we know today.

[-]

Epstiendidntkillself@reddit

All while wearing an onion on his belt as was the fashion at the time.

[-]

jorg2@reddit

Imagine it working out though. Considering tje B-52 is gonna be in service for a while still, I can't help but wish this amazingly retro behemoth would be the main fielded US bomber today.

[-]

Scallty_Demon@reddit

YB-60. To me it looks like what would happen if a B-36 and a B-52 got together and had a baby.

[-]

ExPFC_Wintergreen2@reddit

The B-52 would be the man in this scenario, I assume?

[-]

Scallty_Demon@reddit

I'm fine with either.

[-]

the_spinetingler@reddit

bi-plane?

I'll see myself out.

[-]

Draughthuntr@reddit

Would it be transonic tho?

Hold the door for me.

[-]

BrewCityChaser@reddit

It's a B-52, just one of the very early versions.

[-]

deepaksn@reddit

Easy mistake to make because the early B-52 did have a weird cockpit and from lots of angles you can’t tell that it was tandem.

[-]

CarlRJ@reddit

The fuselages are completely different between the B-36 family (very very cylindrical, like a B-29/B-50), and the B-52 (much more “rounded rectangle”

[-]

deepaksn@reddit

Hard to tell that from this angle as well… especially with the shading that makes the top radius look sharper than the rest.

[-]

JaggedMetalOs@reddit

It's definitely a YB-60, which is basically a B-36 with B-52 engines.

It worked about as well as your expect it to...

[-]

BrewCityChaser@reddit

Ah crap you're right. /u/Specialist-Ad-5300, disregard my answer.

[-]

Specialist-Ad-5300@reddit (OP)

I’ve seen pictures of the Yb-52 when it had the tandem seating but never of this cockpit.

[-]

ThePenIslands@reddit

To think if this one had gotten the bid for some reason, even if inferior to the B-52 ($ ?) I wonder how long it would have survived before being phased out. And then you have the B-52, which admittedly has been upgraded throughout history, but is on track to possibly be in service for close to 100 years. Absolutely crazy to think about.

[-]

Zestyprotein@reddit

in service for close to 100 years

Imagine a Sopwith Camel as a frontline aircraft in 2016.

[-]

SecurityRingZero@reddit

Remember that the equivalent British competition resulted in three very different winners: First & last flights in 1951-1965, 1952-1984 and 1952-1993 respectively. All three were re-deployed as tankers in their later career after being retired as bombers.

[-]

luciusdominus66@reddit

The V bombers believe or not was possible to keep flying longer look at the Vulcan in private ownership that only stopped flying a few years ago because roll's Royce and BAE refused to work on the airframe and engines as was worried about Airframe fatigued

[-]

CarlRJ@reddit

I know fits a real pic of the YB-60, but it’s strange how some of the official pics of really huge aircraft like this come off looking so much like a clever photo of a small model, with little inch-tall figures posed next to it “for scale”.

The lighting is interesting (and perhaps contributes to the effect). Seems like it’s probably the sun being “over the helicopter’s shoulder”, but it feels a bit like massive floodlights were used (they’d have to be airborne too).

[-]

Convair YB-60, basically Convair's B-52 based off the B-36

Posted 4 days ago, don't know why you missed that post.

[-]

Adamp891@reddit

Also posted 4 days ago....

(Albeit not this image)