The Convair NB-36H was an experimental aircraft that carried a nuclear reactor. It was nicknamed "The Crusader".[1] It was created for the Aircraft Nuclear Propulsion program, or the ANP, to show the feasibility of a nuclear-powered bomber.[2] Its development ended with the cancellation of the ANP program.
The Aircraft Nuclear Propulsion (ANP) program, and the preceding Nuclear Energy for the Propulsion of Aircraft (NEPA) project, worked to develop a nuclear propulsion system for aircraft.[2] The United States Army Air Forces initiated Project NEPA on May 28, 1946.[3] After funding of $10 million in 1947,[4] NEPA operated until May 1951, when the project was transferred to the joint Atomic Energy Commission (AEC)/USAF ANP.[5] The USAF pursued two different systems for nuclear-powered jet engines, the Direct Air Cycle concept, which was developed by General Electric, and Indirect Air Cycle, which was assigned to Pratt & Whitney. The program was intended to develop and test the Convair X-6, a planned prototype for a fully functional nuclear-powered airplane.[6]
In 1952, Carswell Air Force Base in Texas was hit by a tornado, severely damaging a number of aircraft.[7] One of the damaged airplanes was a B-36 bomber, and Convair suggested to the Air Force that it should be converted into an early prototype for the X-6, instead of being repaired.[7] The Air Force agreed to this plan, and provided funding for an overhaul of the airplane.[7] The intention was to test fly an airplane with a functioning nuclear engine on board, but with it not yet powering the airplane at this stage.[6]
The original crew and avionics cabin was replaced by a massive lead- and rubber-lined 11 ton crew section for a pilot, copilot, flight engineer and two nuclear engineers. Even the small windows had 25-to-30-centimeter-thick (10–12 in) lead glass.[1][8][9][10] The aircraft was fitted with a 1-megawatt air-cooled reactor, with a weight of 35,000 pounds (16,000 kg).[11] This was hung on a hook in the middle bomb bay to allow for easy loading and unloading, so that the radioactive source could be kept safely underground between the test flights.[7] A monitoring system dubbed "Project Halitosis" measured radioactive gases from the reactor.[12]
Operational history
An underside view of the aircraft
The NB-36H completed 47 test flights and 215 hours of flight time (during 89 of which the reactor was operated) between September 17, 1955, and March 1957[13] over New Mexico and Texas. The test flights revealed, that with the shielding used, the crew would not be endangered by radiation from the reactor, including with low-altitude flights, but that there was a risk of radioactive contamination in the event of an accident.[11]
In 1957, at the end of its run of flight tests, the NB-36H was decommissioned and scrapped at Carswell.[6] The nuclear reactor was removed.[6] With Cold War tensions increasing in the late 1950s, the US government pushed for development of a heavy bomber with jet engines.[6] Parallel programs of nuclear and conventional aircraft development sought to achieve this goal, but progress on the nuclear plane was slow.[11] President Dwight Eisenhower was not convinced of the need for the program, and he did not assign any urgency to it, although he did maintain funding.[14] By the late 1950s the concept of nuclear-powered planes was increasingly seen by Congress as redundant, given the ongoing advances in supersonic aviation and ballistic missile development.[15]
In March 1961, shortly after he took office, President John F. Kennedy canceled the program.[16] In his statement, Kennedy commented that the prospect of nuclear-powered planes was still very remote, despite 15 years of development and expenditure of around $1 billion.[11] The Convair X-6 was never built,[17] and the NB-36H is to date the only American aircraft to carry an operational nuclear reactor.[18] The scientific work carried out for the project did have some lasting value however, including methods for handling liquid metals and fused salts, which aided the development of nuclear generators and reactors used by NASA.[15]
Specifications
The NB-36H in flight. Note the 2 pods; each was mounted near the wingtips of the aircraft and both carried two GE J47 jet engines each.
^ ab. National Museum of the US Air Force. 2009-06-26. Archived from the original on 2014-10-28. Retrieved 2017-07-09.{{cite web}}: CS1 maint: bot: original URL status unknown (link)
^ abTrakimavičius, Lukas. "The Future Role of Nuclear Propulsion in the Military" (PDF). NATO Energy Security Centre of Excellence. Retrieved 2021-10-15.
^Emme, Eugene M, comp (1961), Aeronautics and Astronautics: An American Chronology of Science and Technology in the Exploration of Space, 1915–1960, Washington, DC, pp. 49–63.
^Colon, Raul. "Flying on Nuclear, The American Effort to Built [sic] a Nuclear Powered Bomber". from the original on 2 November 2008. Retrieved 2008-11-05.
^"Megazone". The Decay of the Atomic Powered Aircraft Program. Worcester Polytechnic Institute. 1993. Retrieved 2008-11-05.
^ abcdeJenkins, Denis R. (2004). X-Planes Photo Scrapbook. Specialty Press. p. 118. ISBN9781580070768.
^ abcdTucker, Todd (2009). Atomic America: How a Deadly Explosion and a Feared Admiral Changed the Course of Nuclear History. Simon and Schuster. p. 130. ISBN9781439158289.
^"Convair NB-36: Bomber Aircraft with an Internal Nuclear Reactor". Avia Time. 25 March 2013. Retrieved 5 April 2014.
^"Converted B-36 bomber (NB-36H)". The U.S. Nuclear Weapons Cost Study Project. Brookings Institution. Retrieved 5 April 2014.
^Colon, Raul (2007-08-06). "Flying on Nuclear, The American Effort to Built a Nuclear Powered Bomber". The Aviation History Online Museum. Retrieved 2012-01-24.
^ abcdKaplan, Philip (2005). Big Wings: The Largest Aeroplanes Ever Built. Pen and Sword. p. 104. ISBN9781844151783.
^Cortright, Vincent, "Dream of Atomic Powered Flight", Aviation History, March 1995
^Atomic Energy Commission and Department of Defense (February 1963). Report to the Congress of the United States – Review of manned aircraft nuclear propulsion program(PDF). The Comptroller General of the United States. p. 141. Retrieved 2012-01-24.
^Bowles, Mark D. (2006). Science in Flux: NASA's Nuclear Program at Plum Brook Station, 1955-2005. Government Printing Office. p. 78. ISBN9780160877377.
^ abJohnson, Leland; Schaffer, David (1994). Oak Ridge National Laboratory: The First Fifty Years. Univ. of Tennessee Press. pp. 76–77. ISBN9780870498541.
^Mahaffey, James (2010). Atomic Awakening: A New Look at the History and Future of Nuclear Power. Pegasus Books. p. 264. ISBN9781605982038.
convair, experimental, aircraft, that, carried, nuclear, reactor, nicknamed, crusader, created, aircraft, nuclear, propulsion, program, show, feasibility, nuclear, powered, bomber, development, ended, with, cancellation, program, 36hthe, convair, flight, with,. The Convair NB 36H was an experimental aircraft that carried a nuclear reactor It was nicknamed The Crusader 1 It was created for the Aircraft Nuclear Propulsion program or the ANP to show the feasibility of a nuclear powered bomber 2 Its development ended with the cancellation of the ANP program NB 36HThe Convair NB 36 in flight with a B 50 SuperfortressRole Experimental aircraftManufacturer ConvairFirst flight September 17 1955Status Canceled in 1961Primary user United States Air ForceNumber built 1Developed from Convair B 36Developed into Convair X 6Other name s The Crusader Serial 51 5712 Contents 1 Design and development 2 Operational history 3 Specifications 4 See also 5 References 5 1 Citations 5 2 Bibliography 6 External linksDesign and development EditThe Aircraft Nuclear Propulsion ANP program and the preceding Nuclear Energy for the Propulsion of Aircraft NEPA project worked to develop a nuclear propulsion system for aircraft 2 The United States Army Air Forces initiated Project NEPA on May 28 1946 3 After funding of 10 million in 1947 4 NEPA operated until May 1951 when the project was transferred to the joint Atomic Energy Commission AEC USAF ANP 5 The USAF pursued two different systems for nuclear powered jet engines the Direct Air Cycle concept which was developed by General Electric and Indirect Air Cycle which was assigned to Pratt amp Whitney The program was intended to develop and test the Convair X 6 a planned prototype for a fully functional nuclear powered airplane 6 In 1952 Carswell Air Force Base in Texas was hit by a tornado severely damaging a number of aircraft 7 One of the damaged airplanes was a B 36 bomber and Convair suggested to the Air Force that it should be converted into an early prototype for the X 6 instead of being repaired 7 The Air Force agreed to this plan and provided funding for an overhaul of the airplane 7 The intention was to test fly an airplane with a functioning nuclear engine on board but with it not yet powering the airplane at this stage 6 The original crew and avionics cabin was replaced by a massive lead and rubber lined 11 ton crew section for a pilot copilot flight engineer and two nuclear engineers Even the small windows had 25 to 30 centimeter thick 10 12 in lead glass 1 8 9 10 The aircraft was fitted with a 1 megawatt air cooled reactor with a weight of 35 000 pounds 16 000 kg 11 This was hung on a hook in the middle bomb bay to allow for easy loading and unloading so that the radioactive source could be kept safely underground between the test flights 7 A monitoring system dubbed Project Halitosis measured radioactive gases from the reactor 12 Operational history Edit An underside view of the aircraft The NB 36H completed 47 test flights and 215 hours of flight time during 89 of which the reactor was operated between September 17 1955 and March 1957 13 over New Mexico and Texas The test flights revealed that with the shielding used the crew would not be endangered by radiation from the reactor including with low altitude flights but that there was a risk of radioactive contamination in the event of an accident 11 In 1957 at the end of its run of flight tests the NB 36H was decommissioned and scrapped at Carswell 6 The nuclear reactor was removed 6 With Cold War tensions increasing in the late 1950s the US government pushed for development of a heavy bomber with jet engines 6 Parallel programs of nuclear and conventional aircraft development sought to achieve this goal but progress on the nuclear plane was slow 11 President Dwight Eisenhower was not convinced of the need for the program and he did not assign any urgency to it although he did maintain funding 14 By the late 1950s the concept of nuclear powered planes was increasingly seen by Congress as redundant given the ongoing advances in supersonic aviation and ballistic missile development 15 In March 1961 shortly after he took office President John F Kennedy canceled the program 16 In his statement Kennedy commented that the prospect of nuclear powered planes was still very remote despite 15 years of development and expenditure of around 1 billion 11 The Convair X 6 was never built 17 and the NB 36H is to date the only American aircraft to carry an operational nuclear reactor 18 The scientific work carried out for the project did have some lasting value however including methods for handling liquid metals and fused salts which aided the development of nuclear generators and reactors used by NASA 15 Specifications Edit The NB 36H in flight Note the 2 pods each was mounted near the wingtips of the aircraft and both carried two GE J47 jet engines each General characteristics Crew 5 Length 49 38 m 162 ft 1 in Wingspan 70 10 m 230 ft 0 in Height 14 23 m 46 ft 8 in Wing area 443 3 m2 4 770 sq ft Gross weight 162 305 kg 357 500 lb Powerplant 4 General Electric J47 turbojets 23 1 kN 5 200 lbf thrust each Powerplant 6 Pratt amp Whitney R 4360 53 radials 2 830 kW 3 800 hp eachPerformance Maximum speed 676 km h 420 mph 360 kn Cruise speed 430 km h 270 mph 230 kn Service ceiling 12 200 m 40 000 ft See also EditRelated development Convair B 36 Peacemaker Convair X 6Aircraft of comparable role configuration and era Tupolev Tu 95LAL WS 125Related lists List of nuclear powered aircraftReferences EditCitations Edit a b Convair NB 36H The Crusader National Museum of the US Air Force 2009 06 26 Archived from the original on 2014 10 28 Retrieved 2017 07 09 a href Template Cite web html title Template Cite web cite web a CS1 maint bot original URL status unknown link a b Trakimavicius Lukas The Future Role of Nuclear Propulsion in the Military PDF NATO Energy Security Centre of Excellence Retrieved 2021 10 15 Emme Eugene M comp 1961 Aeronautics and Astronautics An American Chronology of Science and Technology in the Exploration of Space 1915 1960 Washington DC pp 49 63 Colon Raul Flying on Nuclear The American Effort to Built sic a Nuclear Powered Bomber Archived from the original on 2 November 2008 Retrieved 2008 11 05 Megazone The Decay of the Atomic Powered Aircraft Program Worcester Polytechnic Institute 1993 Retrieved 2008 11 05 a b c d e Jenkins Denis R 2004 X Planes Photo Scrapbook Specialty Press p 118 ISBN 9781580070768 a b c d Tucker Todd 2009 Atomic America How a Deadly Explosion and a Feared Admiral Changed the Course of Nuclear History Simon and Schuster p 130 ISBN 9781439158289 Convair NB 36 Bomber Aircraft with an Internal Nuclear Reactor Avia Time 25 March 2013 Retrieved 5 April 2014 Converted B 36 bomber NB 36H The U S Nuclear Weapons Cost Study Project Brookings Institution Retrieved 5 April 2014 Colon Raul 2007 08 06 Flying on Nuclear The American Effort to Built a Nuclear Powered Bomber The Aviation History Online Museum Retrieved 2012 01 24 a b c d Kaplan Philip 2005 Big Wings The Largest Aeroplanes Ever Built Pen and Sword p 104 ISBN 9781844151783 Cortright Vincent Dream of Atomic Powered Flight Aviation History March 1995 Atomic Energy Commission and Department of Defense February 1963 Report to the Congress of the United States Review of manned aircraft nuclear propulsion program PDF The Comptroller General of the United States p 141 Retrieved 2012 01 24 Bowles Mark D 2006 Science in Flux NASA s Nuclear Program at Plum Brook Station 1955 2005 Government Printing Office p 78 ISBN 9780160877377 a b Johnson Leland Schaffer David 1994 Oak Ridge National Laboratory The First Fifty Years Univ of Tennessee Press pp 76 77 ISBN 9780870498541 Mahaffey James 2010 Atomic Awakening A New Look at the History and Future of Nuclear Power Pegasus Books p 264 ISBN 9781605982038 Nuclear Powered Aircraft Brookings Institution Archived from the original on 2006 03 02 Petrescu Relly Victoria Petrescu Florian Ion 2013 New Aircraft II Color Books On Demand p 92 ISBN 9783848259854 Bibliography Edit Winchester Jim Concept Aircraft Prototypes X Planes and Experimental Aircraft Thunder Bay Press 2005 ISBN 978 1592234806External links Edit Wikimedia Commons has media related to Convair NB 36H Hot Flight The quest for nuclear powered flight on YouTube The Nuclear Airplane on YouTube Retrieved from https en wikipedia org w index php title Convair NB 36H amp oldid 1130391864, wikipedia, wiki, book, books, library,
