Impossible to shoot full-frame without some obstructions, so this was about the best photo possible.

Last B-36 built. Delivered in 1954. Retired and preserved at Amon Carter Field, later Greater Southwest Airport, Fort Worth, Texas in 1959. Moved to the Southwest Aerospace Museum in the late 70s. Remained at Carswell after the museum closed in 1992. Moved to the Pima Air and Space Museum, Tucson, AZ in 2005.

"Six Turning, Four Burning". The awesome B-36, surely one of Pima's most spectacular exhibits. On 14th August 1954 this Peacemaker became the last to be delivered, but by 1959 with the advent of SAC's jet bombers, all had finished their service lives. Moved in sections from preservation at Fort Worth, TX to Pima and reassembled there between 2005 and 2009. Marked as operated by the 95th BW, Biggs AFB, El Paso, TX

This is the first B-36, first flown on 8 August 1946. The beast had unprecedented wheel pressure and the XB-36 is seen here fitted with tracked landing gear units which should allow the Peacemaker to bomb Russia from forward polar airfields. The XB-36 did make one flight with this gear before the idea was abandoned. Later the aircraft was used for research into a nuclear-powered B-36 variant. Photo from: US Air Force

This is the RB-36H that is now at Castle Air Museum as it appeared at Chanute AFB in 1979, for some reason painted as B-36B 44-92065. It's possible that I flew on this aircraft when it was with the 718th Bomb Squadron at Ellsworth AFB, Rapid City, South Dakota. The circle W markings would be the 326th Bomb Squadron(H) 42nd Bomb Wing at Loring AFB, Maine.,

True Identity 51-13730

Peacemaker on display in the Cold War Gallery at NMUSAF. It wears the emblem of SAC on its nose of an armored fist holding red lightning flashes and an olive branch. At its peak, SAC operated 342 Peacemakers, of which 209 were bombers and 133 were reconnaissance/bomber (RB) variants. Its B-36 units included the 5th, 6th, 7th, 11th, 28th, 42nd, 72nd, 92nd, 95th and 99th BW. As the big stick in nuclear deterrence, the B-36 held the line till replaced by the B-47 and B-52 in the all-jet SAC bomber force.

19 Jan 1954: TOS USAF; assigned to 11th Bombardment (Heavy) Wing (SAC), Carswell AFB, TX. 12/54: 42nd Bombardment (H) Wing (SAC), Loring AFB, ME. 5/56: 95th Bombardment (H) Wing (SAC), Biggs AFB, TX. 2/59: Davis-Monthan AFB for storage. 30 April 1959: Last flight of a B-36 when it flew to Wright Field, Wright-Patterson AFB, OH, for storage while awaiting the building of a new Air Force Museum.

19 Jan 1954: TOS USAF; assigned to 11th Bombardment (Heavy) Wing (SAC), Carswell AFB, TX. 12/54: 42nd Bombardment (H) Wing (SAC), Loring AFB, ME. 5/56: 95th Bombardment (H) Wing (SAC), Biggs AFB, TX. 2/59: Davis-Monthan AFB for storage. 30 April 1959: Last flight of a B-36 when it flew to Wright Field, Wright-Patterson AFB, OH, for storage while awaiting the building of a new Air Force Museum.

19 Jan 1954: TOS USAF; assigned to 11th Bombardment (Heavy) Wing (SAC), Carswell AFB, TX. 12/54: 42nd Bombardment (H) Wing (SAC), Loring AFB, ME. 5/56: 95th Bombardment (H) Wing (SAC), Biggs AFB, TX. 2/59: Davis-Monthan AFB for storage. 30 April 1959: Last flight of a B-36 when it flew to Wright Field, Wright-Patterson AFB, OH, for storage while awaiting the building of a new Air Force Museum.

22 Dec 1953: TOS USAF and assigned to the 7th Bombardment Wing (Heavy) at Carswell AFB, TX. 30 Sep 1954: 42nd Bomb Wing (H), Loring AFB, ME. 10 Aug 1956: 95th Bomb Wing (H) at Biggs AFB, TX. 2/59: Davis-Monthan AFB, AZ for storage. 14 Apr 1959: SOC. 22 Apr 1959: Flown to Offutt AFB, NE for display at the Strategic Air Command Museum; this was the next-to-last flight of a B-36. In 1997 it was disassembled and trucked to the new museum facility at Ashland, NE.

22 Dec 1953: TOS USAF and assigned to the 7th Bombardment Wing (Heavy) at Carswell AFB, TX. 30 Sep 1954: 42nd Bomb Wing (H), Loring AFB, ME. 10 Aug 1956: 95th Bomb Wing (H) at Biggs AFB, TX. 2/59: Davis-Monthan AFB, AZ for storage. 14 Apr 1959: SOC. 22 Apr 1959: Flown to Offutt AFB, NE for display at the Strategic Air Command Museum; this was the next-to-last flight of a B-36. In 1997 it was disassembled and trucked to the new museum facility at Ashland, NE.

Constructed as YB-36, all updated features were added to this one while on the production line; retained by Convair. 4 Dec '47: First flight. 15 Dec '47: Third flight, reached 40,000+ ft. 1948: Redesignated YB-36A after several modifications. 31 May '49: TOS USAF; assigned to 72nd Bombardment Wing (Heavy) (SAC), Ramey AFB, PR 10/50: Converted to RB-36E with added four J-47 jet engines to the wings and returned to 72nd BW. 18 Feb 1957: Flown from Ramey AFB to Patterson Field, Wright-Patterson AFB, OH, for display at the Air Force Museum. 1971: Scrapped. Parts to Walter Soplata of Newbury, OH.

The B-36 is the largest bomber and the last piston engine powered bomber produced by the United States. First designed to meet a World War II requirement for a plane capable of hitting targets in Germany from bases in the United States the prototype did not fly until August 8, 1946. A total of 383 Peacemakers were built between 1947 and 1954. Markings shown on this unit: 95th Bomb Wing, Biggs AFB, El Paso, Texas

Painted with red panels on the tail and wings for deployment to Alaska from its base at Carswell AFB, Texas. 44-92033 suffered several accidents in its career but survived to be retired in 1956 to Davis-Monthan for eventual scrapping. By then it had been converted to a B-36D with podded jet booster engines. Photo from: National Archives at College Park, Maryland

Photo believed to be at Fairchild AFB where 44-92080 was delivered after its conversion from a B-36B to a D model with podded jet engines. It crashed at Fairchild on January 29, 1952 after it landed short and burst into flames. All onboard survived. A few months later the same pilot crashed B-36 44-92050 due to incorrectly set elevator trim. 15 of the 17 onboard were killed including the pilot. Photo from: National Archives at College Park, Maryland