wayback in the 1950s and 1960s, the USAF actually had one or two
nclear powered bombers. i think they were either B-29s or B-36s.
flew routinely out of CARSWELL AFB, FORT WORTH, TEXAS, as part of a SAC test
program.
heavy, slow, and dangerous in the event of a crash-contamination of
crash site.
this info is now available to the general US public under the FREEDOM OF
INFORMATION ACT.
i have been told there was even a TV program aired about this program on PBS,
TLC, THC, or similiar.
and there i was , watching those big iron birds-both SAC bombers and
SAC nuke powered test aircraft fly overhead - and never had a clue as
to the experimental aircraft going over me home as kid!
the future was already there, way back then!
I believe that said airplanes weren't actually powered by the reactor they
only got as far flying a bomber with a working reactor in the back they didn't
get as far as using the reactor to power the bomber, they gave it up in the
end as a bad idea due to the danger of crashing and the danger to the crew
from flying around infront of a nuclear reactor, plus the glow gave the planes
away at night;), only kidding on the last point.
[quoted original message omitted]
> On Mon, 11 Feb 2002 09:10:21 -0600 (CST) DAWGFACE47@webtv.net wrote:
> way back in the 1950s and 1960s, the USAF actually had one or two
Specifically, there was the NB-36, a modified Peacemaker used to test
the shielding requirements (high!) for a genuine nuke-powered aircraft.
The NB-36 carried a small reactor, but it was not hooked up to the
a/c's systems and did _not_ provide any power -- especially not
propulsion; that was handled by the usual "6 turnin', 4 burnin'" engines.
And that's as far as any (known) examples of flying nuclear power plants go;
there have been lots of designs and proposals, but nothing else that I know of
ever left the ground.
As for the documentary, I'd be interested to know more details about that;
sounds interesting.
Phil
----
> At 09:10 11/02/02 -0600, you wrote:
> wayback in the 1950s and 1960s, the USAF actually had one or two
Maybe not the B-36 per say, but one was converted to a test aircraft,
the
NB-36H. a quick search returned this:
http://www.brook.edu/FP/projects/nucwcost/anp.htm
As I understand it the reactor was carried to see if it could be done, the
B-36H's 'normal' engines still propelled the aircraft.
Cheers
Does anyone know what came of the nuclear powered rocket they tried to build
in the 60s out in the Nevada Desert.
[quoted original message omitted]
G'Day also found this:
http://www.islandone.org/Propulsion/AtomPlane.html
Cheers
In a message dated 2/11/02 8:45:01 AM Mountain Standard Time,
> Nick_Garbett@nsb.co.uk writes:
> Does anyone know what came of the nuclear powered rocket they tried
Here is the complete listing of major events in the KIWI engine test program
of Project Rover. (The NERVA nuclear rocket engine program)
> http://www.friends-partners.org/mwade/project/nerva.htm