Most agile four engined aircraft ww2?

[VA5124]

No. It's not. B-17 could in in contention. The Lancaster, also. Not the B-29.

Are you blind the B-29 is a very nice looking aircraft

 

[GrauGeist]

The B-36's wingspan is literally the length of a city block, so yeah, it's going to require six engines and four boosters.

The Huges H-4 (Spruce Goose) had eight engines.

The BV238 had six engines.

 

[VA5124]

The B-36's wingspan is literally the length of a city block, so yeah, it's going to require six engines and four boosters.

The Huges H-4 (Spruce Goose) had eight engines.

The BV238 had six engines.

You cant look good with so many though

 

[GrauGeist]

You cant look good with so many though

It looks sexy as hell with it's six turnin', four burnin'

 

[VA5124]

It looks sexy as hell with it's six turnin', four burnin'

You are blind

 

[wlewisiii]

Bombers? Pretty?

The Swoose.

'nuff said.

 

[Thumpalumpacus]

Which is a shiney B-17G.

I've been aboard her for a flight as well as several photo shoots.

She's a pretty gal, but can't hold a candle to a B-29 or B-36 in the "Dayum!" category.

That's what Chief told me they called a B-36. He enlisted in 1949, I figure he knew.

 

[special ed]

The Martin P4M Mercator came with two jets built into the rear of the piston nacelles, so a 4 engine,2 turning ,2burning from the start.

In 1960 at W.Pat, the B-36 was on outside unrestored display. A USAFA cadet looked (with a boost up) in a waist blister and seeing the bunks of the relief crew section, exclaimed, "It's a flying whore house."

 

[GrauGeist]

What's impressive about the B-36, is that it could lift more and carry it further, than the B-52.

It's only drawback, is that it's top speed was less than 500mph. Perhaps turboprops like the Tu-95 has, could have extended it's service life to a degree.

 

[special ed]

Or the YB-60.

 

[SaparotRob]

If you're building a multi engine jet anyway, why not go with a clean sheet design?
Boeing builds them prettier anyway.

 

[GrauGeist]

Or the YB-60.

The YB-60's range was short of 3,000 miles compared to the B-36's range of 10,000 plus it's max. lift was the B-36's standard load of 72,000 (the B-36 max. load was about 87,000 pounds for shorter ranged missions).

It would be interesting to see how turboprops would have enabled the Peacemaker to retain it's piston-powered range/load profile while increasing speed.
The Tu-95 has a range of about 9,300 miles, though it's much smaller.

 

[33k in the air]

The YB-60's range was short of 3,000 miles compared to the B-36's range of 10,000 plus it's max. lift was the B-36's standard load of 72,000 (the B-36 max. load was about 87,000 pounds for shorter ranged missions).

It would be interesting to see how turboprops would have enabled the Peacemaker to retain it's piston-powered range/load profile while increasing speed.
The Tu-95 has a range of about 9,300 miles, though it's much smaller.

According to the Standard Aircraft Characteristics for the B-36B, the combat radius with maximum bomb load (86,000 lbs) was 1,757 nautical miles. That was with an initial cruising altitude of 10,000 feet, and a final cruising and bombing altitude of 25,000.

With a 10,000 lb bomb load and a final cruising and bombing altitude of 40,000 feet, the combat radius was 3,500 nautical miles.

Source.

 

[msxyz]

Eric Brown's take on the He 177 is worth examining for perspective. He said that its climb was ponderous and in flight the aircraft was sensitive to turbulence, but he found that stability was positive in all axes, but that control sensitivity was high for such a large aircraft, believing the elevator to be dangerously light. When performing diving trials, at a 400 km/h dive the aircraft handled well, and control responsiveness was good, particularly in the elevator, which might explain its sensitivity, although he remarked that aircraft had suffered structural failure in flight so he was very careful with not over exerting use of the elevator.

As a dive bomber, Brown stated that it was vital to know the exact weight of the aircraft before making diving attacks, with pull-out acceleration of 2.3G and a weight of 27 tonnes, this was extremely important. The aircraft had an automatic pull-out device, but, in his word, "...it really was somewhat nail-biting to have to treat a giant like this immense Heinkel bomber as though it were made of glass", concluding that "...dive bombing in a Junkers Ju 87 was one thing, but in a monster like the He 177 it was little short of ludicrous."

He states that the stalling characteristics were mild with pronounced buffet at 185 km/h (115 mph) and with the undercarriage lowered it buffeted violently at 140 km/h (87 mph), which led Brown to fear the aircraft had suffered structural damage. Landing roll was lengthy and the aircraft showed no desire to want to slow down, heavy braking inducing excessive judder and a tendency for the aircraft to swing as it slowed down. Brown believed the brakes were too inadequate to slow it and with the very real threat of ground looping the aircraft, knowing that it had undercarriage difficulties, plus the delicate handling in flight, led him to thinking it was far too fragile handling-wise for an operational bomber. Retrospectively he stated that during his career he really enjoyed test-flying the numerous German aircraft he flew, but with one exception, the He 177.

Interesting memories from someone with first hand experience. It confirms that the base design was promising but implementation suffered from some bad decisions, taken outside of Heinkel's offices.

 

[nuuumannn]

It confirms that the base design was promising but implementation suffered from some bad decisions, taken outside of Heinkel's offices.

Agree in principle but Heinkel is not entirely blameless. Take a look at the post before the one you linked to, some of those things that the aircraft suffered are entirely Heinkel's doing.

 

[nuuumannn]

If I ever get around to buying an Airstream trailer, I swear I will mount a dummy turret on top and paint on a star/bar insignia.

I'll be round with my chilly bin full of beers. Party at Thump's caravan tonight, boys and bring some .50 cal ammo....

 

[Dimlee]

Four-engined beauty contest?
(demonic laughter in the background)

 

[nuuumannn]

Four-engined beauty contest?

We hav a winna...

 

[Thumpalumpacus]

Four-engined beauty contest?
(demonic laughter in the background)
View attachment 658104

If my dog looked like that I'd shave his ass and train him to walk backwards.

 

[buffnut453]

It fell out of the ugly tree and hit every single branch on the way down...some of them twice, I think!