YB-60 Taxies Out

One of the two Convair YB-60 prototypes taxies out for a test flight. Originally designated XB-36G, the YB-60 incorporated the same fuselage as the B-36 with new wings, nose and tail sections as well as pure turbojet power plants. The Convair aircraft was found to be significantly inferior to the competing Boeing B-52 and was cancelled.

[@lincbond442]

Prototype aircraft had so much character in the 50's. Most had very distinct writing on the nose with the aircraft designation and company logo. Really cool stuff!

[@Dan.d649]

The YB,-60 simply was a unique airplane. Convair was teetering with the XB-36 "Peacemaker" fuselage, but modified it with large "swept back" wings and the tail plane assembly. It was to be powered by eight P&W J-57 turbojet engines, pairs of two underwing just like the B-52. Boeing was already developing the B-52 "Stratofortress" to replace the existing B-47s. Only two YB-60s were ever built. One of the two was used for flight testing while the other airplane was for ground testing. I must say, this was a quite an impressive design that did not succeed, unlike the B-52, which was mass-produced and excelled all the way to this very present day.

[@ward6226]

There was 2 made. This one and one that never received it's engines. I think both were scrapped.

[@Sublette217]

Interesting - this shows the tail wheel deployed...

[@NickHey]

Not really, since the YB-60 had 70% same parts as the B-36, it was way cheaper to make than the B-52, and carried a heavier bomb load

[@Tremolux59]

@DevanC105 Basically yes.

[@elsandobottoms]

I saw this baby on its first flight. A kid racing down a gravel road on his bicycle, totally excited. Most of my family had built B-24s during the war and the B-36 after that. I couldn't imagine how a cool plane, the YB-60, with the sharp pointed nose could be beat out by the ugly B-52. Later I understood. The B-52 has been a war horse.

[@kdraper2007]

What do you mean, Not really? they stuck a moderately swept wings on a B-36 which was obsolete when it entered service. that's halfassed. if every manufacturer did that you'd be blasting around in a jet powered Curtis Jenny bi-plane. B-52 had a higher speed, higher altitude, & was a much better handling airplane.

[@145Slap789]

It says that up top!

[@toddi1971]

I love the B-36 but we have to admit that B52 has much better performance than YB-60. Speed alone of B-52 is 100mph faster than YB-60.

[@kdraper2007]

Convair tried to halfass a jet bomber & lost out to Boeing. Just shows what happens when you get lazy.