Unfortunately I don't have any photos of my own to post with this. The last issue of Classic Trains mag had a writeup on this 60 page booklet, Flight of the M-497, written by Don Wetzel and Hank Morris. Don was the engineer/pilot of the M-497 when the US rail speed record was set on New York Central track near Bryan, Ohio in 1966. I ordered a copy and it came yesterday in the mail. Fascinating photos and text about the approval, the modification of the "Beeliner," the instrumentation installed, which really fascinated me, as it looked pretty much like the kind of stuff we had installed on Lockheed test airplanes in those days. A pretty short account of the actual runs, but the photos are some I had never seen before. Apparently there has been conjecture by people about many details of this event, and Don Wetzel sets the record straight. I always assumed (never do that) that the jet engines were originally on a B-47. Wrong, they were removed from a B-36, but they were (as assumed) J-47 engines capable of 5,200 lb. thrust. A digression here--the B-36 had six R-4360 corncob engines with pusher props, plus four J-47 jets. TEN engines. Do you suppose the crews declared an emergency when one failed? The dreaded nine-engine approach to landing. Anyway, for NY Central fans interested in odd things that the railroad did, this is a great read. I think it was $15.95, available from http://www.lulu.com
Is there such a thing as a film clip, with sound, of this experiment? It would be quite fascinating to hear such a machine blast past the viewer... Boxcab E50
That was an exciting technological experiment, much like the SNCF TGV speed run a year or so ago. But that's all they both were, an experiment to acquire data, not a glamorous PR stunt as so many people think. Jim, regards your comments on the B-36. I had the honor of working with a retired USAF SAC Command Pilot with more than 20,000 hours in the B-36, most during the 50's running the "Race Track" above the North Pole between Canada and the USSR. He told me the J-47s were used for take-off and climbing to cruise altitude. Once at the Race Track, all J-47s and many of the R-4360s would be shut down to conserve fuel while loitering. He said that if one of his ship's engines (each Command Pilot was assigned his own aircraft) approached its 1000 hour maintenance inspection and overhaul requirement, his crew chief would load all necessary parts, equipment, and maintenance team on board for the next 36 hour flight. When that particular engine reached 1000 hours, the pilot would shut it down and the crew chief and his team would perform a complete overhaul of that engine, including swapping jugs, replacing crank bearings, etc. Please understand that a 6'2" man could walk upright inside the wing to the first engine, stoop slightly to reach the second engine, then crawl the last few feet to reach the third engine. Everything required for a complete engine overhaul was performed while that engine was still mounted on its nacelle rails inside the wing, at more than 40,000 feet above the North Pole. BTW, he told me that one Sunday morning he returned to his base in northern Maine a little earlier than expected, so nobody was on duty to "guide" him to the plane's parking slot. So he stopped the plane near to the slot. Then turning it facing away from the slot, he had his crew chief hop out and guide him while backing the airplane into its slot....I guess all in a day's work for something weighing 90 Tons empty, carrying a 40 Ton load, and capable of taking off with a 205 Ton maximum weight.
Hank, thanks for that info. One of my old (and unfortunately late) co-workers worked for one of the electrical vendors on the B-36 and told me of walking into the wing in flight to change a generator or some other component of the electrical system. I don't know if I have photos of the B-36 at the former Castle AFB on my site or not. I'll try a link. http://www.pioneer.net/~fitzrr/wedding0167.jpg
Hank- That is truly amazing as at 40,000 feet, temperatures should be at least in the minus fifty range, if not well below that. How they could work in such conditions...??? Boxcab E50
I agree, and the wings were not pressurized either. Unfortunately I never thought to ask. Even though working in cold weather flight gear with oxygen masks may have made the job take longer, it gave them something to keep from being bored on those 24-30 hour flights. OK, knowing first-hand that young airmen are happiest when they have something to gripe about, those guys must have been ecstatic. :tb-tongue:
