I sometimes find it interesting to see how others who are preserving large non-rail historical artifacts are doing. Generally, they seem to face the same money and space problems we do. Intrigued by recent Discovery Channel programs on finding a lost B-29 (in Lake Mead, Nevada) and a B-36 bomber (crashed in British Columbia), I was curious about how many of the huge B-36s remained. It appears there are three, one intact at the Air Force Museum in Ohio, plus two others dismantled, in search of a permanent home. The one in Ohio was the last to fly, to the museum in 1959. The page below has much info, including details of the three survivors and details of several that crashed in use:

http://www.air-and-space.com/peacemkr.htm

Bob;

That website brings back memories. In August 1977 my brother took me and my younger sister on a driving trip to the Grand Canyon and back.

While we were in San Antonio; we toured the XC-99 on display across the street from Kelly AFB. I still remember how big that plane was.

While we were there, a pair of F-100 Sabre jets (if my memory is correct) took off.

We were leaving San Antonio on our way into the desolation of West Texas when the news came on the radio that Elvis Presley had died. I remember how lonely it all of a sudden felt to be so far from home in the middle of nowhere.

I have many momeries from that trip but few pictures; we accidently threw all of our film away when we were cleaning the car out on our way home. I only have the pictures from the film that was still in my camera.

I often wondered what happened to the XC-99; now I know.

-James Hefner
Hebrews 10:20a

Surviving World Steam Project

The XC-99 was the cargo version of the B-36. They basically put a double-deck cargo fuselage on the B-36 airframe. There was only one XC-99 built. It has 6 radial piston pusher engines. Operational B-36's got 4 jets each to go with their 6 props (total: 10 engines per aircraft) but not the XC-99.

I've been to Dayton many times with my Dad. The B36 is simply awsome.

When I was about five years old (1950), I watched and heard the B-36's at Barksdale AFB in Bossier City, LA circle in a holding pattern as what I believe was the entire fleet at the base was gathered up and then flown west to retirement/scrapping. It is not a sound or sight I'm likely to forget.

Alex Huff

From memory and a web search it appears there are four left, one at the Air Force Museum; the former SAC Museum near Offutt AFB, NE; Castle Air Museum, at the former Castle AFB in CA; and one possibly at Carswell AFB, the last to be built and folks are trying to move it.