Relay-Version: version B 2.10 5/3/83; site utzoo.UUCP Posting-Version: version B 2.10.1 9/27/83; site saturn.UUCP Path: utzoo!watmath!clyde!burl!hou3c!hocda!houxm!ihnp4!zehntel!hplabs!saturn!lacy From: lacy@saturn.UUCP (Sharon Lacy) Newsgroups: net.aviation Subject: B-36 & B-58 Message-ID: <2355@saturn.UUCP> Date: Mon, 17-Sep-84 18:57:33 EDT Article-I.D.: saturn.2355 Posted: Mon Sep 17 18:57:33 1984 Date-Received: Tue, 25-Sep-84 03:38:44 EDT Organization: Hewlett Packard Labs, Palo Alto CA Lines: 21 At the risk of contradicting someone who has first hand knowledge, I wanted to add some information that I got from my father. He was in the Air Force from 1950 - 1973 and worked on several of the planes that have been discussed. The B-36 did indeed have a smaller plane "attached" to its belly. The project was known as "Ficon" and the plane was an F84G. The Ficon was retrieved by a hook extending from the belly, a couple of stablizers secured it and the pilot left the Ficon and entered the B-36 via the bombay. The tube was used to connect the pressurized cockpit to the pressurized gunners compartment. You traveled from the cockpit to the gunners compartment by laying on your back on a sliding platform and pulling yourself along with an overhanging rope. He contends that the B-58 had less than a full "life" because it was difficult to maintain. Sharon Lacy hplabs!lacy