Warbird Information Exchange

... required a strict program of beginner link trainer to B-36 flight simulator.

or something like that ...


I'm sure it all started with The Atom.










The Curtiss-Wright B-36 simulator contained an actual cockpit for pilot, copilot and flight
engineer. Behind the cockpit is the instructor's compartment.



Eventually the actual flying begins.


XB-36 42-13570

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“Knowing what’s right, doesn’t mean much unless you do what’s right.”

Mark: Did you notice that the simulator was the "portable" one? Some good shots of the XB there.

The last cockpit photo is the XC-99 flight deck.

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When I was young "sex was safe & flying was dangerous".

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Ain't no sunshine when she's gone!

Reminds me of that line in Apollo 13 "imagine a computer, that could fit in a single room"

All that computing power is likely contained in my smart phone, no doubt.

I was watching Apollo 13 a few days ago thinking about how they achieved the simulators at NASA, hadn't realised such things went as far back as the B-36!

Correct indeed. "Convair XC-99 flight deck during flight. Photo: June 28, 1952." Note the triple columns of double-pointer engine instruments over the flight engineer for the six Pratt & Whitney R-4360-41s.

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“Knowing what’s right, doesn’t mean much unless you do what’s right.”

Convair XC-99 at Kelly Air Force Base, San Antonio, Texas, USA. June 19, 1952.


Stinson L-13 with the Convair XC-99. 16 March 1949

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“Knowing what’s right, doesn’t mean much unless you do what’s right.”

I crawled all through the XB-99 while parked outside Kelly AFB back in the late 60's before it was fenced in. The only thing I was worried about was finding a large yellowjacket nest while up in the tail section...

I crawled around everything in the airplane - including within the wings - back in early 1977 when the XC-99 was across the road from Kelly AFB. A group of people were working to build an aviation museum around this.

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Kevin McCartney

Too bad that sim isn't around today.It would be a hoot to fly.

You wouldn't be able to fly it even if it still existed. No way it'd still work and nobody would be able to fix the thing.

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Life member, 91st BG Memorial Association
Owner, 1944 Willys MB #366014
Former REMF (US Army, O3)

Imagine the first crews, getting used to taxiing (and landing) an aircraft from such a high vantage point.

I suppose the Boeing Stratocruiser (C-97) would have been a decent trainer for ground handling.

To help 747 crews, Boeing made a elevated ground trainer.

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Remember the vets, the wonderful planes they flew and their sacrifices for a future many of them did not live to see.
Note political free signature.
I figure if you wanted my opinion on items unrelated to this forum, you'd ask for it.

What museum would not love to have that simulator set up in thier collection? Visitors would LOVE to sit in it. you could run it as a premium add on attraction

Tom P