The final Convair B-36J Peacemaker ever built, 52-2827 ‘City of Fort Worth’, has been moved to the @PimaAirSpaceMuseum restorations hangar for some TLC after nearly 20-years in the Arizona sun. Scott Marchand, the Pima Air and Space Museum’s CEO, joins us from the cockpit of the B-36 to discuss what is going to happen over the coming months as the B-36 is stripped back to bare metal and then given many new coats of paint.
Check out all the links to the Pima Air and Space Museum below!
Be sure to give @boneyardsafari a follow! Many thanks to Ramon Purcell for allowing use of his aerials and images in this episode.
Follow Boneyard Safari at:
—————————————————–
🛫 Join us on Patreon! Join from just £3 + VAT a month to get ad-free episodes, chat with Matt, and receive a personalised welcome pack. Click here for more info:
—————————————————–
✈️Get the latest from the Pima Air and Space Museum by following their socials!
Website:
Check out the Tucson Military Vehicle Museum here:
👕Get your aviation on with 909
Apparel today! Check out their website here:
—————————————————–
The Aviation Show © 2026 by Matt Bone is licensed under Attribution-ShareAlike 4.0 International
—————————————————–
00:00 B-36 Restoration Update
13:36 F-117A Stealth Fighter Update
15:24 Sopwith Camel Reproduction Now On Display
16:58 E-2C Hawkeye Now On Display
19:57 Martin Mars Tours
source
I helped with the group in Ft Worth move it from the display to the tarmac at greater southwest airpor
It was retired in 1959 on Feb 12
Amazing how the majority of aircraft at PAM are low time aircraft, ones put to storage right before they moved on to another aircraft for a new role.
When they flew the B47 out of China Lake, they did it on a Sunday. and didn't tell a soul they were planning to fly that day. I was so sad.
In 1952, on Memorial Day, I was riding with my dad through town in his pickup. He suddenly stopped in the street and said to open the door, stand on the running board and look up. The sky was dimmed by a huge B-36 doing a low pass-over, to celebrate the holiday. It seemed to be not much higher than the treetops and the rumble of those engines was deafening. I shouted that, "It's a B-36 and it's got the new jet engines!" My dad seemed pleased that I knew all that. I'd seen pictures of it, but nothing takes the place of having it fly right over your head. An Air Force general was visiting a wildlife refuge, when some trumpeter swans flew over. He described them as looking like B-36s with feathers.
I’ve seen the B-36 at the Castle AFB outdoor museum. They are an amazing aircraft, that (thank God) never had to fulfil their intended roles.
Love this museum. And now they have a military equipment museum next to it. That museum has tanks, artillery pieces, trucks, guns, uniforms, etc. Extra charge but worth it.
B-36 spa day
Incredible how big PIMA AIR MUSEUM has grown. I'm from Tucson and when I got out of the Air Force in 1976 the museum consisted of a few aircraft and a WW-2 barracks that was relocated from Davis-Monthan AFB and NOT much more out there. The museum was in its infancy. My AF buddy and I were early volunteers.
I wonder what became of the sections of the YB-36 that was in Walter Soplata’s backyard, in Ohio?
In 1977 – 78 me and Vought explorer scout group 1132 23 of us . Dismantled this very B-36 on the ramp of Amon Carter Field after the Air Force took possession of it from a group who were attempting to rebuild it to flying condition . We dismantled the aircraft and placed it on several flatbed truck trailers. They were eventually moved to Carswell AFB . In Fort Worth.
Omg this would be so cool to see this fully restored would be cool to see the bomber jets restored to…I wish the billionaires would donate towards these causes for our future generations to see
It will never happen I'm sure, but how I'd love to see a B-36 fly
The B36 is the coolest big plane ever built. I have loved it since I was a kid in the 1950's.
The B-36 that was restored in Ft. Worth and just trucked to you to take credit for??
Growing up in El Paso, Texas at the age of about 7 and 8 I remember the B-36's flying low over our house to land at Biggs Air Force Base near by. I loved the sound of their engines, a loud humming sound if I recall. I was disappointed when one day no B-36's but the new B-47 jet bomber came flying over our house for landing.
This is the same one that they fired the engines over in the 1970s and the government came in an stopped the men from going any further with it?
Yaa nuke come and get your shit.
01:35 …and deterring nuclear war. But hey, who cares about THAT? Cancelling any plans I might ever have had to visit PimaAirSpaceMuseum…
I thought it was magnesium monster 😊
Wait, isn't this the plane that was being restored to flying condition in the 90s in Fort Worth? They were stopped because the Russians considered it a violation of the SALT Treaty if a strategic bomber was put back into the air.
Its only saving grace is that episode 9, rise of Skywalker, is the worst movie of all time. I have never been more shocked at the quality of any movie in my life.
To me, the start-up, taxi, and departure of 51-5734 (B-36H-35) from the movie "Strategic Air Command" (Paramount 1955) was the most ENTHRALLING moment captured on film.
Will we ever see this beautiful airplane fly again??
The high point of my visit to Pima in February. Was looking a bit shabby, though, so this restoration is good news, indeed. Maybe the B-58 can be added to the list (also looking a bit shabby). I did see this B-36 in Ft. Worth in 1969, and the one at the Air Force Museum a few years ago. Always impressive.
isn't this the same plane that had an experimental nuclear reactor in it to see how long it could keep flying my question for that would be how do you keep the engines running off the power?
He said "doo doo"