Comments by "Solo Renegade" (@SoloRenegade) on "Curious Droid"
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@katey1dog not necessarily. Bigger doesn't mean longer range.
P-51 was smaller than teh P-47 and had longer range, because it was more efficient.
If you know anything about aircraft design, you'd know size and weight are performance killers. the bigger and heavier it is, the more power is required to do things, and the more fuel that power needs.
B-29/B-50 entered service before the B-36, and also outlasted the the B-36 in service by 1-6yrs (1yr for B-29, 6rys for B-50).
First Flight
B-29: 1942
B-36: 1946
B-47: 1947
B-52: 1952
Entered Service
B-29: 1944
B-36: 1948
B-47: 1951
B-52: 1955
Retired
B-29: 1960
B-50: 1965
B-36: 1959
B-47: 1969-1977
B-52: in service
Crew
B-29: 11
B-36: 13 (all that extra manpower for little gain in performance)
B-47: 3 (more engines, less crew)
B-52: 5 (more engines, less crew)
B-1: 4
B-2: 2
B-21: optionally manned
Empty Weight
B-29: 74.5k lb
B-36: 166k lb
B-47: 80k lb
B-52: 185k lb (not much heavier than the B-36)
Max Weight
B-29: 135k lb
B-36: 410k lb
B-47: 221k lb
B-52: 488k lb (not much heavier than the B-36)
Max Range
B-29: 3,250mi
B-36: 3,985mi (barely better at all)
B-47: 2,013mi
B-52: 8,800mi (more than 2X the B-36, despite being only slightly heavier)
# of Engines
B-29: 4
B-36: 6
B-47: 6 (# of engines doesn't correlate to weight nor size)
B-52: 8 (# of engines doesn't correlate to weight nor size)
If you compare the physical dimensions, the B-36 is far bigger than the B-52 in length, wingspan, and wing area. This means bigger runways, bigger hangars, etc.
Wingspan in ft (wing area in sq ft)
B-29: 141 (1736)
B-36: 230 (4772)
B-52: 185 (4000)
The B-1 is equivalent in weight to the B-52, but only has less range than a B-29, due to speed. And has 4 engines.
B-2 is a bit lighter than a B-36, but has a 6,900mi range. So while being slightly smaller, with 4 engines, it actually goes 2x as far.
The B-21 is smaller still, but said to be able to bomb any target in on the planet without mid-air refueling. A nearly 20,000mi range! Notice how smaller equals greater range?
Also notice how crew sizes keeps getting smaller? More crew equals more training, more cost, more weight, more total manpower that had to be ready. For the manpower of 5x B-36s, you could man 13x B-52s.
Also, the massive size of the B-36 made maintenance and readiness levels more difficult and costly.
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I agree with the magnitude of the transistor's impact.
Imagine not having CAD, CNC, computers, software, internet, modern communications, etc. the implications of those other technologies using transistors not existing, or being nearly as developed as they are. Think of phones, cars, airplanes, and more that are packed with transistors these days. Some of those things would have continued to exist without them, but not in the same way.
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