Consolidated/Convair/General Dynamics
Photo Page
The Larry Westin Consolidated photo page features the Consolidated PB2Y Coronado
flying boat and the B-36 Peacemaker bomber. Also included are other Consolidated,
Convair and General Dynamics aircraft; including the B-24 Liberator, C-87
Liberator Express (cargo verson of B-24), Model 39 Liberator Liner, L-5
Sentinel, L-13, B-32 Dominator, XB46, B58 Hustler, PBY Catalina, T-29 Flying
Classroom, YB-60 Jet Peacemaker, XC-99 Cargo version of the B-36, the WB-57F,
the General Dynamics modified Martin B-57 Canbera and the BT-13 "Vibrator."
Last Updated 12/29/07.
Long range propeller driven aircraft are a personal favorite. Flying boats of
the late 1930's really began practical long range flying. Four engine flying
boats such as the Short Sunderland, and "C" and "G" class flying boats; as well
as the American Martin M-130 "China Clipper" and Boeing 314 are very famous. The
Consolidated PB2Y Coronado featured here, although possibly the least known
American 4 engine flying boat, was also the most produced American 4 engine
flying boat with 217 examples built.
B-24 Liberator and C-87 Liberator Express
A nice color inflight view of B-24A Liberator.
This is serial number 40-2369, the first production B-24. Large American flags
painted on the nose and on the top of the fuselage. About 52K,
added 11/29/98.
Ground view of the C-87 Liberator Express, the
cargo version of the B-24 Liberator bomber. About 66K, added 06/09/99,
rescanned and updated 12/29/07.
Consolidated Model 39 Liberator-Liner
An inflight side view of the first Consolidated
Model 39 Liberator-Liner. This is Navy Bureau number 09803.
About 109K, added 10/17/07.
An inflight view of Consolidated Model 39
Liberator-Liner. Toward the end of World War II Consolidated used the wings
of a B-24, the tail of a PB4Y-2 Privateer, and built an entirely new fuselage to
create this special built freighter. Consolidated built just two of these
aircraft. That shown is NX30039 in the livery of American Airlines who flew
this airplane for about 3 months. Shortly afterward this aircraft, as well as
the second example registered NX3939, were scrapped as no interest was shown by
the airlines, particularly since many surplus transports were becoming available
at very low cost. This aircraft is also identified as the Convair model
104. About 119K, added 07/10/04.
Ground view of the Consolidated Model 39
Liberator-Liner. Two model 39 Liberator-Liner's were built, this image has a
different paint schem than I've seen before. About 79K,
added 05/29/05.
BT-13 Valiant (more commonly the "Vibrator")
Beautiful inflight view of a BT-13A "Vibrator".
Although officially named the "Valiant" it was more commonly called the
"Vibrator." This photo is of sn 41-22172. Lettering near front cockpit says the
aircraft is from Minter Field. About 49K.
Consolidated B-32 Dominator
XB-32 with late style Single Fin and rudder.
Inflight view of serial 41-18336. This is the third B-32 airplane built. About 40K.
TB-32 Serial Number 42-108522. The TB-32's
lacked the gun turrets of the bombardment aircraft. Except for the missing
turrets this photo is representative of the few combat aircraft built. A very
nice inflight view, about 28K.
Inflight view of a TB-32, unfortunately
I cannot see the serial number on the photograph. About 31K,
added 6/28/02.
Inflight side view of B32-1-CF 42-108471 This
is the firs production bomber and shown with turrets. Via
Mark Natola. About 32K,
added 4/1/98.
B32 with early short B29 type vertical stabilizer
and rudder. One of only two B32's to use this tail configuration. This airplane,
42-108471, shown above with the standard production B32 tail. Via
Mark Natola. About 22K,
added 4/1/98.
B-32-1-CF 42-108472 This is the second
production B-32 built. Note the single rudder trim tab of the -1-CF aircraft.
This aircraft had the nose gear collaspe on its delivery flight to the USAAF.
The aircraft was damaged beyond repair in the landing accident. B&W, about 63K,
added 8/12/04.
Last of the B32's, believed to be the last B32.
Eventually scrapped. Via Mark Natola,
about 32K, added 4/1/98.
Consolidated B-36 Peacemaker
View of an early B-36B Peacemaker at Carswell
AFB, Fort Worth, Texas. This is the first production version of the B-36 before
the jet engines were added. Two aircraft can be seen in this image. My thanks
to homepage viewer Steve Moseley for
sending me this image. About 59K, added 7/5/99.
A beautiful Convair RB-36D In-flight view of a
Convair RB-36D Peacemaker. The view is 1/2 front, right side, slightly above,
over clouds, over Carswell AFB, Fort Worth. B&W, about 67K. Originally
added 08/17/00, rescanned to higher resolution
11/23/07.
Same Convair RB-36D In-flight Convair RB-36D
Peacemaker. The view is 1/2 front, right side, slightly above, over clouds.
About 38K.
Yet another view of B36 49-2688, this time a
side view from slightly above. About 50K,
added 8/17/00.
Convair RB-36D this is the same airplane,
49-2688, but from slightly below. USAF photo. About 26K,
added 10/29/97.
Convair RB-36E this airplane, serial
number 44-92020, was built as a B-36A and later modified to the RB-36E
configuration shown here. Photo by
Warren M. Bodie via the
Frederick G. Freeman collection. About
28K, added 10/29/97.
An Aerial view of the Convair plant during
B36 production. Taken during the height of B-36 production, also shown are
both YB-60 aircraft, one at the middle right, the other almost in the center
between hangars. My thanks to
Patrick Gallagher, a long time
General Dynamics, now Lockheed-Martin, employee for this image. About 197K,
added 11/03/06.
Consolidated Vultee XB-46
Inflight view of the Consolidated Vultee XB46 Bomber.
This airplane is sn 45-59582. Appears to be over the Mojave Desert near El
Mirage dry lake. About 86K, added 11/2/98.
A second inflight view of the Consolidated Vultee
XB46 Bomber. This is the only XB46 built, sn
45-59582. About 39K, added 11/2/98.
"General Dynamics" WB-57F (Modified Martin Canbera)
WB-57F 63-13502 Inflight - Beautiful view.
Image set to 509x386 pixels for viewing on standard 640x480 resolution screens.
Consolidated (General Dynamics) modified Martin RB-57D serial number 53-3970 to
build this airplane. Although it started as a RB-57D, it is an almost entirely
new airplane. About 58K. My thanks to
Don Pyeatt and
Prentiss Hutcheson for making this
photo available. Added 9/14/97. Also
available is another image of the same photograph, this is a
WB-57F in High Resolution for more detail.
About 504K, Added 5/29/05.
Convair B-58 Hustler
Convair B-58 Hustler, a beautiful inflight view
of serial number 60-118. About 46K,
added 11/2/98.
Consolidated YB-60 Jet Peacemaker
Close up of the YB-60 Nose. This photo shows
the unusual weights added to the nose gear when fuel tanks were enpty. My
thanks to Don Pyeatt and
Prentiss Hutcheson for providing the
print. About 40K, added 9/7/97.
Consolidated YB-60. Seen at Fort Worth,
believed to be the first airplane 49-2676. My thanks to
Don Pyeatt for sending me the
photograph. About 35K, added 8/18/97.
Consolidated YB-60 Inflight. 49-2676 on
its first publicly released flight view (could not tell from the press
release if this was the first flight). My thanks to
Don Pyeatt and
Prentiss Hutcheson for providing the
print. About 46K, added 9/14/97.
Consoldiated YB-60 from Above clearly
showing the wing plan of airplane number 1, 49-2676. My thanks to
Don Pyeatt and
Prentiss Hutcheson for providing the
print. About 61K, added 9/14/97.
XC-99 Cargo version of the B-36
Some of the photo's of the XC-99 were
taken August 1997 by David Talley
Color ground view of the Consolidated
XC-99. Color images during the 1940's are unusual. Here is a very nice color
side view of the XC-99, probably at the time of its first flight. Note the large
number of people watching, most likely at San Diego, California. My thanks to
Bob Trennert for sending this image.
About 74K, added 11/04/06.
Consolidated XC-99 A very nice right side view
in flight. This is the only XC-99 built, a derivative of the B-36. Serial
number is 43-52436. This is a factory photo taken early in the career of the
XC-99, about 1949, as it does not have radar nose installed later in its life.
Fairly high resolution, very nice inflight view, about 115K,
added 3/27/04.
NOVEMBER 2006 UPDATE - the USAF National
Air Force Museum at Wright-Patterson AFB is in the process of restoring the
XC-99. As you might imagine this is a massive undertaking. To accomplish this
huge restoration the XC-99 is being dismantled and shipped to Ohio.
April Hight took this November 2006
image of the XC-99 Well into the
Dismantling stage, and I thank her for sending it to me. About 154K,
added 11/01/06.
Consolidated XC-99 A 1/2 Right Rear overview.
This is the only XC-99 built, a derivative of the B-36. Serial number is
43-52436. My Thanks to David Talley
for sending me the photograph, taken 8/97. About 52K,
added 9/14/97.
Consolidated XC-99 Seen from the rear. This
XC-99 was a cargo derivative of the B-36. Only one XC-99 was built, 43-52436.
My thanks to David Talley for sending
me the photograph, taken 8/97. About 37K,
updated 9/14/97.
XC-99, this is another 1/2 right rear view,
closer than the view above. My thanks to
David Talley for sending me the
photograph, taken 8/97. About 41K,
added 9/14/97.
XC-99 Propeller, this view shows a close up
of one of the six pusher propellers used on the XC-99. My thanks to
My thanks to David Talley for
sending this photograph, taken 8/97, about 38K,
added 9/14/97.
XC-99 inflight. this view shows the XC-99
during its work days, before the radar was added to the nose. Quite a contrast
to the deteriorated condition it is now. Via
My thanks to Tim Barber, About 34K,
added 4/1/98.
Stinson (Consolidated Vultee) L-5 Sentinel
Ground view of a Stinson
L-5 Sentinel. There is no serial number visible, however examination of the
print shows this airplane has full span leading edge slots on the wings. Only
the prototype, civil registration NX27772, had full span slots. These long
slots caused a big problem trying to recover from spins, and they were shortened
to half span on this airplane, and all subsequent L-5 Sentinels. B&W,
about 53K, Added 06/28/00,
Updated (rescanned) 06/01/02.
Very nice in flight view of
Stinson L-5 Sentinel
42-14803. This is the fifth Stinson L-5 built. B&W, about 98K,
Added 10/14/07.
Consolidated Stinson L-5E Sentinel Ground
view of sn 44-17696. Shows doors open, wood prop. About 27K,
added 9/30/97.
Stinson (Consolidated Vultee) L-13
Inflight view of the first production
Stinson (Consolidated
Vultee) L-13A serial number
46-068. The L-13 was designed by Stinson at
their Wayne, Michigan facility. Two prototypes were built and flown by Stinson
at Wayne, MI. With the sale of the Stinson division to Piper in late 1948,
Consolidated Vultee kept the rights to the L-13, and put it into production at
the San Diego, California, Convair plant. Eventually 300 L-13's were built.
B&W, about 51K, added 6/28/02.
Consolidated PBY Catalina flying boat
Inflight view of a PBY-5 Catalina.
This is the flying
boat version (not the amphibian -5A). Little in the way of markings exist.
About 74K, originally added 01/29/99, rescanned to
higher resolution 11/23/07.
Interior view showing a Consolidated PBY
Instrument Panel. Color, about 180k in size.
Added 11/18/05.
Inflight view of a PBY-5A Catalina. This is the
amphibian -5A. Note all the antennas for the early radar. About 69K,
added 11/23/07.
Consolidated PB2Y Coronado four engine flying boat
Consolidated PB2Y-4 Taking off from the
water. Black and White photo about 115K in size, JPG format, added 01/03/97,
rescanned to higher resolution 02/01/07.
Consolidated PB2Y-5 Inflight Inflight view of
Consolidated PB2Y-5 Coronado, bureau number 7179. The shot was taken over a lake.
About 90k in size, JPG format. Added 01/03/97,
rescanned to higher resolution 02/01/07.
Consolidated PB2Y-3 Taxiing on the water. Nose
has the words "Contract Operation." Photo taken Dec. 1944, official U.S. Navy
Photograph. Serial Number 7078. About 98K, added 03/19/97,
rescanned to higher resolution 02/01/07.
Consolidated PB2Y-5H JATO Take Off just
lifting off the water. This ambulance version has the latest type radome. About
87K, added 03/21/97,
rescanned to higher resolution 02/01/07.
Consolidated PB2Y-3 Ifnlight. Believe this
view is with the Coronado above San Diego. Note the pilot's side window is open.
B&W, about 107, added 01/01/01,
rescanned to higher resolution 02/01/07.
Convair T-29 Flying Classroom
Convair T-29A Flying Classroom. Serial number
49-1936, inflight view shows clearly the 4 astrodomes and multitude of antennas.
About 40K, added 9/21/98.
Convair T-29B Flying Classroom Serial number
51-5118, inflight view similar to the "A" model above. About 55K,
added 12/27/98.
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