Tags: convair

American Aerospace Archive: The B-52 Competition of 1946...and Dark Horses from Douglas, 1947-1950

by Jared Zichek

In this issue, we examine proposals submitted to the Army Air Force heavy bombardment competition of 1946, which ultimately produced the legendary Boeing B-52. Though Boeing won the initial competition, it struggled to keep the contract as changing Air Force requirements and rival companies put intense pressure on the program. One of its most aggressive competitors was Douglas Aircraft, which submitted scores of strategic bomber studies from 1947-1950 in an effort to reopen the contract to compe…