There were few hangars big enough for the B-36. In the warmer climates they relied on 'nose docks' and moveable covers like you see here over the engines to protect maintenance crews from the elements. That ginormous maintenance tower around the rudder is what was used before hydraulic lift trucks (cherry pickers) became common. Loring AFB Maine (now closed) has a hangar that was built to completely house a B-36, it had steam pipes in the floor that heated the entire building so well that you could work in a t-shirt while it was below zero outside. To get an idea of how bit this bird is, the hangar that would hold one B-36 would hold a B-52 and a KC-135 with room to spare.
There were few hangars big enough for the B-36. In the warmer climates they relied on 'nose docks' and moveable covers like you see here over the engines to protect maintenance crews from the elements. That ginormous maintenance tower around the rudder is what was used before hydraulic lift trucks (cherry pickers) became common. Loring AFB Maine (now closed) has a hangar that was built to completely house a B-36, it had steam pipes in the floor that heated the entire building so well that you could work in a t-shirt while it was below zero outside. To get an idea of how bit this bird is, the hangar that would hold one B-36 would hold a B-52 and a KC-135 with room to spare.
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