Consolidated Vultee XC-99

Welam A Shrader; Fifty years of Flight. A chronicle of the aviation industry in America 1903-1953, Eaton Manufacturing 1953

This is another postwar airplane I had never heard of. The XC-99 was developed from the B-36 bomber using a much larger fuselage but sharing wings and some other structures. Only one was built, the fuel consumption of the six radial engines made it economically not viable for commercial service. It first flew in November 1947, was delivered to the US Air Force in 1950 where it served for 7 years before retirement. It then was put on display at Kelly Air Force base in Texas. There were plans to display the aircraft at Wright Patterson Air Force Museum, but funds have never been available for restoration. It was moved again in pieces and is still in storage in parts in Tucson. Full story here