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Back in November, "hack" as an adjective ("a hack watch") and verb
("hack a watch") were discussed. The word has been used as a noun too. I
came across that in an official US Air Force document: AN 01-5EUG-1,
Flight Handbook USAF Series B-36H Aircraft, November 1953.

Before flight the crew stands in formation at the aircraft for
inspection. A diagram in the book shows the correct place for each man.
His personal equipment is at his feet and arranged in a specific way,
illustrated in a second diagram. The procedure is remarkably formal,
perhaps because the operator of this airplane was the notoriously
regimented Strategic Air Command.

[QUOTE]

Crew inspection

1. Give the command, "Attention," and call the roll.

2. Give commands, "Right face," "At ease," and "Inspect parachutes."

3. Give commands, "Attention," "Left face," and "At ease." Check each
crew member's displayed equipment for completeness and condition.

4. Read discrepancies noted in Parts II and III of Form 1.

5. Have the navigator give the crew a time "hack."

6. Designate specific crew members for command of the nose, radio, and
aft compartments.

[END QUOTE]

I have seen a video of this roll call. The crew members indicated they
had completed the parachute inspection of the man beside them by a slap
on the butt. There was no sound in the video, but I saw one man, wearing
the insignia of a major, clearly say "ouch" and grin. The time hack was
not included in the video.

The B-36 had three navigators in the nose compartment. In the forward
left corner was the navigator with his plotting table and Loran
receiver. Aft on the right was the senior navigator, called the "radar
observer," surrounded by the control panels of the bombing and
navigation system.

Both positions are seen in the 1955 Paramount production "Strategic Air
Command," in the part where Jimmy Stewart gets an introductory B-36
flight after being recalled to active duty. He talks with the actor
playing the navigator. Aerials for that flight were shot between Texas
and Florida. Famed movie pilot Paul Mantz flew the B-25 camera ship for
some of the photography, but the view looking down on a B-36 streaming
contrails at sunset was photographed from another B-36. It was
challenging since the light was perfect for only about a minute.

The third man in the nose was the "observer," who helped the navigators
and doubled as nose gunner.

My 1953 manual shows an astrodome on top of the cockpit. It's part of a
hatch which can be opened for emergency escape. Later the B-36 had a
flat hatch with a periscopic sextant port.

   

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