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I would say the NB-36H because it actually flew and because "The original crew and avionics cabin was replaced by a massive lead and rubber lined 11 ton crew section for a pilot, copilot, flight engineer and two nuclear engineers. Even the small windows had 10-12 inch thick lead glass."

The thought that the X-6[1] and WS-125[2] would be good ideas further lead me to nominate the NB-36H.

1) https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Convair_X-6

2) https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/WS-125



Sort of flew. It flew, yes, but the nuke was never used to actually generate power.


Yes, the didn't power the airplane with it, but my point is the thought it was a good idea to put a nuclear reactor in a plane.

As my Dad said to me a few too many times in my youth: "I'm amazed and appalled - amazed you thought of it and appalled you actually did it"


If any of the various ""intrinsically safe"" small reactor systems get into production, no doubt someone will propose this again. Or the Lockheed Martin vapourware fusion reactor. http://www.lockheedmartin.com/us/products/compact-fusion.htm...




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