The B-36 was powered by six-piston engines and four jet engines, while the TU-95 was powered by four turboprop engines with contra-rotating propellers. The B-36 had a larger wingspan, length, and payload, while the TU-95 had a higher speed, range, and ceiling.

The B-36 was the first bomber capable of delivering nuclear weapons across intercontinental distances, and it was the primary deterrent of the US Strategic Air Command until the 1950s. It had a wingspan of 230 feet (70 meters), a length of 162 feet (49 meters), and a payload of 86,000 pounds (39,000 kilograms). It had a top speed of 435 mph (700 km/h), a range of 10,000 miles (16,000 km), and a ceiling of 45,000 feet (14,000 meters). It had a crew of 15, and it could carry up to 16 nuclear bombs or 42 conventional bombs. It was also equipped with 16 defensive machine guns and cannons, and it had a pressurized cabin and a bicycle landing gear. 

The TU-95 was the first bomber capable of reaching the United States without refueling, and it is still in service today with the Russian Aerospace Forces. It had a wingspan of 164 feet (50 meters), a length of 174 feet (53 meters), and a payload of 33,000 pounds (15,000 kilograms). It had a top speed of 575 mph (925 km/h), a range of 9,400 miles (15,000 km), and a ceiling of 50,000 feet (15,000 meters). It had a crew of 7 to 11, and it could carry up to 6 nuclear missiles or 24 conventional bombs. It was also equipped with 2 defensive cannons, and it had conventional landing gear.