B-29

B-29. The Boeing B-29 Superfortress was an American four-engine heavy bomber operated by the United States Army Air Forces during World War II and the Korean War. It was one of the largest aircraft of the war, featuring a pressurized cabin, a central fire-control system, and remote-controlled machine gun turrets. The B-29 is best known for its role in the Pacific War, including the firebombing of Tokyo and the atomic bombings of Hiroshima and Nagasaki.

Development and design

The development of the aircraft was initiated by the United States Army Air Corps in 1939, seeking a strategic bomber capable of high-altitude, long-range missions. Under the leadership of Boeing engineers, the project faced significant challenges, including the ambitious integration of a pressurized cabin for the crew and a sophisticated General Electric-designed central fire-control system for its defensive armament. Key design features included the distinctive Boeing wing, four powerful Wright R-3350 Duplex-Cyclone engines, and remotely operated turrets aimed by gunners using analog computers. The program was expedited under immense pressure from the War Department, with major production carried out at plants in Wichita, Kansas, Renton, Washington, and Marietta, Georgia by Bell Aircraft and Martin Company.

Operational history

The B-29 entered combat in June 1944, deployed from bases in China and India as part of the Twentieth Air Force under the command of General Henry H. Arnold. Initial operations, such as those from Chengtu against targets in Japan, were hampered by logistical difficulties and engine reliability issues. The strategy shifted under General Curtis LeMay, who initiated low-altitude nighttime incendiary raids, most devastatingly against Tokyo in March 1945. The aircraft's most historic missions were flown by the 509th Composite Group, which dropped Little Boy on Hiroshima from the Enola Gay and Fat Man on Nagasaki from Bockscar. After World War II, the B-29 served as the primary strategic bomber of the newly formed United States Air Force, seeing extensive action during the Korean War against targets in North Korea. It also performed reconnaissance duties and served as a tanker, and was used by the Royal Air Force as the Washington.

Variants

Several major variants of the aircraft were produced to fulfill different roles. The B-29A featured a slightly longer wing and was built at the Boeing plant in Renton, Washington. The B-29B, manufactured by Bell Aircraft, had all defensive armament removed except for the tail turret to increase speed and bomb load for nighttime missions. Specialized variants included the F-13 reconnaissance model, used for photographic intelligence over Japan and later redesignated the RB-29. The SB-29 was a rescue version equipped with a droppable lifeboat, and the TB-29 was used for training crews. The most significant derivative was the Boeing B-50 Superfortress, a post-war redesign with more powerful Pratt & Whitney R-4360 Wasp Major engines. The basic airframe was also adapted into the C-97 Stratofreighter transport.

Specifications (B-29 Superfortress)

* **Crew:** 11 (Pilot, co-pilot, flight engineer, bombardier, navigator, radio operator, radar operator, four gunners) * **Length:** 99 ft 0 in (30.18 m) * **Wingspan:** 141 ft 3 in (43.05 m) * **Height:** 27 ft 9 in (8.46 m) * **Empty weight:** 74,500 lb (33,793 kg) * **Max takeoff weight:** 133,500 lb (60,555 kg) * **Powerplant:** 4 × Wright R-3350-23 Duplex-Cyclone 18-cylinder air-cooled radial piston engines, 2,200 hp (1,640 kW) each * **Maximum speed:** 357 mph (574 km/h, 310 kn) * **Range:** 3,250 mi (5,230 km, 2,820 nmi) * **Service ceiling:** 31,850 ft (9,710 m) * **Armament:** 10 × .50 in (12.7 mm) M2 machine guns in remote turrets, 1 × 20 mm M2 cannon in tail; up to 20,000 lb (9,100 kg) of bombs internally

Legacy and preserved aircraft

The B-29 represented a monumental leap in aviation technology and its deployment fundamentally altered the nature of strategic bombing. It directly spurred the development of post-war American bombers like the Convair B-36 Peacemaker and the Boeing B-47 Stratojet. Several aircraft are preserved in museums worldwide, most notably *Enola Gay* at the Steven F. Udvar-Hazy Center of the National Air and Space Museum in Chantilly, Virginia, and *Bockscar* at the National Museum of the United States Air Force at Wright-Patterson Air Force Base in Dayton, Ohio. Other examples include *Fifi*, owned by the Commemorative Air Force, which was for many years the only airworthy B-29, and *Doc*, which was restored to flying condition in Wichita, Kansas. These aircraft serve as powerful memorials to the crews of the Mighty Eighth Air Force and the complex legacy of the air war in the Pacific Theater.

Category:United States bomber aircraft 1940–1949 Category:World War II strategic bombers of the United States Category:Boeing aircraft