BOEING B-29 SUPERFORTRESS (famous or infamous for the atomic bomb raids)

The B-29 Superfortress, the most advanced bomber produced during World War II, was the result of Boeing’s reaction to specification XC-218, which called for a bomber with a range in excess 5000 miles that could carry a bigger bomb load at higher speed than B-17B.

Fortunately for Boeing, design work had been carried out on their next generation of heavy bombers over the preceding 2 years, and full scale mock up of model 341 had been produced. This was remarkably close to specification XC-218, and so with a small amount of rework, Boeing was able to submit their design.

Three prototypes were ordered and the first XB-29 flew in September 21, 1942. Meanwhile a priority order 1500 aircraft had been placed with Boeing following the Japanese attack on Pearl Harbor.  The first YB-29 evaluation aircraft was delivered to the 58^th Bombardment Wing in July 1943 and was followed 3 months later by the first batch of B-29 –BW production aircraft. The Superfortress had many advanced features including remotely controlled gun turrets and a partly pressurize fuselage.

At end of 1943 the decision was made to use only the B-29 against the Japanese in the Pacific theatre. In the spring of 1944 the 2 fully equipped bombardment wings were deployed to basses in India and south-west China. The first bombing mission was flown on June 5 against Japanese targets Thailand, and was followed a few days later by raids against the Japanese mainland. With the establishment of 5 air bases on the Mariana Islands in March 1944, the B-29 bombardment wings were able to mount a sustained bombing campaign against mainland Japan.

It was from one of these bases August 6, 1945 that B-29 “Enola Gay” dropped the first atomic bomb on the city of Hiroshima, followed 3 days later by B-29 “Bockscar” dropping a second atomic bomb on Nagasaki. The Boeing bomber played a vital role in the defeat of Japan, who surrendered on August 14, five days after the Nagasaki raid.

 The B-29 may be famous or infamous for the atomic bomb raids, but the many conventional largely incendiary, bombing raids carried out by the Superfortress against Japan ultimately destroyed the centres of a number of large Japanese cities.

After the war, the B-29 became the mainstay of the newly formed USAF Strategic Air Command, and later saw continuous action during the 3 years Korean War. Initially used in a tactical bomber role to halt the North Korean ground advance, the USAF B-29s were soon deployed in the role for which they were made strategic bombings. Operating from bases in Japan raids were carried out against industrial targets in North Korea. The basic B-29 design underwent a number of modifications over the years. These variant included the SB-29 for air sea rescue, the TB-29 trainer and the WB-29 tanker. The RAF operated the aircraft as the Washington, with 88 ex USAF examples in service from 1950. Most were returned to the USA in 1954, but some remained in Bomber Command service until 1958.

The Soviet Union managed to produce a copy of the B-29, which was named the Tu-4 in Soviet service. These unlicensed copies were based on US aircraft which fell into Soviet hands at the end of World War II. In a programme unparalleled in ingenuity and audacity, the Soviet Union ultimately produced 300 of their version. The Soviet Union’s post war atomic bomber fleet was therefore directly related to the three US B-29s which had originally made emergency landings on Soviet territory following bombing missions over Japan. America had given the Soviet Union aircraft that could have been turned on the USA 

 Boeing B-29 Superfortress

First Flight: September 21, 1942.

Power: 4 Wright 2200hp R-335-57 radial engines.

Armament: 4 gun turret over nose, 2 gun turret under nose, over and under rear fuselage, all with machine guns of 0.5in calibre, plus one 0.78in and two 0.5in guns tail; up to 20000lb bomb load.

Size: Wingspan - 141ft 3in.

          Length - 99ft.

          Height - 29ft 7in.

          Wing area - 1763sq ft.

Weights: Empty - 70,140lb.

                   Maximum take off - 124000lb.

Performance: Maximum speed - 358mph.

                             Ceiling - 31,800ft.

                             Range - 3250 miles.

                             Climb – 25000ft.