B-29 Superfortress status is often encapsulated within the simple fact that she was "the aircraft that dropped the atomic bombs" (“Fat Man” and “Little Boy”) on the Japanese cities of Hiroshima and Nagasaki, thus ending World War 2 in the Pacific and, ultimately, across the globe. As such, the fact that there were, in fact, two B-29's assigned to the task ("Bock's Car" and the "Enola Gay") and that the B-29 system was revolutionary in incorporating many technological aspects into its design is often overlooked by the casual reader. Nevertheless, the Boeing B-29 Superfortress - though serving only in the Pacific Theater against the Empire of Japan during World War 2 - would go on to become an integral part of America's war effort and the upcoming Korean War.
The B-29, like the Boeing B-17 Flying Fortress before it, was developed to a US Army Air Corps requirement for a high-level heavy bomber capable of extended operational ranges and increased payloads while operating at speeds nearing 400 miles per hour. Though beginning a slow development program prior to America's official entry into the war -this being marked by the surprise attack on Pearl Harbor by the Japanese Navy - the B-29 project was pushed into full gear. The first of three prototype XB-29 airframes recorded a first flight in 1942 and had already secured government orders of over 1,500 production examples.
The B-29 Superfortress was a mid-wing monoplane design fitting four large radial piston engines across a wide wingspan. Wings were attached to a cylindrical, pencil-like fuselage with a rounded, heavily-glazed nose assembly. Crew accommodations amounted to ten personnel and included both specialists and gunners alike. All weapon systems were held in electrically-powered turret "barbettes" operated by way of internal periscope systems and fitted in dorsal, ventral and tail gun positions. At any level, this represented a vast departure from any bomber defenses fielded during the war and was essentially necessitated by the B-29's high operating altitude. Several modified or converted models of the B-29 existed as vital crew trainers, dedicated air search and rescue systems, reconnaissance variants and weather survey platforms before the end of the aircraft's production run. By the time of the Korean War, daylight bombing runs had become becoming increasingly costly to B-29 crews thanks to the arrival of the Soviet-built, single-seat, jet-powered Mikoyan-Gurevich MiG-15 Fagot fighters with the North Korea air force. As such, nighttime bombing campaigns grew in number as the B-29 continued serving under the new USAF Strategic Air Command.
American authorities limited the B-29s combat action solely to the Pacific Theater during World War 2. Operational B-29's were being delivered to front lines as early as 1943 (these being service test aircraft) and were utilized into 1944 as daylight, high-level bombers. These early attacks ranged from bases within British India against targets in Thailand and, later, mainland Japan. Night, low-level attacks were next on the B-29 agenda and destruction of Japanese cities and military production facilities were tremendous (one fire-bomb attack alone by 279 Superfortresses killed upwards of 80,000 Japanese civilians).
Production of B-29 Superfortress was split among several factories and contractors that would ultimately include Boeing, Bell and Martin. Production totaled nearly 4,000 examples by war's end. An improved B-29 model appeared in the years following was designated as the B-50 - this version also produced by Boeing - and was outwardly similar to the original B-29 though some 75% of the aircraft was newly-designed. The B-50 was identifiable by her revised vertical tail fin as well as more powerful engines. Additionally, the B-50s structure was further strengthened. She appeared in 1948 and was produced in about 370 examples up until 1953.
Beyond the United States, the United Kingdom and Australia both utilized the B-29 Superfortress in their ranks. The Soviet Union, always willing to gain more ground in the technology field against her American adversaries, reverse engineered at least three confiscated B-29 systems that were forced to land on Soviet territory during the war. Among these B-29s was the "Ramp Tramp". On Stalin's direct orders, the Tupolev firm took on the task and worked out the Boeing products right down to the minute details of the fine aircraft. The resulting product became the Tupolev Tu-4 "Bull" which, itself, spawned the Tupolev Tu-70 dedicated transport platform.
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Last Revision: 8/20/2010
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