Boeing B-29 Superfortress
Bomber Plane

The Boeing B-29 Superfortress high-altitude heavy bomber was designed as a replacement for the the Boeing B-17 Flying Fortress and became operational in June 1944, it boasted a pressurised cabin and a Central Fire Control System. The Boeing B-29 Superfortress "Enola Gay" and "Bockscar" effectively ended WW2 by dropping the Atomic bomb on Hiroshima and Nagasaki and then the type went on to take part in the Korean War before being slowly replaced by the new jet aircraft like the Convair B-36 Peacemaker, Boeing B-47 Stratojet and the B-52 Stratofortress, it's role as a bomber ceasing totally by the mid 1960's after a total of 3,970 aircraft had been produced.

It is interesting to note that B-29 Superfortress's that crash landed in Soviet territory returning from missions to Japan were copied and produced as the Tupolev Tu-4 in 1947.

Boeing B-29 Superfortress Specifications:

• Crew: 11: Pilot, co-pilot, flight engineer, bombardier, navigator, radio operator, radar observer, two blister gunners, CFC upper gunner and a tail gunner.
• Length: 99 ft 0 in (30.2 m)
• Wingspan: 141 ft 3 in (43.1 m)
• Height: 29 ft 7 in (8.5 m)

• Empty weight: 74,500 lb (33,800 kg)

• Maximum takeoff weight: 133,500 lb (60,560 kg)
• Engines: Four 2,200 hp (1,640 kW) Wright R-3350-23 and 23A turbo-supercharged radial engines
• Maximum speed: 357 mph (310 knots, 574 km/h)
• Cruise speed: 220 mph (190 knots, 350 km/h)
• Combat range: 3,250 mi (2,820 nm, 5,230 km)
• Service ceiling 33,600 ft (10,200 m)

Armament:

• Twelve .50 in (12.7 mm) remote controlled M2 Browning machine guns

• Bombs: 20,000 lb (9,000 kg) normal bombs or two externally carried 22,000 lb (10,000 kg) T-14 Grand Slam "Earthquake" bombs designed by Barnes Wallis's for the RAF.