The B-29 Superfortress

Let me embark on this journey with a short profile of an aircraft that has had a more resounding effect on military strategies worldwide than any other aircraft ever developed. In one fell swoop, this aircraft created history, and laid the foundation for all military thinking post-WWII.In case you haven't guessed it till now, I am talking about the B-29 Superfortress, which became famous (or infamous), as the bomber which dropped the atomic bombs on Hiroshima and Nagasaki, and brought World War II to an abrupt, and devastating end.

The Boeing B29 Superfortress was the largest bomber to enter service in World War II. The B29 weighed over 60 tons and its Wright Cyclone air-cooled radial engines were considered to be the most powerful of the time developing 2,2000 hp in each engine. The four engines gave it just under 9,000 hp.

The B29 was the first production aircraft to have fully pressurised crew compartments for its eleven crew. The B29 was also the first plane to have a central gunnery-control system operated by remote control. For all its firsts in terms of plane design, the B29 was rushed into service and contained a number of design faults that had to be corrected as more and more were produced.

The B29 was designed to fly at 400 mph when it was not loaded. It was able to fly at 30,000 feet and to carry a 2000 lb bomb load 5,000 miles. However, on smaller distances, the B29 was capable of carrying sixteen 500lb bombs in its after bomb bay and another sixteen 500lb bombs in its forward bomb bay.

It has massive armaments: ten .50 inch machine guns in turrets in both its upper and lower fuselage. In later models, the B29's forward upper turret had a four gun battery and a 20 mm cannon supplemented the tail gun. Each gun was served by a 1,000 round bullet belt.

Truly, a fearsome weapon - and one that proved its lethality in the most terrifying way, on that ill-fated day in August.

(For info and pics, click here - The B-29 Superfortress and here B-29 Superfortress.