NMUSAF B-50 & Bockscar

Thu Sep 25, 2008 6:10 pm

Any pictures out there of the interior of the B-50 at the NMUSAF? Mustangdriver...anyone? One of my favorites and I'm curious about it's interior condition. Same goes for Bockscar. I've seen a couple of pic's of Bockscar's flightdeck but none of the aft compartments. Just curious...

Thu Sep 25, 2008 8:29 pm

Several years ago two of my buddies went to the Dayton Air show. They got some great photos of the interior of Bockscar. After the airshow they went over to the museum and found a door someone had left cracked open so they helpded themselves to the museum. They said a hatch was open on Bockscar and they went up into the cockpit and drank a beer and got some great pics of themselves sticking their head out of a cockpit window with the name Bockscar in the pic. I have seen the pics and couldnt believe it at the time.

Thu Sep 25, 2008 10:42 pm

I have never been inside the flight deck of the B-50, but I can tell you that they have cleaned it up and done some restoration work on it becuase they had a B-50 squadron reunion not long ago, and had the vets allowed to get in the B-50. Bockscar is 100% complete. It still has all of it's systems in it. I only have pics of the cockpit of it though as I was allowed in once during some minor restoration.

Fri Sep 26, 2008 8:19 am

Here are a couple shots of Bock's Car's forward bombay. Looks like she was retrofitted with standard bomb racks at some point, but I believe a lot of the "Silverplate" B-29s served in a variety of test roles after the war.

You can also see that the lower parts of the bombay and the inside of the doors were (inaccurately) blasted with some "interior green" paint. The upper areas appear to be original, with some parts bare metal, and some zinc chromate yellow primer.

Somewhere I've got some pics of the flight deck, taken during one of the long ago "open cockpit" events. I'll have to dig them up and scan them.

SN

Last edited by Steve Nelson on Fri Sep 26, 2008 8:32 am, edited 1 time in total.

Fri Sep 26, 2008 8:23 am

I would be nice (and a lot of work - and $$) if the NMUSAF could put interior photos of their aircraft on their web site. It's always neat to visit the museum and see the outside of the planes, but for the most part, you never get to see the interiors except for a couple (C-124). I can't fine a source for any interior pictures of the aft compartments of Bockscar. Thanks for the bombay pics!

Fri Sep 26, 2008 8:28 am

I suspect the museum shot the dark green paint up on the "visible areas". I noticed that a couple of years ago. It needs to be removed. I'm certain it was not something that was done when the aircraft was in service...

I believe the side bomb racks were always there and were not removed for the Silverplate mods...

Fri Sep 26, 2008 8:36 am

The NMUSAF does have some cockpit shots on their website, but it would be nice if they had some comprehensive "walk through" pics.

SN

Fri Sep 26, 2008 8:38 am

APG85 wrote:I suspect the museum shot the dark green paint up on the "visible areas". I noticed that a couple of years ago. It needs to be removed. I'm certain it was not something that was done when the aircraft was in service...

Perhaps they were afraid of getting yelled at by the model builders. :lol:

Thanks for the pics Steve. :wink:

Fri Sep 26, 2008 8:39 am

I believe she was repainted in a correct lighter shade of green that maches the interior or closer to what was stock. If you take a look at it now, it's still a little darker, but not as dark.

Fri Sep 26, 2008 8:41 am

Notice in Steve's photos the cutout in the communications tunnel. That was modified in order to clear the special weapon hook mechanism. Also, there is a cannon plug bank alongside the cutout that is the interface between the bomb and the instrumentation in the airplane.

Scott

Fri Sep 26, 2008 9:45 pm

Steve mentioned the standard bomb racks being in the airplane. I'm not home right now to dig in the files, but I think the standard uprights were used to attach the adapter to the aircraft. Maybe Taigh can chip in since he was involved with the Enola Gay during her preparation for display. I'm pretty sure the standard rack configuration was retained in the aft bay as they installed the normal bombay tanks there, I'm not quite certain about the forward bay.

Scott

Fri Sep 26, 2008 10:13 pm

I believe the side bomb racks were always there and were not removed for the Silverplate mods...

I think the standard uprights were used to attach the adapter to the aircraft.

You guys are probably right. I don't know that much about the "guts" of the Silverplate birds.

I shot the bombay pics three years ago (before the current barricades were set up) I don't think it's been repainted since. As for the darker green paint, the bombay of the "Strawberry Bitch" was blasted with the same color at some point (like Bock's Car, it was simply sprayed over all placards and equipment.) I suspect it may have been done for corrosion control when the planes were sitting outside at the old museum.

SN

Sat Sep 27, 2008 6:41 am

As for the Dark Green Paint...it needs to be removed. It's not applied correctly and it was gunned without regard to masking. Notice the oxygen bottle that has been coated

. I love the NMUSAF, but they need to put some work into this, one of their most historic planes...

Sat Sep 27, 2008 11:09 pm

Both SB and Bockscar are schedules to have some work done to them including the reinsalling of the ball turret in SB. Not sure what all they plan on doing, but the one thing that can be said for the current board at the NMUSAF is that they are very into getting details right. We shall see.