B-29A-15BN 42-93967, Georgia, September 2008

[Edward Sheetmetalhands]

Vacation photos from September. This is a combat veteran B-29. Could not get in closer due to the barbed wire fence. This is my first attempt at photobucket and posting photos. Hope this works..



















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[Edward Sheetmetalhands]

BTW, does anyone know anything about the small windows beneath the aft side of the aft fuselage stars and bars??

I don't ever recall seeing those before. What modification, or what model, are they unique to?

[Warbird Kid]

Dont know about the windows but thanks for posting! I remember seeing a quick clip of this B-29 from Discovery Channels Biker build off. If i remember corectlly, I believe it was the episode that had Hank Young from Young Choppers in it.

[gary1954]

I shot her in November 2007



I guess this is Nose Art

[Curtis Block]

IIRC, the aircraft is an F-13 / RB-29, photo recon bird. I think the windows have something to do with that.

[Second Air Force]

IIRC, the aircraft is an F-13 / RB-29, photo recon bird. I think the windows have something to do with that.

Correct, Curtis. I think this is the last remaining F-13 out of the 118 built. It seems that the other two upper camera ports were plated over or painted. It's hard to see if the belly ports are still intact from the photos. It's interesting that this airplane was assigned to the 19th Bomb Group and given the name "City of Lansford". Some groups had their own F-13s, and this may have been the case with '967--or the conversion happened after her combat service. If anyone has a clear history of the airplane and its conversion to a photo machine I'd like to see it.

[Curtis Block]

The original wartime name of the aircraft was "Dark Slide." A quick Google search turned up a few hits. Most seem to be past WIX threads. I know someone out there has more, as I've seen a few articles on this particular aircraft.

[Second Air Force]

With a name like "Dark Slide" I'd say she went overseas as an F-13! Thanks for that info, Curtis. I like digging and snooping around for this kind of trivia.

Scott

[B29Gunner]

In better days...

[Chris Brame]

And here's her sister ship, also an F-13, taken after diverting to Puerto Princesa on Palawan due to some engine problem:



My Uncle Bud told me this was the first B-29 they'd seen, as you can tell by the crowd!

[APG85]

The sole remaining F-13 (Kee Bird was the other). The dark cutouts are camera glass. What a shame this plane sits outside rotting like this. Thanks for posting pictures of this rarely seen B-29...

[mustangdriver]

I'd love to see it restored and indoors, but how many museums and people that don't already have a B-29 could actually handle one?

[Edward Sheetmetalhands]

Trevor,

Thanks for sharing that nose art photo. That is some of the best artwork I have seen. The proportions were perfect.

It was looking a little lonely out there off the beaten path. There weren't any other visitors while I was there on a Saturday. The aircraft are protected by the fence, which is good, though it does not allow you to get up close and take detailed photographs of the bomb bay and landing gear wheelhouses. The lawn was nicely cut, so someone is thankfully maintaining the property and looking in on those national treasures. I have great respect for the veterans who had the foresight to set these aircraft up there and save them. Hopefully those aircraft will eventually wind up in a museum, maybe even the one down the road an hour and a half that already has a B-29. It would be great to see the nose art reapplied over bare aluminum, but for now the gray paint is performing an important function.

Separately, it looks like Doc has found its way indoors for the winter, according to the wiki entry. The air force is letting it hibernate in an unoccupied hanger for a while, though it is now out of public view. With enough people willing it to happen, someday all of the important aircraft will come inside.

[Second Air Force]

Separately, it looks like Doc has found its way indoors for the winter, according to the wiki entry. The air force is letting it hibernate in an unoccupied hanger for a while, though it is now out of public view. With enough people willing it to happen, someday all of the important aircraft will come inside.

I asked about Doc being missing last month when Ellen and I were at KASM and was told about the move. I was sworn to secrecy at the time, so I'm glad to see the storage agreement has been announced. I'm a bit relieved to see that the aircraft will be inside for the winter, hopefully the Doc people will be able to get funding for a restoration facility in the near future. The only items in the Doc parking area now are some storage trailers, jacks, and one lonely 3350. Now I can post the photo:



Thanks for pointing out the wiki entry, Edward.
Scott

Last edited by Second Air Force on Mon Dec 01, 2008 1:36 pm, edited 1 time in total.

[mustangdriver]

Wow!! So now come the part where everyone praises the government for helping out and doing something good right?

Glad to see her moved indoors.