Warbird Information Exchange

I was just looking at the photo of the B-29 (44-84121) converted to the Stratovision test bed, any idea who operated the B-29? I noticed no national markings or "N" number, just a buzz number and serial number. Was it operated by the military or was it loaned to a civilian company?

Stratovision tests were undertaken between June 1948 to February 1949. The first phase was undertaken by the Glenn L. Martin Co. and Westinghouse Electric Corporation using a twin-engine PV-2 aircraft flying at 25,000 feet (7,600 m) that transmitted with 250 watts on 107.5 MHz and 5 kW on 514 MHz at Baltimore, Maryland so that recordings could be made at various locations ranging from Norfolk, Virginia to Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania and Boston, Massachusetts.

The second phase of testing was undertaken by these companies using a stripped-down B-29 Superfortress flying at 30,000 feet (10,000 m). The plane was equipped to receive a relay transmission from WMAR-TV, the Westinghouse television studios in Baltimore, which was then relayed over a 5 kW video transmitter and a 1 kW audio transmitter for reception on 82-88 MHz with a television set tuned to Channel 6.

The aircraft received its originating signals from circular dipoles attached to a streamlined eight-foot mast on top of the aircraft's vertical tail fin. The retractable 28 feet (8.5 meters) long broadcasting antenna hung vertically beneath the aircraft. It was composed of a two-element turnstile array for video and a single-element circular dipole for sound transmissions.

The receivers, transmitters and necessary air-conditioning were all powered by the plane's engines using three 15 kVA, 500 Hz alternators. Without air conditioning the transmitters in the interior of the aircraft would have generated a temperature of 134 degrees Fahrenheit (57 degrees Celsius) with an outside air temperature of 25 degrees Fahrenheit (minus 4 degrees Celsius).

The tests were watched by many television viewers who sent in reception reports. From these reports it was calculated that Stratovision would require only eight relay planes to provide a transcontinental network and six additional planes to provide coverage to 78 percent of the United States. Mr. C.E. Nobles who was the head of Stratovision for Westinghouse said in his report:

" The major technical problems of the system have been solved, and the commercial development awaits only the crystallization of public demand for the expanded services offered by airborne broadcasting, application of the system by the radio industry to meet this demand, and the clarification of channel facilities available to make possible this application."

Here is a photo I scanned.

--Eric

I can assume then that the B-29 shown was on loan from the USAF to the Martin Co.? Thats why it doesn't have any known "N" number or military markings?

I can't answer the question pertaining to registration or loan of '121 to Martin, but I did find out that this airplane still has several payload/speed records with the Federation Aeronautique Internationale. There are four records set by this B-29B-65-BA, all achieved in 1946.

Scott

Must be heck landing that thing with the antenna down. Probably dug a ditch in the mioddle of the runway and just set the thing in there.

No, they put a retractable wheel on the top of the vertical fin, flipped the main gear upside down, and landed the aircraft upside down. Of course they had to stiffen the vertical to take the loading of the landing. Boy, you don't know anything!

After I wrote my first response I figured it would be something different. It would be stupid as the nose wheel would fall in the ditch also. Your explaination is much more plausable.

No, you just plop in down from a stall, you know, lawn dart style. Of course you could also argue it was the first and only warbird on a pole to be airworthy with said pole still attached.

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http://silverplate1945.smugmug.com/AVIATION

If you plop it down like a lawn dart, isn't it going to be hard to taxi?