Warbird Information Exchange

Hi All,

The Air Force Museum has uploaded dozens and dozens of high res pictures of B-29s on their photo page

http://www.nationalmuseum.af.mil/photos ... leryID=530

Like these B-29s in storage, but not yet cocoon, at Pyote AFF, Texas.



And for Scott, this B-29 with another indescribable Second AF unit symbol on its tail.



As a side note looks like the Museum needs help with their aircraft identification for the Ma and Pa are checking out a Frankfort TG-1, not a Curtiss P-1.



All the best to you all.

Tom Michel

Thanks, Tom!

I'd like to know the date those photos were taken. B-29-15-BW 42-6364 is listed as being reclaimed at Davis-Monthan in 1949. She is one airplane older than the Hap Arnold Special, one of the "fathers" of the Russian TU-4. I still have a hunch that the diamond-in-square is a Maxwell AAF device, but nothing to back it up. Yet.

The photo of the black-bellies shows the variation in how the black was applied. I wonder if those are new flyaways that were sent directly to storage.......

Scott

I did a little more hunting around on that site and found these gems:


These are all Bell B-29-50-BAs. At the time these were being built the even numbered airplanes were fully armed and the odd-serialed ships were B-29B-50-BAs. Notice that these have all the turrets AND the APG-15 gun-laying radar in the tail position. Judging from the terrain, I think these airplanes are the first 8th Air Force, 316th Bombardment Wing machines to make the trip to Okinawa right at the end of the War. The 316th was to be equipped with fully armed APQ-7/APG-15 Superfortresses.


This cocooning photo may have been taken at the Warner Robins storage area. The first experiments with full cocooning are supposed to have been undertaken there.

Scott

Yes, while I was the historian at the Museum of Aviation in Warner Robins, I spent several hours pouring over photos of B-29s that were being cocooned at the depot post-war. INteresting history on that process.

While we're talking tail markings, Tom--here is a July 1944 photo taken at Oklahoma City ASC when the problem of engine cooling was being studied.

Notice the "Square B" on the tail of cooling test ship # 42-6438.

Those sporty scoops on the cowl flaps were connected to flex tubing directed at the base of the cylinders. Obviously this scheme wasn't adopted for the fleet.

Scott

Saipan, Tinian or Okinawa..,



Obviously from myriad of BG's here.., this was either the supply mission to Okinawa or the POW drop (Tinian or Saipan)?

Scott.., GURU COMRADE.., go get em.., which island..,

Not Guam.., i know...,

_________________
S.

That is a very interesting photo. I also see 462nd Group and other 58th Wing birds which would make you think the photo was taken on Tinian. However, Tinian is relatively flat (the highest point is not much more than 500 feet high) while Saipan is much more rugged. I'll have to leave this one up to someone who knows the topography of the Marianas better than I do.

Scott

Hi All,

The field is Clark in the P.I. post-war when the 313th BW move there in March of 1946.

All the different unit markings are probably low time airframes that the wing took with them. See Capt. George S. White fabulous collection here on flicker:

http://www.flickr.com/photos/fizzix/col ... 232519825/

The big problem with the post-war Air Force was the lack of mechanics, not pilots in which may units were disbanded or consolidated due to the lack of mechanics as the 313th BW was itself in June of 1948

You can see in Capt. White's collection where many of the planes look like they are just sitting waiting for someone to work on them.

Scott thanks for the photo of white square B!

All the best to you all.

Tom Michel

Ironically, that's a similar problem to the CAF.

Did I just say that out loud?

Gary

Wasn't that the last time it snowed in Texas? Rain for that matter?

is worthy of a caption contest

Yeah, you did say that out loud. Heck, Gary, isn't the idea to put gas in them and fly them? Who needs grease monkeys!

Scott