Some B-29 Superforts Finished Posting 12-28

[the330thbg]

anyone look up the SN of that 29? 44-##725?

[Second Air Force]

anyone look up the SN of that 29? 44-##725?

She's 44-69725, Smis. You also mentioned the nose wheel covers--they were "standard equipment" on the early production B-29s but were omitted later in production. It appears that the guys found a set to add to V43 as she was well beyond the date when they quit putting them on at the factories. Some late war wheels were never even machined for the Dzus fasteners that the caps attach to.

I would certainly like to see a serial number for the airplane that is getting a #3 propeller change. Notice that it has a cuffed Hamilton Standard unit installed. That is the first wartime photo that I have ever seen of the modified propeller in the combat zone. They were usually only seen on stateside trainers, installed per a T.O. to assist in engine cooling.

That F-5 photo with the Dominator in the background makes sense now that you've captioned it, aj2. The B-32s were stationed at Yontan at the end of the War so all the pieces fit.

Great photos and detective work, and thanks especially for that cuffed propeller picture!!
Scott

[armyjunk2]

I would certainly like to see a serial number for the airplane that is getting a #3 propeller change. Notice that it has a cuffed Hamilton Standard unit installed. That is the first wartime photo that I have ever seen of the modified propeller in the combat zone. They were usually only seen on stateside trainers, installed per a T.O. to assist in engine cooling.

That is Ben's Raiders do you have the number for it?

[Second Air Force]

Well, I don't think the airplane getting the prop change really is Ben's Raiders. If she were you would be able to see the "4" of her plane-in-squadron number beneath the cockpit. Also, no nosewheel hubcaps and the "NO SMOKING WITHIN 100 FEET" warning on the nose gear door is missing. The photos of Ben's Raiders all show her with the normal uncuffed propellers and the airplane getting worked on definitely has cuffs.

If you were asking about the serial of Ben's Raiders, she was B-29-60-BW 44-69725.

Scott

[tom d. friedman]

That says "PW SUPPLIES", Django. I just noticed the wing on the far left has an S painted on its wing also. Here's a crew painting it on another airplane prior to POW supply missions to Japan.



Scott

another very overlooked chapter in ww 2 history, & in europe too!!

[Edward Sheetmetalhands]

Is it just me or were there a large number of B-29's scampering around without the aerodynamic fairings at the base of the turrets? Did any of the pilots or crew remark about the performance or noise when the ground crew leaves those off? Did they rub the turrets and cause malfunctions? Did the ground crew leave them off for convenience? Definitely not the easiest part to reproduce with a good fit I would imagine.

The upper turret never had a fairing from the factory, probably because it didn't need it. The airflow over the nose did not strike the lower part of the turret.

You are right, they were delivering them sans fairing. I had never noticed that before. The best photo is the 1000th Boeing Wichita delivery set in the factory without fairing. I am seeing some block 1 through 10's with the fairing, though. And then later on with the Renton aerodynamically faired turrets. The early fairing is best shown with the photo of the first YB-29...http://www.airwar.ru/image/idop/bww2/b29/b29-4.jpg

Last edited by Edward Sheetmetalhands on Sun Dec 27, 2009 11:11 am, edited 1 time in total.

[Second Air Force]

Only the shorter two-gun turret installed on the early production B-29s had fairings between the cover and fuselage. When the four-gun turret was designed you'll notice that it is a good bit taller, hence the "gap" between the cover and fuselage.

The final design with the streamlined dome and full fairings was only installed on very late Renton B-29s and on the B-50.

Scott

[armyjunk2]

Scott, I just assumed that because its in the same series of photos and the writing on the back is the same it was Ben's Raider.
Do we have any interest in aerial photos of the POW camps????

[Second Air Force]

Yes, post away! I've seen a couple of photos of POW camps taken from 315th Wing Superfortresses during drop operations. More is always better!

Scott

[Holedigger]

Here is a link to one, a little ways past half down the page, an aerial view of one of the camps being dropped on.
http://mofak.com/Hap%20Halloran-Hero.htm

[armyjunk2]

[b]Here are the last of the B-29 photos, notice this is a Rescue plane and that tiny raft....I decided to add these photos, this is a time he was flying Air-Sea rescue, this collection of photos starts in 1936 and runs through the sixties, so they bounce around a lot.

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Last edited by armyjunk2 on Sun Dec 27, 2009 1:09 pm, edited 4 times in total.

[Second Air Force]

That Air Sea Rescue airplane is really interesting. I took the liberty of blowing the photo up and you can see the "United States Air Force" title appears to have been removed above the "RESCUE" lettering. I'm guessing 1950/'51 or so?

Scott

[armyjunk2]

POW Camps in Japan

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[armyjunk2]

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[armyjunk2]

this is the last of these, hope everyone enjoyed them.......these are the misc photos

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47 Anyone recognize this location???


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60 anyone know what kind of car this is?


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and his final aircraft at Haps Airport Clarksville In, early 60's I would say