B-29 Superfortress | The Birth Of The American Super Bomber

Air force general Henry Harley Arnold writes in 1941... "A nation  likely and able to win a war will enter it not   only with the largest most efficient air force but  behind that first line will stand the second line.   The ability to maintain that  Superior strength in men and machines."   Three years later the General's prophecy is  now reality. On June 15th 1944 the first B-29s fly   over Mainland Japan. Unlike the Doolittle Raid two  years prior this is a mission of epic proportions.   That is because Boeing's Super Fortress the  largest plane in the world is designed for   Destruction to grind the Japanese into a pulp. To  bring them down to their knees once and for all.   With wings spreading over 140 feet, a fuselage 98  feet long, and four engines each possessing 2200   horsepower the super Fortress is the Envy of the  entire world. A true symbol of American industrial   power. Billions of dollars combined with the blood  sweat and tears of its creators make this the most   feared aircraft of the second World War. It is a  weapon that doesn't start wars. It finishes them.   For all its accolades and accomplishments the  Super Fortress is America's biggest gamble of   the war. A design so complicated it is the most  expensive risk for the United States government.   A project that at times seems doomed for failure.  And a project that requires a contingency plan.   What to do if it never makes it out of the  factories? Where to go if the people of Boeing   cannot get the job done? This is the secret history  behind one of aviation's greatest bombers and how   it almost never came to be. The what-if scenarios  that America is prepared to take in order to get   it off the ground and win the war raging in the  Pacific. This is the race for the super Fortress. Even before America is officially involved in the  second world war the B-29 is already envisioned.   The need for long-range aircraft capable  of rendering a decisive blow against any   potential enemy is an urgent priority  for visionary generals like Hap Arnold.   For the next two and a half years as America  remains officially neutral they are behind   the scenes making extensive plans that include a  barrage of new military projects. With a long-range   bomber high on the list. Not until the Japanese  attack on Pearl Harbor in December of 1941 do the   wheels begin to seriously move. In the first few  weeks of War over 350 of the 525 combat planes we   had in the Pacific area were destroyed. Over one  quarter of our total combat strength was lost .  We suddenly found ourselves engaged in a mortal  struggle with an enemy who could be counted on   for nothing except better and fanatic opposition.  According to President Roosevelt the United States   was not particularly well prepared to engage  in the war itself. In 1940 Roosevelt called   for increased Congressional Appropriations. For  military spending. Arguing that what the United   States needed was to be producing 50 000   per year in 1939 the U.S produced fewer than 6 000   planes. With the United States at war against both  Japan and Germany bombers are rushed into service.   As one old Soldier remarked "isn't it sad during  all the years since the first World War we've   had all the time in the world but no money.   Now we have all the money in the world but no time."   In this race against the clock America comes  together. Bombers are wheeled out of assembly   lines in order to wreak havoc over Germany.  Of notable distinction are Boeing's Flying   Fortress and consolidated its Liberator. Where  in Europe with Britain providing a base for   operations American Air power is successful due  to the short distance from England to Germany.   On the other side of the world  the situation is very different.   In the Pacific aircraft with a greater range  are needed in order to attack the heart of Japan.   It is this geographical requirement that calls  for the construction of a design that not only   delivers tremendous firepower but ensures that  it reaches its target there and back safely.   Operation Matterhorn the secret plan to bomb  the Japanese from China approved by President   Roosevelt. It is in these pages that the urgent  need for the Super Fortress Is born. The initial   requirements simply as I as I recall them were  5,533 mile range and I don't know why that   odd number. A two thousand pound bomb load  and I think the speed that they specified was   something like 273 miles an hour or something.  Those were the the basic requirements.   A unique organization the 20th Air Force is  formed headed personally by Hap Arnold to see   over all B-29 operations. All the military  needs now is for one company to step up.   Unlike the military-industrial complex of today  during the 1930s Aviation companies are hesitant   to get in bed with the government to make military  planes. Companies that could easily be producing   military goods such as aircraft factories were  reluctant to convert their plants for military   production because they weren't sure how long  hostilities would last. In an era of neutrality   acts and cynicism towards any signs of War  profiteering only fixed price contracts are   given by the United States. Under these rules the  developer must put forth their own money towards   the design with no guarantee of a deal being  signed. And with technology becoming more complex   signing on to the B-29 is like playing  Russian roulette with your company's future.   It is a large risk. One that the Giants of Aviation  are not willing to take. As one Boeing employee   said "there was no sound of coin in Uncle Sam's  jeans." "his pockets only carried Marbles and chalk."   With most manufacturers losing money during  this period few were willing to step up to the   plate. The military production in which uh U.S  workers were engaged in 1940 and 41 as part of   the effort to support the Allied Forces helped  to pull the United States out of the depression.   Lots of people were back to work and what that  meant was that they had disposable income. Many   manufacturing firms did not want to convert to  military production because they were eager to   take advantage of that consumer dollar that  was now available. Douglas a rare company to   turn a profit during the Great Depression he's  avoiding the Super Bomber project like the plague.   After having their arms bent by the government  to develop the B-19, they reported losses of more   than two million dollars. Not wanting to be fooled  again their submission for the contract is nothing   more than a slightly modified version of that  same bomber. in government circles there is great   concern if Douglas is only putting forth a minimal  effort it is apparent that they are not interested   Lockheed another manufacturer is still a  young company and a question mark at best   Boeing having lost money on the B-17 would have  gone bankrupt had the government not bailed them   out in 1940. With only two thousand employees  they like others want to stick with what is   known and proven instead of venturing out into  the uncertain. Surprisingly, they submit their   design and it is accepted. Boeing had a tremendous  reputation on the basis of the B-17 and when you   think about the Pacific now it would have been  uh impossible for B-17s and B-24s to fly those   distances in the Pacific. And so the makers of  the Flying Fortress begin the project in haste   starting work on a plane that is built before it  is even designed. You would always like to build   a prototype airplane and fly it and work the bugs  out before you commit production of the airplane.   In this case the Air Corps made it known  at the very onset of the program that they   were going to buy production quantities of  airplanes before the prototype ever flew.   Certain sections of the aircraft are constructed  before detailed designs of other parts are even   sketched out. They begin a long and painful journey  to build one of the greatest airplanes ever.   Boeing decides that the B-29 central nervous  system is to be based in America's Heartland.   Wichita Kansas. A small city of just 120 000 people  is chosen as the site where the Super Fortress Is to   be built. Why Wichita specifically? There are  a couple of reasons for this. If you look at a   map of the United States you'll see that Wichita  is just about in the dead center of the country.   Also unlike some other cities in the state like  Kansas City Wichita had a very tiny proportion   of foreign-born residents. Some government  officials were concerned that immigrant   workers would be more inclined to participate  in labor agitation. Might be more inclined to   come from a socialist or communist tradition  or in some cases might be allied with Nazism.   Hundreds of miles away from America's vulnerable  coasts and a farming population familiar with   machinery requiring less money to live on Wichita  is ideal for Boeing. Expansion is a necessity and   the city is eager to accommodate both the  government and Boeing during the War years.   The Great Plains region mobilized to Lobby to  bring industry to their area. The state of Kansas   organized an industrial development Commission  in 1939 and in fact the governor of Kansas went   to Washington DC to Lobby on behalf of his state.  Arguing that Kansas was safe from invasion it had   lots of natural resources such as oil gas and coal  and it had a large supply of pragmatic Farm boys.   And so begins an assembly line of epic  proportions a similar system that Henry   Ford used to make model T's in Detroit. Boeing  is using to make Super Fortresses in Wichita.   Grandmothers who never wrestled with  anything more intricate than a wood   stove up until two years ago are building  Super Fortresses at Wichita. What is true   at Wichita probably applies equally to other  major production units of the B-29 program.   "The Super Fortress truly can be said to  be a product" as President Lincoln said,   "of their government that is of by and for the  American people." quoted from The New York Times.   With a small army of workers over 60 percent  of the aircraft is fabricated on the spot.   Unfortunately, one plant cannot do the  job alone. The Outsourcing of the B-29's   many parts are done in cities such as Marietta  Georgia, Omaha Nebraska, and the home of Boeing   Renton Washington. There were something like 764  airplanes on order before the B-29 ever flew.   Those airplanes were going to be built by three  companies in four plants. Boeing was going to build   the airplane in Wichita and Seattle. The Renton  plant. Bell in Omaha and Martin in Marietta   Georgia. So production was committed before the  airplane ever flew and it was a high risk program   recognized as a high-risk program from the very  beginning. It is a project coming from every corner   of the country. A true Testament of America's  industrial strength during the second World War.   As the B-29 is constructed one notices that it is  not revolutionary but evolutionary. A true sign of   the times with militaries thinking bigger is truly  bette. At the beginning of American war production. the average aircraft weight is estimated to be  just over three thousand pounds. Four years later   that average is shot up to over ten thousand  pounds. With this plane's massive size and   potential it comes as no shock that its supporters  are eager to get up in the air as soon as possible.   Although the enthusiasm for the B-29 is strong  the call for a plane of this magnitude is easier   said than done. Being twice the size of the B-70  and requiring double the horsepower. Completing   it is no easy task. It was a big jump from let's  say the B-17 for people who were in the 17 that   went to the 29. And it was one very big jump for  us who went from the B-25 to the B-29. It was   monstrous. You had tremendous power in four engines  compared to the B-17 and I flew the B-29 up to 40   000 feet. Whereas uh the B-17 would barely go to  thirty thousand. Before being put into production   10 000 drawings are sketched of a prototype  costing the government over three million dollars   with it needing to be rushed only adds  to its growing list of future problems.   Its main flaw is its complexity. With a need to  fly at extremely high altitudes a pressurized   cabin is desired. So its crew were not required to  wear masks in the air. It was the first pressurized   airplane, one that I'd ever flown. I think it was  the first thing after the B-17 the B-24 that   came along that had a pressurized cockpit. Which  made flying at altitude far more comfortable than   unpressurized of course. You kept your oxygen mask  handy just in case you lost your pressurization.   But it was a very comfortable. It was a big  relief much easing of strenuous activity on   the part of the whole crew. Also with four  extremely powerful engines and over 60 000   different pieces needed to assemble  just one plane. This project is turning into   one giant jigsaw puzzle. So the airplane that  got submitted had grown from an 85 000 pound   airplane to something around 110 or 111 000 pounds.  In addition an enormous amount of material needed.   27 000 pounds of aluminum. 5 000 pounds of  rubber 10 miles of wiring over one thousand pounds   of copper and brass and nearly two miles  of tubing are needed to make this monster   to some this is becoming a case of the United  States biting off more than it can chew despite the best efforts of its designers  engineers and workers the B-29 is encountering   numerous problems. For a population of one hundred  twenty thousand putting together a 120 000 pound   super Fortress is a massive undertaking due to its  workforces relative inexperience. Recruited from   the ranches and Farms of the Great Plains these  men and now women have not been properly trained   for a task of this magnitude. What normally takes  years to learn they must master in just months.   While in flight as is the case with lockheed's  constellation overheating is becoming the norm.   some of the ancient problems that were there  were things like overheating of the engines   early on we had problems again with propellers  that would overspeed wouldn't govern properly   wouldn't feather properly we had problems with the  carburetors the engines would backfire during one   test flight a B-29 crashes killing the entire crew  including Eddie Allen. Boeing's Chief test pilot.  despite these deaths and setbacks  the project must continue   for America's top generals the B-29 is becoming  a race against the clock. With air bases being   built in China the expected arrival of the  super fortresses is scheduled for April of   1944. I understand because of an agreement between  Roosevelt and Chiang Kai‐shek that these airplanes   were going to be in China a year before they were.  so did the Rush we'd get them out of the country. the   crew at Boeing however is nowhere near completion  despite this harsh reality one man General Hap   Arnold does not throw in the towel. running  to fellow General Curtis LeMay he proclaims   the B-29 project is important to me because I am  convinced that it is vital to the future of the   Army Air Forces. more concerning are the Project's  economic costs. by the end of development testing   and production the government is estimated  to have spent over three billion dollars on   the super Fortress. a third more than what  is spent on developing the atomic bomb.   for these generals it is not only militarily  vital that the B-29 succeed financially if   the model fails billions will be lost. well when I  got to Wichita found out they weren't flying them   because the Boeing Company had taken this this  position that the airplane was no good and they   weren't going to make them. I understand second  hand or third that General Arnold told Boeing   officials you're going to build that airplane  or give us back 50 million dollars we've already   advanced for the fortress. They started real  quick they said well we'll build the airplane but   we won't take any responsibility for it. Arnold is  reported to have said you don't have to take it   the Army Air corps will take that responsibility.  these ongoing problems become crystal clear in   March of 1944. Hap Arnold on an inspection Mission  asks how many are ready for shipping to India   due to the complications in its design he  is shocked when Boeing's answer is zero.   it is for this reason their lies an insurance  policy. a backup, a contingency plan in case   Boeing fails. and for this possible savior the  American government goes to the other three   Giants of Aviation. companies that designed their  own version of the super Fortress. the B-30, 31 and   32 can hopefully come to the rescue if all else  fails. at least that is what the government hopes.   Lockheed with their b-30  represents only a token effort.   many are unsure they can carry through in a  project this magnitude. the plan to make their   Super Fortress a gigantic bomber version of the  constellation goes nowhere. Their main priority   is given to the Connie which makes it up into the  air nearly a year and a half before the B-29 does   the situation is identical at Douglas their B-31  design never sees the light of day. of its three   competitors only one gets a plane up in the  sky. Consolidated makers of the B-24 Liberator   they like Boeing are commissioned to evolve  their design with the B-32 known as the Dominator.  weighing 50 tons possessing a speed of over  300 miles per hour and containing four 2200   horsepower engines. the aircraft appears to  be a carbon copy of the Super Fortress. the   B-32 was an outgrowth of the B-24. like  the B-29 was an outgrowth of the B-17.   and just like the B-29 the Dominator  suffers from the same tactical problems.   the program is almost canceled in December of 1944  due to development being severely behind schedule.   by the end of the war only a handful of B-32s fly  over the Pacific. conducting mainly reconnaissance   missions. the B-32 I had one there at bomber  test. I flew it it. it had no distinctive   advantage over the B-29 uh matter of fact uh I  I had to I had to order my test pilots to fly   it. they didn't much cared about flying it. the key  Advantage for Boeing is its will and determination.   with countless man and woman hours put into  this project combined with billions of dollars   in funding they are determined to complete it. no  matter what the cost. being so far along with its   development they must see it through. the aircraft  plants in Wichita adopted suggestion systems where   workers could offer suggestions for how to improve  efficiency and productivity and actually get cash   Awards if their ideas were selected by management  and then implemented. many of the amenities that   employers offered to workers like cafeterias in  some cases Child Care Centers and so forth were   specifically designed to improve productivity  and decrease absenteeism rates. war production   is the foundation of our war effort and by the  same token what you do from day to day affects   your country's success in this war. never forget  you are working for him or the youth of America   for the boy next door. on the last day of  the last war thousands of such boys were   killed. if the war had ended 24 hours earlier  they would have returned. what you do tomorrow   today in the next hour and help to bring the  last day of this war closer. and to save lives   that would otherwise be lost we are all  in this together you and I your own boy   and the boy next door. our job is not finished.  let's finish the job together.    with a gun to their heads the people of Kansas  come together and begin rolling Super Fortress   after Super Fortress off the assembly line. in the  essence of a wartime conditions you know overcome   absolutely any obstacles. it may have it may  have taken only one tenth the time that it would   take to solve a technical problem in peacetime. but  under wartime conditions you know if you can't uh   if if you can't solve it with 10 engineers get  a hundred. and and that's what the contractor did.   when Arnold in a fit of rage demands that 175  B-29s Be on time for delivery this almost   impossible task is miraculously accomplished by  the people at Boeing Wichita. working around the   clock for four straight weeks. 600 workers meet  this goal. compared to a grand total of just   four in August of 1943 by February of 1945  Boeing Wichita produces 100 B-29s per month.   with twenty thousand man-hours these workers  are able to produce 4.2 Super Fortresses a day.   a shining example of both  their patriotism and dedication.   until the end of the war  production is right on target. on June 5th 1944 from an Indian Air  Base the first B-29s take to the sky.   it has been a strenuous journey. as the  aircraft has traveled more than half the   world to reach its Target. ten days later under  the 20th bomber command headed by Hap Arnold   47 super fortresses depart from Cheng Chu  China and begin bombing Japan mercilessly.   for the next year the B-29 becomes the primary  tool of Destruction in the Pacific. with the   Japanese already in a weakened State they simply  cannot compete with his Advanced super bomber.   things only get worse as the Americans capture  the Mariana Islands. with a shorter range to Tokyo   these strategic outposts do nothing but accelerate  B-29 activity over the Land of the Rising Sun.   day after day Japan is bombed into submission led by General Curtis LeMay his strategy of  bomb them and burned them is proving effective.   cities the size of New York Cleveland  and Pittsburgh are being decimated.   Lemay even remarks it by mid-1945. they  are going to run out of targets to bomb.   that dilemma is solved on August 6 1945. a  B-29 the Enola Gay flies over Hiroshima Japan   carrying an atomic bomb on board the order to  go nuclear is given by President Harry Truman   the effect of this new weapon forever  changes the way Wars can now be fought   the results are devastating an estimated 80 000  people are killed from the first atomic   bomb. I have seen the city perfectly visible.  as a place where a lot of humans were moving   about. you could see it. you see movement. but  when I flew back by and I was out to co-pilot's   window that I look at it look all I saw was  something that reminded me of a boiling Pot of tar. three days later another Super Fortress boxcar  drops a second atomic bomb on the city of Nagasaki   killing tens of thousands more these two attacks  in addition to the Soviet Union's declaration of   war against Japan finally causes this once proud  Nation to surrender unconditionally. aboard the   USS Missouri and Tokyo bay on Sunday September  the 2nd 1945 the most horrible war in history   came to its complete and formal end. foreign  minister Shigemitsu signed for Japan. foreign Douglas MacArthur Supreme Commander   the B-29 with its years of Development and   construction proves its worth to the American  Military for it is truly the bomber that made   the difference. it's my personal opinion  and and I'm sure I'll found detractors.   that the B-29 won the War. World War II in the  Pacific. oh I think without a doubt when you   consider particularly the Pacific War it was a key  point in winning it. and so the people of Wichita   the people of Marietta the people of Omaha and the  dozens of other towns and cities that contributed   to its production go back to their regular lives.  Boeing with no more orders from the government   lays off 70 000 workers at the end of the war. the  service they have done for their country however   does not go unnoticed. I think historians would  argue that war production in the United States was   pivotal if not decisive in the war effort overall. the United States over the course of the war spent   more than 50 billion dollars on Lend Lease Aid to  the Allies. by 1944 U.S factories were producing   a ship a day and a plane every five minutes. but  that's a phenomenal amount of production. in the   B-29s history the men and women in these plants  are just as important as Hap Arnold, Curtis LeMay   and those pilot in the aircraft. it's a joint  effort of everyone the maintenance, the supply.  everyone contributed to it. for a three-year period  of the over 3 000 Super Fortresses built 1600 of   them come out of Wichita alone. on August 29th in  a statement to Boeing Employees General Arnold   proclaims thanks to what you did our combat  Crews had been trained and B-29s were ready and   waiting to occupy Iwo Jima, Saipan, and Okinawa.  as each base was prepared to receive them. you   were given a job to do and the way you finished  that job met our greatest expectations. for myself   and on behalf of the Army Air Forces I say to you  well done and thanks from the bottom of my heart.   the Super Fortress should be remembered as the  greatest roll of the dice in American aviation   history. in an era where aircraft manufacturers  had little to gain with costly military projects   it is amazing that it was able to get into  the skies as quickly and efficiently as it did.   the race for the Super Fortress  is also truly an American story.   its industrial capacity and strength a supply  line uninterrupted from bombings and destruction.   and a diligent and patriotic workforce  is what made the B-29 possible. out of just such an eruption of the earth a  million or more years ago was born    Japan land of the little people  who grew to believe that in blood   and iron lay the shortcut to Greatness    land of philosophies and religions Stranger  than their names like Bushido the medieval   code of slicing a victim with a samurai sword.  the truth of that one they were to discover. Old Japan was primitive. the history of the  New Japan is a story of successful copying.   on a tradition of peace and love of the  soil the New Japan suddenly turned its   back and copied our locomotives, our  planes, our great ocean-going liners. even Tokyo might have been transplanted bodily  from the Western world.    Japan's plans for World conquests were  financed by the fine thread of an industrious   caterpillar woven into silk and stamped made  in Japan for its English-speaking customers. soft silk sent away or hard scrap iron to be forged   into weapons and returned  to us eventually in hate. Holiday Inn for the little people  who wanted to enslave the world   the answer to that was to come like  the answer to all things from the skies   only when it came it was to be stamped made in  America. as it was for instance on Doolittle day. when a hornet the first Shangri-La pointed   her prowl right at the heart  of Tokyo.    this was the first brief answer  to Japan that came from the skies   it was not to be the last. General  Doolittle vowed we're going back to Tokyo.   and we shall go in full array and with  Mighty allies. a weapon was ready.    through these forbidding doors ceaselessly day  and night come trains bearing the materials that   skip, weld, Forge, and rivet into an instrument  dedicated to the destruction of the enemy.   this is only one of many plants that one  day appeared where just the day before   it seemed was pasture lands. or the place  where they were building washing machines.   when the workers reported for the first time few  of them guessed the exact nature of what they   were building. they knew that a giant plane would  result but beyond that it was largely a conjecture.   but then the day came inevitably when the  pieces of their jigsaw began to fit together.   the day when the mountains of material and the  millions of man hours all combined to confirm   the assembly line rumor. the washroom gossip  and their honest to God American curiosity.   they were building the mightiest aircraft in  history. they were building a plane for the   Army Air Forces that would reduce the huge  fortresses of liberators to medium bombers   they were building the Boeing designed B-29  Super Fortress. and this is how they built it.   enough aluminum is stored here to lay a  silver carpet over Embry Street in Tokyo.   aluminum sheet to be brought to life by these  machines and the workers who operate them.    They give it shape and personality. they're stamping  machines their presses, lathes, and drills coax it   and pound it and Pierce it into the multiple  patterns prescribed in 50 tons of blueprints.   it was Bauxite a month ago. dead in the ground.  miners dug it out of the Arkansas Hills and   then in some distant Factory bauxite came in at  one end an aluminum sheet rolled out the other.   one day from now in the stratosphere above  the clouds it will mirror the sun. in a month   out of the ground and into the sky these  will be the wings to take it there. from   the confusion of Manpower and Equipment within  this massive jig will emerge the fabulous 117.   a wing of completely new design which will carry  more weight faster and higher than any other wing   the jigs themselves the fixtures and the tools  were designed so that unskilled workers could   be expert with them in a week. whether they  were farmers or clerks cotton pickers or   Housewives, salesman or ex-soldiers. The  wing is of awesome weight and dimension yet a   girl can lift it with about the same effort that  you would need to adjust the flower in her hair. space and the handling of bulky parts have  always been problems in assembly production.   the engineers who designed this plant  solve both problems at once with a few   strokes on their drafting boards.  they move traffic to the ceiling.   thus they allowed workers more time at  machines and machines more time at work. here is the wing in a more advanced stage  if the workers imagine for a moment that   they were in a shipyard it would be understandable.   the Mayflower was shorter from stem to stern  and each of these wings from tip to tip    pilgrims who landed at Plymouth Rock could  curl up within the gasoline compartments in   the wing and sleep no less comfortably  than on their long Atlantic Crossing. Each of these nacelles will encase an engine of 2200  horsepower. four of them harnessed to one Super   Fortress. 8800 horsepower what does that mean?  horsepower means more than 300 miles an hour.   horsepower means flying high enough to see all  the New England states at once. horsepower means   victory in the air. when this skeleton nose  sections are enclosed in aluminum and glass   they will be the most comfortable cockpits a bomber ever had. the windows cannot cloud or Frost the   Pilot's instrument panel is less complex than the  dashboard of an automobile. sound proofing allows   torque without the interphone. and because the  entire compartment is a pressurized tank the air   remains practically constant from Prairie level  to the rarified atmosphere over the Himalayas.   back of the control cabin is the huge  center section here the wings will be   set. here the bombays will hold the greatest  weight of death ever lifted into the skies.   toward the tail another big pressurized chamber  will house the rest of the crew except the rear   Gunner who wears a cabin to himself. if in some  stratospheric emergency a crew member must travel   between front and rear pressurized compartments he  can sliver through this connecting tunnel    an armor glass observation blister durable  crystal clear eyes of every Super Fortress the prefabricated sub-assemblies are manufactured   by other contractors and shipped  to this plant by the car load what has been shown here is being  duplicated in plants all across the country   identical miracles of modern machinery nursed  and tended and made productive by people who   look and think like these people the  fair the dark people with deft hands   and unblinking eyes the strong with their willing  muscles and those less strong but as willing. the   braided school girls the white-haired grandmothers  the old young the young old the little ones and   the last little ones working together in intimate  harmony. their product death. their goal peace.   these workers are the lucky ones who see the  finished product of their labor roll off the line   every hour of every day they are witness to  this awe-inspiring ceremony this tremendous   wedding of material and man hours this climax in  the history of man's conquest of the air    but one of the others who helped however remotely  to create an aerial weapon they've never seen   The Lumberjack who fell the trees that became the  blueprints of the B-29 the bauxite Miner in the   Arkansas Hills and the miner of iron and coal  the Builder of guns and engines and propellers   the grime a sweating men who cast the cylinders  and forged the crankshaft. The maker of tires   electrical equipment instruments and safety wires  the citizens who paid for the Super Fortress with   their purchases of War bonds. there's a isolated  lines of effort initiated all across the land and   converging eventually beneath this vaulted  roof here the sum of their energies assume   shape and stature and meaning here is the  final meeting of every effort and every part a bold Insignia will Proclaim to the enemy  that this is the proud new weapon of the   United States Army Air Forces but it is our  plane too because we the people built it we   conceived it finessed it gave it Wing. we powered  it and armed it and our sons and brothers fly it.   the function of the people's Super Fortress Is to  break the race who turned their backs on reason   to spin them around to face  the peaceful way of living   it is the people's answer to all the  sneak raids all the death marches all   the stabs in the back. it is our Memorial to  the fighting men who were not afraid to die.   who fought with their lives the time we  needed to make the weapons to win the war.   like this weapon which 50 hours after its tests  will be landing in India or China or some other   far away shangri-la to regain its breath before  the final assault for which the people destined   within the plant work proceeds but the workers  their ears for a sound that regularly   drowns the clatter of their tools is more than  a sound is a song this is the song they hear The Story begins in 1939 when the farsighted  Army Air Forces said we want a plane for   our defense that can fly a bomb load  thousands of miles out to sea and return after six months work there was a tiny model  which spent the next six months in a wind tunnel   and then there was a full-scale model which  was subjected to every punishment man could   devise for it only after a year of such  tests did the Air Forces let contracts for   planes that would be built to fight. The  B-25 Mitchell is a big strapping bomber   67 feet across the wings but it could reach Japan  only if it took off from an aircraft carrier.   much bigger is the famed B-17 Fortress 104 feet  from wing tip to wingtip. it has ranged 1400 miles   over Japan's Island's conquests. but it cannot  reach Japan itself from any base we now hold. the Super Fortress wingspan 141 feet longer  than the Wrights first flight through the air   at Kitty Hawk. range altitude and bomb load Secret.  though the Air Forces do save them laconically   very long very high and very large. because  it is a global bomber around it has been   built an entire new Air Force, the 20th.  the 20th war theater is the world itself   its operations room is the War Room  of the Chiefs of Staff in Washington   its planes will be treated as a major task  force in the same manner as a naval task   force is directed against a specific objective  watch it come in for a landing a revolutionary   set of flaps that constitutes nearly one-fifth of  the wing area gives the ship a low landing speed   and a shorter landing run than many a plane in half  its size. all this great weight of Super Fortress   is supported by a tricycle gear whose tires  require less pressure than a child's bicycle somewhere in western China half  a million nameless people wrote   their magnificent chapter in  The Saga of the Superfortress   two thousand years after their ancestors  built a great wall for the defense of China   these Farmers transformed saturated rice paddies  into airfields for offense against a new invader they had no Machinery as we know it only their  million hands and a searing memory of anguished   years since Japan set out to annihilate them  and soon there were runways to bear the weight   of a whole Fleet of Super Fortresses revenge  for the nameless people was close at hand even in China land of Miracles the arrival of  the Super Fortress is an occasion for everyone   to turn out in curiosity and in welcome a  welcome now but Journey's End on the other   side of the globe is only the beginning of  another Grimmer Journey. the tanks will have   to be filled the engines given a final check the  guns armed the bombs set in the ranks and then   briefing and the assembled Airmen will listen  to words that a few years ago would have been   fantastic. but today roll casually off a briefing  officers lips the target gentleman is Japan this is it this is the B-29 the plane you've  been waiting for and it was worth waiting for   it's the biggest fastest mightiest heavy bomber  in the world it can travel farther and higher   than anything else on wings it has a pressurized  cabin permitting high altitude flight without   oxygen masks it has five remotely controlled  electrically driven turrets each carrying twin   50s with a 20 millimeter cannon added to the  turret and the tail yes the B-29 is everything   you've been promised and the pilot who flies one  has an enviable job important glamorous and tough   here's a B-29 pilot. he's measuring the distance  between pin centers on the left landing gear   this part of the job Isn't So Glamorous but  it's the Pilot's responsibility to make sure   that everything on this biggest bomber in the  world works properly if you were a B-29 pilot   here's exactly what you'd have to do before an  operational flight check the nose wheel see that   the tires are inflated to 45 to 50 pounds per  square inch while measuring the pressure look   over the tires for General condition also watch  out especially for cuts or signs of serious wear   one of the ground crew will replace the dust  covers but you're still responsible for his work after you've measured the pressure in both  tires give the gear a visual check the strut   should be clean with a clearance  between pin centers of 10 inches and the shimmy damper must  be full that's important   make sure the rod is almost up to the notch  in the gauge on the shimmy damper Reservoir   now you can look over the engine cowlings  on your way to the other main Landing wheel   this gets the same inspection you've already given  its mate. the co-pilot ducks into the wheel well to   inspect the equipment there while you work  on the wheels. measure tire pressures again.   on these tires the pressure should be  between 75 and 85 pounds per square inch.   inside the wheel well the co-pilot  examines the wires connections and switches   he makes sure all the cannon plugs are on tight  paying particular attention to the plugs on   this motor which opens and closes the nacelle  doors and also to the plugs of the normal and   emergency landing gear motors. then he turns around  to examine his side of the strut he looks it over   and inspects the brake lines making sure that  the hose is not chafing and no fluid is leaking   meanwhile you are checking the clearance between  pin centers again 13 and one quarter inches right   now are the wheel chocks in place one behind the  inboard tire and one in front of the outboard tire.   Just as it should be next. Check the cowlings  inspection doors and inspection plates   you've already examined some of them but  you must be sure all of them are okay   the other members of the crew help you out  with these inspections here for example a   gunner tests the fastening of the top  cowling but you'll have to check the   security of the other coverings and there are  a lot of them all over the ship while you're   walking along you can examine the wing seams  fluid leaking from them means trouble now to   check the ailerons and trim tabs all control  surfaces and all trim tabs must be inspected   test the tabs for excessive hinge play by shaking  them and see that the gas tank caps are tightened   if there were extra fuel tanks in the bomb bays  their connections would have to be examined but   now the pilot and the co-pilot continue that tour  around the plane they have a lot to check hatches   Windows control surfaces trim tabs inspection  plates and doors but the pilot and co-pilot   aren't the only crew members with inspections to  make the Gunners for example besides helping the   pilot check the airplane must also be sure  the guns and gun cameras will work properly   they must inspect all five turrets in the same  way they're now examining this lower rear turret   after they have the Dome and gun cover removed  they see that the ammunition moves freely in the   shoots and is correctly loaded the guns just  don't fire with the cartridges in backwards they also check the safety wiring on the gun  mounting bolts up in there then the gun charging   switches are put on reset that conserves the CO2  pressure which automatically charges the guns   finally the gun camera is inspected enough film  speed set at 16 frames per second lens adjusted to   the brightness of the day and the interval control  put at the desired number of seconds and turned on   and this turret is all right the  Dome and gun cover can be replaced   the tail turret is checked by the tail Gunner but  again the pilot is responsible if the guns fail   he gets the blame so he watches the tail Gunner  as the shatter all feed mechanism is inspected   now the other Gunners only have to lock the  latches elevation latch locked Azimuth latch   locked the doors are shut and fastened  and the Gunners can go to another turret and there's still more work to be done  each engine must be pulled through 15   blades with only two men per blade the  engineer takes care of that he sits at   his position making sure that all switches are  off while the four engines are pulled through and now the co-pilot puts on his clothing and  collects his equipment before joining the rest   of the crew for inspection notice that the  crew members wear fatigues while making their   inspections and change into flight clothing  only when they are ready to enter the plane   the examination of the exterior  of the airplane is completed   so the crew can fall in for the check of their  personal equipment that's the last item of the   before entering the airplane part of the procedure  and it's strictly the pilot's job. your job.   you are responsible for the men as well as the  plane if they fail you're at fault each crew   member must have his electrically heated flying  clothing parachute, oxygen mask, knife, a quart of   water and Mae West. Steel helmets and flak vests  are already inside the ship at the positions   apparently these men are completely equipped but  don't think they only have to climb into the ship   and fly away there's a lot yet to be done let's  go along with the pilot again and see what he has   to do to take a B-29 into the air he climbs  in through the hatch in the nose wheel well   that entrance is also used by the co-pilot  engineer navigator radio operator and Bombardier   there's work for every man before the engines are  started during engines starting and warm-up before   takeoff after takeoff and then a whole list of  additional things to do before landing again   as soon as the radio operator gets in he climbs  back to close the pressure door between the   forward compartment and the forward bomb bay  the Bombardier is the last one in so he closes   the hatch. the gunners close the pressure doors  in their compartment they also open the cabin   pressure valves which will now automatically  maintain the cabin pressure at the desired level   three compartments in the plane the Pilot's  compartment the gun control compartment and   the tail Gunners compartment are sealed  off from the rest of the fuselage and   supplied with this compressed air the cabin  pressurizer keeps 8 000 feet altitude inside   the plane until the outside is at thirty  thousand feet if the plane gets higher than   thirty thousand feet the pressure inside drops  off gradually but it is always 13.4 inches of   mercury more than the outside pressure  but let's get back to flight procedure   the Gunners take care of the other  pressure door in their compartment but what about the pilot? that's you.   you already have your shoot fastened you Mae West  on and the seat adjusted so you put your throat   microphone and earphones on if you put the mic on  first you won't get so badly tangled in the wires   don't forget to plug in your  disconnector cord now to start work ask the engineer for forms 1, 1A,  and O1-1-40 and look them over   be sure that everything on forms 1 and 1A has  been checked pay particular attention to the   list of defective equipment if anything vital is  out of order it must be fixed before taking off   the weight and balance computation is in  form 01-1-40 that's important make sure it's   correct. when you've examined all the forms  and signed them you can give them back to   the engineer and tell him to start the Putt-Putt  you have to turn on the emergency ignition switch   the tail Gunner looks after the Putt-Putt starting  and stopping it on orders from the engineer   but now you set the jack box selector switch to  command and turn on the proper command receiver   and the command transmitter this puts you  in communication with the control tower   now examine your own equipment look over your  oxygen mask and make sure your portable oxygen   bottle is fully charged. then try out the  cockpit lights. to test the ultraviolet lamps   turn on the switches and twist the shutter.  you should then be able to see the light by   turning the shutter back you can control  the amount of ultraviolet light emitted   next try out the alarm bell the gun  Commander will tell you if it's working   then depress the brake pedals and pull out  the parking brake knob to set the brakes look   over to the control stand and make sure that the  emergency releases and switches are correctly set   power transfer switch  emergency landing gear release   emergency bomb release, emergency cabin air  pressure release, and pilots over control   now unlock the control surfaces and throttles  by moving the Locking lever on the aisle stand   full forward then release the throttle brake and  test all four throttles through their entire range   take it easy. move them slowly and gently. all  controls on the B-29 should be handled in this   careful manner in order to prevent damage to  the mechanism. there's no need to push hard   and the co-pilot doesn't just sit and read  the checklist he must test the action of the   control surfaces moving each surface elevators  ailerons and rudder through the complete range.   the gun commander looks from his blister observing  the response of the surfaces and reports to the   co-pilot. a similar test is made on the trim tabs  the co-pilot turns the three control wheels as far   as they will go in each direction that big wheel  on the side of his control stand operates the   elevator tabs the aileron and rudder wheels are  on top of the control stand behind the throttles   the way the trim tabs follow the setting of  the control wheels is also observed by the   gun commander who tells the co-pilot  over the interphone how the tabs move the co-pilot turns the tabs back to neutral  after testing them and now to try out the wing   flaps but first he calls the side gunners on the  interphone to make sure none of the service crew   will be in the way of the descending flaps  when the gunners report that it's safe to go   ahead the co-pilot presses the flap switch to  the down position and holds it there until the   flaps have been lowered 15 degrees 15 degrees  is enough to tell if they're working all right   the co-pilot can't see the flaps of course so  he watches the wing flat position indicator   but the gunners can check visually they tell  the copilot if the flaps come down all right   so now he can bring them back up the  gunners again will tell him when they're up   don't start thinking the gunners have nothing  to do but watch control surfaces and flaps they   have their own checklists to follow the right side  gunner for example is looking over his supply of   spare lamps and fuses yep that's okay but now you  the pilot are almost ready to start the engines   see that the automatic pilot master switch  is off check over the four sets of control   surface adjustment knobs making sure all  their pointers are up then set the manifold   pressure selector to the zero position and to  press all four propeller RPM switches to the   increased position and hold them there until the  lights on the co-pilot's instrument panel flash now you're all ready to start the engines  and the rest of the crew should be too   they check in with the co-pilot  reporting in this sequence   Bombardier who sits directly ahead of the pilot  and co-pilot navigator who is some distance   behind the pilot facing forward flight engineer  who is directly behind the co-pilot facing aft   radio operator who sits across from  the Navigator and faces the right wall   gun commander who is in the top of the fuselage  amidships and can face in any direction   left gunner who faces aft right gunner who also  faces aft and the tail Gunner who stays close   to the Putt-Putt during takeoff and Landing  his combat position of course is in the tail everybody set now warn the service crew  outside you're going to start the engines   and tell the engineer to start number  one and number one engine spins twice and now he turns the fuel boost pump on  closes all the throttles except number one   sets the fire extinguisher to number one  engine presses the starter switch to energize   and then flips it to start and finally  it turns the Magneto switch to both you have to push the throttle to  1200 RPM and signal for number two   the same procedure is repeated until all four  engines are running now that the engines are going   vacuum pressure is available to operate your gyro  flight instruments so the gyro compass and the   flight indicator can be uncaged and set a co-pilot  will be doing the same with his gyro instruments   next see if the other vacuum pump is working  all right have the engineers switch to the   pump on the number two engine the vacuum may  drop some but it should go back to about four   inches now you can call the control tower on the  command radio it's already on this is about the   right time to get your taxing instructions since  you'll soon be ready to move out to the runway   at the same time ask for the field barometric  pressure so you can adjust the altimeter   it must be set carefully to the correct pressure  in this case 29.84 inches obviously an accurate   altimeter is a vital necessity especially  if you may have to fly on instruments next you want the Bombardier you know he sits  back with the Navigator and the radio operator   until the ship is in the air but right now he has  to come forward to make the final checks on the   bomb site he's already completed the regular  pre-flight inspection of his equipment all he   must do now is see that the bomb site is entirely  ready for takeoff the directional clutch should   be disengaged and the secondary clutch engaged  by turning it clockwise then the drum wheel must   be turned counterclockwise as far as it will  go that does it he's all set to take off and   now you're ready to close the Bombay doors ask the  ground crew outside if there are any obstructions   underneath the plane everything's clear so you  can order the Bombardier to close the Bombay doors   he throws the door switch while you look back  through the pressure door to watch them shut the rear Bombay door is looked after by one of the  Gunners we'll tell you when it's closed when both   doors are shut the Bombardier can go back to his  takeoff position in the rear of the compartment and you're almost ready to Taxi but you better  make one last check of the turret warning lights   uh-oh that lower rear turret light is on call one  of the side Gunners and have him take care of it   perhaps the turret wasn't stored forget about it  Gunner well it's easy to fix get control of the   turret press the action switch and stow it that  does it there that turret warning light is off now   and everybody's set switch your Jack box back  to command and Signal the ground crew outside   to remove the wheel chocks and get a safe distance  away from the airplane a co-pilot warns the crew   to stand by the taxi and you can release the  brakes and move the ship out to the runway while taxiing or whenever the plane is moving all  crew members watch from the windows and keep the   pilot informed of obstructions the Gunners can  provide the most help since the blisters give   them a wide view this is a big airplane It's  mighty easy to hit a fuel truck or another ship   and clip off part of the wing or stabilize it and  that doesn't help the flying characteristics a bit   notice the flaps are kept in the up position if  you taxi with them down the under surfaces   are likely to be damaged by Pebbles blown back by  the propellers. after you've stopped at the edge of   the runway put in your call to the control  tower for permission to taxi on the runway   when the tower has given the clearance move on  the runway steer with the outboard engines. not   the brakes. excessive use of the brakes on a plane  as heavy as this one will wear them out quickly as the ship is turned around at the far  end of the runway notice again how the   engines are used for steering you can see the  right propellers moving faster than the left   when you're at right angles to the  runway stop for the engine Runner   tell the flight engineer to get ready to make his  Magneto check while you run the engines up one at   a time first press the propeller RPM switches to  the increased position holding them there until   all the propellers are at maximum rpm next turn  the manifold pressure selector to position eight   with the knob in this position the superchargers  automatically provide military power   now advance the number one throttle  but slowly and gently to 2000 RPM   hold this speed until the engineer tells  you the Magneto check is finished then   press the propeller RPM switch to the decreased  position until a tachometer drops about 200 RPM Now flip the switch to the increased position and  hold it there until the light on the co-pilot's   instrument panel flashes and then push the  throttle to full open the tachometer should   show about 2600 RPM for the number one engine  while manifold pressure should be around 47 inches   to see if the turbo is working properly turn  the manifold pressure selector towards zero   that should make the manifold pressure drop  turbo is okay bring the throttle back to idling   around 550 to 600 RPM and increase speed  to 1200 to avoid fouling the spark plugs   next start on the number two engine the  same procedure is repeated for each engine   now you're about set to take off after  you're cleared for takeoff turn the   plane the rest of the way around  so that it points down the runway stop again while the co-pilot lowers  the wing flaps about 25 degrees   he can tell when they're right by looking at  the wing flat position indicator and the Gunners   can check on the accuracy of the indicator  by watching the flaps from their blisters their report on the approximate flat position  over the interphone when the co-pilot tells   you the flaps are okay fasten your safety belt and  set the manifold pressure selector to position 8.   next set the propeller RPM switches to increase   RPM and wait for the lights on the  co-pilot instrument panel to flash then warn the engineer to be ready for takeoff  stand by for takeoff now you push on the brakes   hard and open the throttle slowly until the  manifold pressure gauge reads about 40 inches then release the brakes as you gather speed slowly advance the throttles  to full power and set the throttle brake   manifold pressure should go up to 47 or  47.5 inches rpm should go up to 2600.   continue accelerating down the runway until the  indicated AirSpeed gets up to 95 miles per hour then slowly pull the control column back  putting the ship in a flying attitude the   plan takes off without further action  on your part when it gets flying speed   the exact speed at which it will leave the  ground depends on the weight when the ship is   Airborne apply the brakes to stop the wheels and  then have the co-pilot retract the landing gear   he has to hold the landing gear  retracting switch in the up position   because the switch is spring loaded. the co-pilot  makes sure the nose gear is up by looking through   the inspection door on the floor of the  cockpit just ahead of the aisle stand the wheel is there all right at 160 miles per  hour and 500 feet altitude the co-pilot retracts   the flaps snapping the switch on and off until the  indicator shows that the flaps are all the way up   the side Gunners should be watching from  their blisters as the plane takes off   they tell the co-pilot when the  flaps and landing gear are up   now you ought to change from  takeoff power setting to climbing   adjust the manifold pressure selector until  the manifold pressure drops to 43 inches and decreased propeller RPM to  bring the tachometers to 2400.   you can order the engineer to have the  Putt-Putt turned off now and tell the   Bombardier to come forward and take his  combat position in the nose of the ship if this is an operational flight an enemy  opposition is expected have the man put on   their flak vests these vests are made of small  overlapping Links of tough steel sown inside   canvas quilting on the inside of the canvas  provides further protection and also cushions   the shock of impact above ten thousand feet oxygen  masks must be worn by one man in each compartment when you reach the desired altitude level off and  tell the engineer to set up cruising conditions   first you move the throttles back to about 65  percent of full power individual manipulation   of the throttles may be necessary to keep  each engine at the same manifold pressure   now you adjust the propellers and manifold  pressure so turn the controls over to the copilot   start with the props press the propeller  RPM switches to decrease and bring all   four propellers to 2000 RPM then turn the manifold  pressure selector down until the manifold pressure   drops to 30 inches the needle should stay  together in this case there you are 30 inches   considerable juggling of throttles  propellers and supercharger may be   necessary before you get it just right  but that's how you get a B-29 into the air it's a big heavy and Powerful airplane  bigger heavier and more powerful than   anything you've ever flown for that reason  it must be handled gently and precisely   you must carefully follow the prescribed  procedures even a super bomber is no good   to the Army if it's in little busted up pieces but  don't get jittery the 29 is a sweet ship to handle   when it stalls the nose drops so that the plane  automatically recovers there's no tendency to spin   stalling speed varies quite a bit naturally  depending on weight and other conditions but   generally it's between 84 and 135 miles per  hour when turning or executing any maneuver   take it easy this is a big plane remember not a  fighter yet fairly steep turns can be made safely   this 30 degree bank can also be done  with full flaps that's about the limit   and when evasive action is necessary you have  plenty of tricks to pull just watch this B-29 and the B-29 does more than just  fly well it packs a terrific wallop   a wallop enemy fighters will quickly learn  to fear. that turret you see moving is only   one of the five on the ship which mounts  a total of 10 machine guns and one Cannon   four of the turrets two on top and  two beneath the fuselage can turn   through 360 degrees in Azimuth 90 degrees in  elevation the tail turret is more restricted   in movement but it has a 20 millimeter cannon  in addition to the twin 50s the others carry   but the big thing about the 29's Armament is  the fact that the Gunners don't touch the guns   the guns are controlled remotely from special  sites and any gunner can fire almost any turret   for example one side gunner might have control of  two turrets firing four caliber 50s at his target that's only the beginning of the story about  guns so let's get back to what a pilot has to do   now you're ready to land since you've descended  below ten thousand feet remove your oxygen mask   tell the co-pilot to take over control of the ship  so that you can get out of your flak vest the vest   is easy to take off just pull on the cord and it  drops away this speed of removal becomes important   if you ever have to bail out since the vest is  worn over the parachute and well you figure it out   if you've been riding with the automatic  pilot turn it off you can't use it for   landing of course or when taking off flying  turbulent weather or setting trim tabs   the co-pilot should now warn the crew  to prepare for landing and tell the   Bombardier to climb out of his seat in  the nose and get in back with the engineer then the co-pilot has the engineer start  the Putt-Putt you check the turret warning   lights all the lights are off then call the  control tower and get landing instructions   at the same time ask for the field barometric  pressure and set the altimeter to correspond now the co-pilot hits the brakes  to test the hydraulic pressure   both normal and emergency systems should  have eight hundred to a thousand pounds   to find out about the emergency pressure you  have to ask the engineer at the same time you   can see if he's ready to land and get his log  he has calculated the new weight and center of   gravity since you've used up a lot of gasoline by  now you should look the log over but the co-pilot   will check it carefully examining the center of  gravity and weight computations the table on the   instrument panel gives the stalling speed for  the computed weight the co-pilot tells you the   stalling speed and also reports that everybody  in the crew is ready to land next you adjust   the propeller RPM switches push them to increase  until you get the tachometers to show 2100 RPM now adjust the manifold pressure selector  to give you plenty of reserve power turn it   all the way up to position eight the setting for  full military power when the plane is slowed down   to 180 miles per hour or less order the co-pilot  to lower the landing gear when the switch is set   to the down position the wheels descend all the  way lock and the gear motors automatically stop. when the left and right gear are down the  side gunners we should now be watching the   wheels and flaps will report to the co-pilot he  himself can make sure the nose wheel has been   lowered all the way by looking through  the window in the floor of the cockpit next the flap should come down if you've been in  combat the co-pilot should lower them first only   five degrees if they were damaged lowering  them all away might rip them off the wing   the Gunners can look them over and report  on their condition the flaps are all right   so the co-pilot can lower them 25 degrees notice  that he snaps the switch on and off that way the   flaps descend gradually and a sudden change in the  lift characteristics of the airplane is avoided the gunners will report when the  flaps appear to be down 25 degrees   and the co-pilot can check by looking  at his wing flap position indicator   when he has the flaps where  he wants them he'll tell you   then you'll probably have to reset the trim  tabs because of the change in the flat position   next adjust the throttle  brake to a comfortable tension   and don't forget to turn off  the Detonator power switch now make a standard approach keeping the  speed about 30 miles per hour above stalling and on the Final Approach order the  co-pilot to lower the flaps all the way when you touch the ground the plan should be  slightly tail low and going between 95 and 100   miles per hour notice how the main Wheels bear  most of the shock of Landing then the ship slowly   settles forward don't apply brakes immediately  let the plane lose some of its speed rolling then turn the manifold pressure selector all the  way back to zero you won't need the turbos anymore and set the propellers at increase RPM raise the flaps now while you're taxing and  have plenty of power you're done now you've   followed your checklist step by step but there  are other checklists the engineers for example   so suppose we go back over that Landing procedure  and see how the engineers checklist fits in with   yours five minutes before landing the engineer  tells the tailgunner to start the Putt-Putt   the ship enters the traffic pattern at a 45 degree  angle to the downwind leg altitude is 27.60 speed   is 180. here the co-pilot lowers the wheels the  mixture controls are set to Auto rich and the   Cowl flaps open 15 degrees at the end of the Dawn  wind leg the speed should be about 140 or 150 and   at least three generators must be on the co-pilot  lowers the flaps 15 degrees after the pilot makes   the procedure turn the altitude should be 22 60  feet the co-pilot lowers the flaps to 25 degrees   the pilot sets the manifold pressure selector to  position 8 and adjust the propellers to 2100 RPM   just before the final turn the engineer  checks the magnetos and turns the Boost   pumps on around the turn on the Final Approach  speed should be at least 140 altitude 800 feet   also six generators should be on finally  the co-pilot lowers the flaps all the way   and calls out air speed and hydraulic  pressures the ship descends to the runway after the airplanes on the ground turbos  come off and propellers are set to full   increase RPM the engineer switches the boost  pumps off and opens the car flaps all the way all right we're back where we were before  tell the Bombardier to come forward and open   the Bombay doors the door should always be kept  open when the ship is standing still to prevent   the accumulation of gas fumes next turn off  all the switches then you can get rid of some   of your equipment that remains inside the ship  and climb out for the after flight inspection   yes you start with an inspection and  finish with an inspection if there was   anything wrong now is the time to find out  about it and now is the time to correct it if you enjoyed this video please remember to like  And subscribe and as always thank you for watching

Channel: DroneScapes

Views: 527,006

Keywords: boeing superfortress, b29 documentary, b-29 superfortress documentary, boeing b29, boeing b 29, boeing b-29, b29 superfortress, b29 bomber, b 29 superfortress, b-29 bomber, b 29 bomber, b-29 superfortress, b 29, superfortress b 29, boeing b-29 superfortress, boeing b-29 superfortress bomber, wwii japan documentary, documentary channel, b-29 enola gay, aviation, air force, airplanes, aircraft, documentary, enola gay, wwii japanese, AdKey:3-Xg6wP8wBnrop, Ww2 documentary

Id: _InegQxwbwE

Length: 88min 36sec (5316 seconds)

Published: Sat Jul 15 2023