Colorful B-29s

retroaviation · **Posted:** Thu May 14, 2009 9:56 pm

Interesting. That first one must be a weather bird. It has no guns in the upper turret and a radar lookin' dome thingy where the front, lower turret would've been...but no radar lookin' dome thingy where the radar lookin' dome thingy is normally located, between the bomb bays.

Gary

mustangdriver · **Posted:** Thu May 14, 2009 11:14 pm

Jack, any idea what is going on in the last picture? Looks like movie camera and all.

Ian Quinn · **Posted:** Fri May 15, 2009 4:44 am

Great photos as usual...
Last one looks like a recently completed airfield in China with Chinese military and civilian dignitaries ?
Extra large 'Blood Chits' on the two crew members are interesting.

Second Air Force · **Posted:** Fri May 15, 2009 5:05 am

The first airplane had been (or still was) an SB-29. You can still see the remains of the "Rescue" lettering behind the SCR729 antenna.

The two OD birds were training 40th Bombardment Group crews and were based at Pratt AAF, Kansas at the time the photo was taken. The airplane in the foreground is a YB-29.

I tend to agree that the third photo was taken at a forward field, and I believe it was to greet the first 40th Group crew to China.

Scott

Edward Sheetmetalhands · **Joined:** Sat Oct 25, 2008 6:44 am **Posts:** 257

Scott,

I am a little foggy how to tell the difference in a photo about whether or not it has the "long chord cowl flaps". I have read the NACA PDF explaining the modification, but how do you pick it out in a photo? So are the long chord flaps in the early B-29's like the second and third photos? How about some pointers in distinguishing them? :?:

the330thbg · **Joined:** Wed Nov 14, 2007 3:06 pm **Posts:** 2713

Last photo is one of those darn 'K' birds that keep showing up at training bases back in CONUS. K-129, K-134 were in some photos of the 330th as they were transitioning through Walker. Was curious if they were put on in the field, or back in the states.., this looks like they flew with them in combat!

Second Air Force · **Posted:** Fri May 15, 2009 11:19 am

The "K" numbers were indeed on many combat B-29s. Bob Mann, myself, and several others have been looking for the key to that fuselage code for a long time. We're pretty certain it has to do with the modification status or line numbers of earlier Superforts when they went through the Mod Centers. Later on the numbers cease to appear, but airplanes with the fuselage numbers definitely saw combat.

S

the330thbg · **Joined:** Wed Nov 14, 2007 3:06 pm **Posts:** 2713

The last photo is early mid 44 as well.. she only has two 50 cals on her upper forward turret!

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Colorful B-29s

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