Warbird Information Exchange

Two questions:

1/Garrett designed a pressurizaton system specifically for the B-29. Was it exhaust-driven? Bleed from the turbochargers? Some other mechanism?

2/Did the system have anything in common with the pressurization system for the earlier Model 307 Stratoliner? I assume not, since I think that system used electrically driven pumps.

Bleed air off of the inboard engines turbos. Each engine had two turbo-chargers. Two outlet valves were located in the aft gunner compartment just aft of the forward pressure bulkhead.

Speaking of which, how does pressurization work ... period? For those of us who never had reason to even really think much about it before, can you (whoever) offer a brief explanation, or point to...

Oh wait, I just remembered a little thing called Google.

Funny how I've never really thought any more about it before. Thanks again SW - you have sure caused me to learn a lot over the years!

_________________
Cheers,
Kurt Maurer
League City, Texas

PIC, Ford 6600 pulling Rhino batwing up and down the runway

Pogo, I think you're dissing me, though I could be wrong. The old "Google is your friend,but you're too stupid to use it" business.

Please be aware that I have done a considerable amount of Internet searching on this question, and I'm basically trying to find the answer to the question, "Did Boeing include Model 307 pressurization technology in the B-29?"
I'm doing this to ensure a reasonable level of accuracy in an article I'm writing for Aviation History Magazine, of which I'm a Contributing Editor. So far, I have been able to confirm that the B-29 used turbocharger-bleed pressurization, and that seems to rule out any commonality between Stratoliner and B-29 technology, since the Model 307 didn't have turbo engines. But just for the fun of it, I continue to search for confirmation.

Sorry if I've misinterpreted your message, but since I don't use those orange faces, I don't know what they mean.

Google is your fr...oh wait, probably inappropriate at this juncture.
Edit
I can't speak for Pogo, but I took it to mean he was thanking you for bringing up the question " ", means cool.

_________________
He bowls overhand...He is the most interesting man in the world.
"In Peace Japan Breeds War", Eckstein, Harper and Bros., 3rd ed. 1943(1927, 1928,1942)
"Leave it to ol' Slim. I got ideas...and they're all vile, baby." South Dakota Slim
"Ahh..."The Deuce", 28,000 pounds of motherly love." quote from some Mojave Grunt
DBF

Oh no sir, no way, not at all. Very much to the contrary, I am a SW fan from way back, and I mean way back to the 70's when you were with Flying magazine. For one thing, I knew Gordon Baxter, and any friend of Bax is a friend of mine. He thought the world of you, and so do I.

airnutz is 101% correct: I meant to thank you for piquing my curiosity about a thing I'm surprised at myself for not having thought about before, and causing me to investigate just how pressurization in aircraft works. I stuck my foot in my mouth with thoughtless language, for which I certainly apologize.

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Cheers,
Kurt Maurer
League City, Texas

PIC, Ford 6600 pulling Rhino batwing up and down the runway

My apologies, Kurt!

http://www.airpages.ru/eng/mn/b29_18.shtml

http://enu.kz/repository/2009/AIAA-2009-961.pdf Pressurization system starts on page 29 of the pdf.

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45-47=-2

Many thanks, Mike. That Stratoliner document is just what I needed. I guess I should learn to go deeper into search results than just the first page ore two.

Interesting that the Model 307 did have turbocharged engines, just like the B-17. I was wrong in assuming that it didn't. And it's also interesting that it apparently never occurred to anybody at Boeing to use the turbos as a source of pressurizing air.

Sometimes a tough go these days. 15 years ago, internet searches were a lot easier...results seemed more bountiful. Then the necessity of firewalls and pervasive commercialism have made things a chore at times. Full circle..."Google is your friend" has almost become a quaint sarcasm. The internet is still an awesome thing, but a library with constant commercial breaks and special passes sections...arrrghhhh!

_________________
He bowls overhand...He is the most interesting man in the world.
"In Peace Japan Breeds War", Eckstein, Harper and Bros., 3rd ed. 1943(1927, 1928,1942)
"Leave it to ol' Slim. I got ideas...and they're all vile, baby." South Dakota Slim
"Ahh..."The Deuce", 28,000 pounds of motherly love." quote from some Mojave Grunt
DBF

Same thing happened to me a few weeks ago Kurt, someone asked "what was the black panel on the back of the Thunderstreak about"? A good question...B'god, let's find out...

_________________
He bowls overhand...He is the most interesting man in the world.
"In Peace Japan Breeds War", Eckstein, Harper and Bros., 3rd ed. 1943(1927, 1928,1942)
"Leave it to ol' Slim. I got ideas...and they're all vile, baby." South Dakota Slim
"Ahh..."The Deuce", 28,000 pounds of motherly love." quote from some Mojave Grunt
DBF

I got to sit in the cockpit of the Screech at the AF Museum when I was doing an article on it for Errand Space. Two big driveshafts running naked through the cockpit, alongside and slightly below (as I remember) the pilot's seat gave one pause. But I can't remember what the black panel was all about....

Ooops, sorry Stephan, it was a side query in the MAPS Museum thread. The panel is fiberglass or phenolic and it covers the rear radio bay and the antennae for the radio compass.

_________________
He bowls overhand...He is the most interesting man in the world.
"In Peace Japan Breeds War", Eckstein, Harper and Bros., 3rd ed. 1943(1927, 1928,1942)
"Leave it to ol' Slim. I got ideas...and they're all vile, baby." South Dakota Slim
"Ahh..."The Deuce", 28,000 pounds of motherly love." quote from some Mojave Grunt
DBF

Does Fifi or Doc utilize the pressurization system anymore? I'm guessing its a non issue since thy stay reasonably love altitude VFR these days.

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Andrew King
Air Museum Director with no Museum to Direct
Open to Suggestions

No Turbo's = The pressurization system.

Phil

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A man's got to know his limitations.