B-29 Superfortress at Bougainville?

Dave Homewood · **Posted:** Thu Sep 10, 2009 5:42 pm

Great work everyone, thanks for identifying The Dragon Lady for us.

It makes much moire sense now that I think about it that the strip might be Torokina rather than Piva. I said Piva as it was a bomber base (for the RNZAF at least with Venturas, Avengers and Dauntless), but Torokina was an RNZAF fighter base (we flew P-40's and Corsairs from that strip), so that would make much more sense that Neville (an RNZAF fighter pilot) would be on site at Torokina when the B-29 flew in. Cheers. Emirau is indeed another possibility.

Dave Homewood · **Posted:** Fri Sep 11, 2009 7:19 am

Ooh look - a coloured photo of the Dragon Lady. No wonder she was wiped off the aircraft.

http://pc-mod-squad.com/B29/Photos/Drag ... -63425.jpg

More here
http://images.google.co.nz/images?hl=en ... q=42-63425

Ken · **Posted:** Fri Sep 11, 2009 8:21 am

WIX rules!

Pains me to think of the thousands of photos that veterans' families choose to trash because they assume they're insignificant. So glad these were saved. What a great thread.

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

WOW.., that bomb group had some GREAT NOSE ART!!!!!!

"schwing" :lol:

Django · **Posted:** Fri Sep 11, 2009 10:33 am

That site is a goldmine!

The close ups of the road signs are amazing. I've never seen such large detailed photos of those signs before. Made my day!!!!

And... no way! A B-29 with a shark mouth!
http://pc-mod-squad.com/B29/Photos/Skys ... -24599.jpg

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

Possible donor of the vertical fin, if this is the right T41. Courtesy of atheyfamily.org website.

A41 starting, possibly the Dragon Lady when fresh... Courtesy of atheyfamily.org website.

Django · **Posted:** Fri Sep 11, 2009 11:10 am

So on some of these photos at the link show an aircraft with nose art, and then the same aircraft in another photo with the standardized art. Which came first?

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

are those de-icing boots or just black paint?

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

De-icer boots. And they are a lot of work to remove!

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

I did not realize any B-29's left CONUS for the Marianas with them? But these birds may have come from another region prior to their deployment to South Pacific. Maybe India?

Super job on this boys!

This is what this site is all about and why I keep coming back no matter what BS there is in between the good stuff!

Wish I could find a way to make a living doing fun projects like this!

Cheers all!!!!

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

Possible tail fin donor to A square 41... (screen capture from the 20th AF DVD)

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

Touchin' up the letterin.... screen capture of A Square 41 prior to the ramming attack. Possibly the same laddar as in the damage assesment?

Second Air Force · **Posted:** Fri Sep 11, 2009 8:26 pm

Django wrote:

So on some of these photos at the link show an aircraft with nose art, and then the same aircraft in another photo with the standardized art. Which came first?

The free-style noseart came first, Chad. The standardization didn't happen until early spring of '45. Some of the Groups gave the right side to the crews (within censor reason) and standardized the left.

Smis,

The original 73rd Wing airplanes left the CONUS with the deicer boots still installed. They were removed sometime after arriving in the Marianas. The Wing recieved new flyaways at Herington and only had them long enough to fly a few shakedown hops before heading for the Port of Embarkation. One interesting thing that a few of us have been trying to confirm is that the Group, Wing, and plane-in-group numerals were painted on the original 73rd Wing airplanes in Kansas. We have no photographic proof (yet) but are pretty certain that the ships had their tail codes when they left the Midwest.

Later replacements had the boots removed at the mod depots or production lines.

Scott

Second Air Force · **Posted:** Fri Sep 11, 2009 10:56 pm

Django wrote:

Scott, do you have any pics of war weary 29s at CONUS with nose art?

Sorry I missed your inquiry, Django. :oops:

I have photos of a number of 58th Wing returnees that ended up as trainers. Some kept their nose art and some didn't, it seems. I have no idea where I put the images, but I'll go through the B-29 pile in the attic for you.

S

retroaviation · **Posted:** Sat Sep 12, 2009 9:04 am

Edward Sheetmetalhands wrote:

I want one of those ladders!

Gary

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B-29 Superfortress at Bougainville?

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