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B-29 Superfortress Strategic Bomber.
This aluminium monster was an aircraft of the new generation. A new term was even introduced to name it: the “Strategic Bomber”. Before that a “Long-range” one and a “Heavy” bomber would suffice. The maximum weight at the take-off was 61 tons, which was twice as much as any other bomber produced during the WWII could carry. Such extraordinary characteristics were achieved by the use of new powerful four-row (!) star-shaped Wright R-3350-23 Duplex Cyclone engines of 2200 hp each, and various newly-developed technologies such as hermetic crew cockpits, and electric remote system of machinegun control.
It would be an exaggeration to say that the aircraft designers encountered no difficulties while constructing the plane. Similar to the majority of the extraordinary American aircraft, the development of B-29 began relatively early: in January 1940. The first combat flight happened only in June 1944. The reason was a number of technical defects and, as usual, some problems with engines. The struggle with the whimsical B-29 engines took almost a year, and was called “The Kansas Struggle”.
However, the result surpassed all expectations. The aircraft was capable of transporting 9 tons of cargo at the 5230 km distance with a speed enormous for a bomber: 576 km/h! Its defense weapons consisted of 10 heavy machineguns. The Japanese could do nothing but try and ram the bomber, for there was practically no other way for them to bring it down.
This model was produced for about a year, but nearly 3600 aircraft were made. Just imagine that’s 10 aircraft per day! No valor can resist such a monstrous flow of weaponry!
However, the perfect weapon left terrible scars. These are hundreds of thousands of the Japanese civilians, who died in the dreadful city fires, and in the scorching heat of atomic blasts.
B-29 Superfortress Strategic Bomber in the "Pacific Storm"
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