B-29 Superfortress

Designed in 1940 by The Boeing Company, the first B-29 made its maiden flight on Sept. 21, 1942. In December 1943, U.S. Army Air Forces leadership committed the Superfortress to Asia. Its great range made it particularly suited for the long over-water flights against the Japanese homeland from bases in China. During the last two months of 1944, B-29s began operating against Japan from the islands of Saipan, Guam, and Tinian. By the end of WWII, a total of 3,970 B-29s were built. With the start of the conflict in Korea in June 1950, the B-29 returned to combat. Although vulnerable to MiG-15 jet fighter attacks, the Superfortress remained effective against several types of targets throughout the Korean War. At the time of its introduction, the B-29 was the most advanced bomber aircraft in the world. It featured pressurization with heating and air conditioning and a radically new and efficient wing. It featured the first use of remote gun turrets with computer assisted aiming and was equipped with airborne radar. The aircraft could fly higher, faster, and longer than any other bomber and do it while carrying a larger bomb load.

New Mexico · United States