Review (PDF) B-29: Superfortress: Giant Bomber Of World War 2 And Korea
The Boeing B-29 Superfortress was a four-engined heavy bomber flown primarily by the United States in World War Two and the Korean War. The B-29 remained in service in various roles throughout the 1950s. The British Royal Air Force flew the B-29 and used the name Washington for the type, and the Soviet Union produced an unlicensed copy as the Tupolev Tu-4. The name "Superfortress" was derived from that of its well-known predecessor, the B-17 Flying Fortress. The B-29 was the progenitor of a series of Boeing-built bombers, reconnaissance aircraft, trainers and tankers including the variant, B-50 Superfortress.The B-29 was one of the largest aircraft to see service during World War Two. A very advanced bomber for its time, it included features such as pressurized cabins, an electronic fire-control system and remote-controlled machine-gun turrets. Though it was designed as a high-altitude daytime bomber, in practice it actually flew more low-altitude nighttime incendiary bombing missions. It was the primary aircraft in the American firebombing campaign against Japan in the final months of World War Two, and carried the atomic bombs that destroyed Hiroshima and Nagasaki. Unlike many other World War Two-era bombers, the B-29 remained in service long after the war ended, with a few even being employed as flying television transmitters. The type was finally retired in the early 1960s, with 3,960 aircraft in all built.Without doubt there is a clear, strong requirement to ‘put the record straight’ using primary source documentation to record the undoubted achievements alongside and in context with the shortcomings to the type’s design and operation that have otherwise received scant attention.The book will cover all variants and is profusely illustrated.
File Size: 33701 KB
Print Length: 256 pages
Publisher: Pen and Sword (September 19, 2012)
Publication Date: June 25, 2013
Sold by: Digital Services LLC
Language: English
ASIN: B00DN5V616
Text-to-Speech: Enabled
X-Ray: Not Enabled
Word Wise: Enabled
Lending: Not Enabled
Enhanced Typesetting: Enabled
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Brit author Graham Simons wraps up his World War II USAAF heavy bomber trilogy with THE B-29 SUPERFORTRESS, THE GIANT BOMBER OF WORLD WAR TWO AND KOREA. A 2012 Pen & Sword Books release, this is a revised and expanded version of the original edition published in 1990 by Arms and Armour Press.The B-29's birth, trouble-plagued development, WW II combat ops in the CBI and PTO, peacetime career, the follow-on B-50, the Russian Tu-4 copy, RAF service, combat over Korea and various 'odds and mods' are all covered in some 256 pages. A final chapter - 'Operating the B-29' -reproduces extracts from the pilot's manual. Simons' wide-ranging, detailed narrative is complimented by dozens of b&w photographs, diagrams and artworks.'Heavy metal' bomber buffs will enjoy B-29 SUPERFORTRESS. It's a comprehensive, informative and very well-illustrated tribute to Boeing's great silver bird. Recommended.
Very detailed, in depth history of the Superfortress. Gives a lot of minutiae. I'm not that interested in every single person involved with the development of an airplane but it was very interesting and not overwhelming (not boring). I also liked the history of the B-29 in Korea, something I hadn't read about before. The description of the various prototypes and other modified B-29s and the development of the B-50 was also excellent.
Good complement to "Blankets of Fire" and Lemay's "Superfortress". This was a very troubled aircraft that too many expended their lives in because of mechanical problems, mostly engine fires. I own a piece of the #2 prototype that crashed in Seattle due to an engine fire. I recommend the book.
This was a very accurate book. The author really knew what he was writing about. The old B29 worked for the USAF into the early 1960's. Although it took its mods quite well it had it's growing pains to the end. The aircraft was designed as a four engine bomber to end WW2. like described in the book the long haul from the islands to Japan and back was a continual problem for the engines. This made for exciting trip and a good engineer could for the most part get the aircraft back home. If the pilot requested (or ordered) the engineer to give him max power he might not have got it. Those engines belonged to the engineer and he knew full well how much he could push them. They could burn an engine up by pushing is too hard. I was on the approach end of the runway at Yokota AFB in Japan in the 60's and what this author word about was entirely factual. Remember that wonderful old aircraft was designed as a bomber with 4 piston driven engines. Toward the end of the wings they hung on a jet engine and out at the very wing tips they fastened a hose reel for use when the aircraft was used as a tanker to refuel mainly fighters. Over all this was a very good book and if you like this type book you wont be able to put it down.
A very factual account of the history of the B-29 and it's variants. This book covers its inception, development and all the later modifications with a section on its atomic bomb service. Its modifications and use for other services are covered at the end. This is a detailed book ratrher than an exciting one.
I enjoyed the background regarding the development of the B29 as well as the stories about its problems and actions in the war. From must perspective there was a bit too much emphasis on technical facts. The average reader could easily become lost in these technical facts.
This book details all the growing pains of the B-29 from the first prototype to the combat issues and beyond. So many were lost just to engine failures that it's hard to believe they continued to build them but no other aircraft had the range to fly the required missions in the Pacific war. Personal accounts from pilots, navigators, and gunners are sprinkled throughout the book along with all the specifications. If you are a fan of aviation or combat there's plenty of both here.
This is the only book I have seen that is devoted to the B29. This book is not a recount of missions flown by, but rather the history of the ship. It is very will written and, in my opinion, a must read by anyone interested in the last piston powered bomber actually flown in combat.
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