B-29 & B-50 Superfortresses, and C-97/ Stratocruiser

Jeffry Fontaine · November 23, 2008, 05:14:22 PM

Quote from: kitnut617 on November 23, 2008, 05:02:51 PMIs that the photo of it flying and from just below and behind on the starboard side Jeffry ?

Yes it is. See attached.

kitnut617 · November 23, 2008, 06:01:48 PM

This is one of the photos I bought from Boeing only it shows the whole aircraft. It's not as grainy as this and under a magnifying glass I can make out two retaining chains and a large mounting fairing to each bomb. The chains are like large motorcycle chains, not like the single chain that were on Lancasters which were like industrial conveyor chain. This aircraft also had a re-enforced main spars which spanned from each inner engine through the fuselage. I have an article which shows how they re-enforced it, but it's still in the packing box somewhere. The wing root to fuselage joint had an additional fairing added to the underside.

Interesting thing though is that this B-29 had all it's turrets in place and I was going to model one of my B-29's like this and as an RAF Washington

Jeffry Fontaine · November 23, 2008, 06:16:22 PM

Quote from: kitnut617 on November 23, 2008, 06:01:48 PMThis is one of the photos I bought from Boeing only it shows the whole aircraft. It's not as grainy as this and under a magnifying glass I can make out two retaining chains and a large mounting fairing to each bomb. The chains are like large motorcycle chains, not like the single chain that were on Lancasters which were like industrial conveyor chain. This aircraft also had a re-enforced main spars which spanned from each inner engine through the fuselage. I have an article which shows how they re-enforced it, but it's still in the packing box somewhere. The wing root to fuselage joint had an additional fairing added to the underside.

Please consider sharing your references when you have the opportunity to do so. That particular version of the B-29 has always impressed me and I really would like to see the details of the pylon and the retention system used with these weapons.

kitnut617 · November 23, 2008, 07:01:04 PM

Absolutely !!

I'll have to find where they are, I'm afraid what with three house moves in the last year or so things are not where they should be.

kitnut617 · November 24, 2008, 07:07:55 AM

You can see in the photo that part of the inner flap was removed so that it cleared the tail cone of the bomb. The bomb rack was closer to the fuselage than to the nacelles too.

Daryl J. · January 03, 2009, 10:25:52 PM

Converting a B-29 into a twin engine turboprop (think more B-50-like engine mount rather than Tu-4 Bull turboprop) with contraprops, winglets, swept tail, and converted for some sort of anti shipping role or outfitted with LGB's or standoff weapons underwing. Seeing the Academy B-50 underway on the ARC group build w/ only two of the engine pods attached looked about right and thought of hanging on some large vertical winglets along with serious modernizing. Might have to actually give that a go.

Daryl J.

Jschmus · May 16, 2010, 07:47:09 PM

I didn't realize this thread had been dormant so long. I've been reading J.P. Santiago's blogs, and I saw this posted today, all about the Boeing B-54, the ultimate development of the B-29 Superfortress. Sounds like it would have been awesome.

http://aviationtrivia.blogspot.com/2010/05/during-second-world-war-boeing-worked.html

Weaver · February 28, 2011, 04:49:21 PM

Here's an idea: take the radar lumps and bumps off an EC-121 Warning Star and fit them onto a C-97 to make an EC-97 early AWACS. Very credible project as far as I can tell, and as a bonus, you get left with a de-uglified Connie.

You could do it in 1/144th using Minicraft kits, or in 1/72nd using a Heller EC-121 and an Academy C-97.

The Big Gimper · February 28, 2011, 05:22:52 PM

OzMods make just the domes for the regular Connie kits. Cheaper than buying an EC-121?

Found this link: http://hawkeyemodels.com.au/

Weaver · February 28, 2011, 06:44:17 PM

Maybe, maybe not: Heller EC-121s can be had for about £15.

The Big Gimper · February 28, 2011, 06:57:36 PM

Ah, Okay. They are not that cheap in Canada after shipping is added.

rickshaw · March 01, 2011, 02:31:56 AM

You can buy them direct from - http://www.layuqwam.com.au/Ozmods/Home.html

Pretty overseas postage costs but you can see what we normally put up with when getting stuff sent here!

rickshaw · April 20, 2011, 11:55:43 PM

Just came across this picture on another web board:

Described as: "the B-39 with 4 double Allison engines. It was produced in case the problems with the Wright R-3350 could not be resolved. Suitable turbos were in short supply so development was slow, and eventually, the project was cancelled. There was a single Allison B-17 built as well, called the B-38."

sagallacci · April 21, 2011, 10:00:13 AM

The Allison 3420 actually worked fairly well and produced more power than the initial 3350s, but the program was committed to the 3350 (which eventually did work fairly well) so the "Spirit of Lincoln" was to be a one-of. The Douglas B-19 was refitted with 3420s as well later in its life too. For wiffy projects, there was consideration to fit 3420s to any number of other aircraft, including the C-46 and B-26.

Regarding the B-29 with tallboys, the lower wing fillet was not unique to that machine, but was a standard feature on some production.

kitnut617 · April 21, 2011, 01:26:42 PM

Quote from: sagallacci on April 21, 2011, 10:00:13 AM
Regarding the B-29 with tallboys, the lower wing fillet was not unique to that machine, but was a standard feature on some production.

The pic I have with the T-12 hanging out of it's bomb bay also has the fillet, the pic showing the two bombs under the wings are Grand Slams BTW ---