Years In Service: 1943-1960
Initial Flight: September 21, 1942
The B-29 Superfortress is a propeller-driven heavy bomber flown primarily by the United States during World War II and the Korean War. The B-29 was the first bomber with pressurized crew compartments. They were used primarily in the Pacific Theater where their long range was needed. Two B-29s, the Enola Gay and Bockscar, dropped nuclear bombs on Hiroshima and Nagasaki in August 1945, precipitating Japan’s surrender the following month. They are the only aircraft ever to drop atomic weapons in wartime.
Aircraft Specifications
Height: 29′ 6″ Wingspan: 142′ 3″ Length: 99′ Crew: 10 Armament: Twelve .50 Caliber machine guns, One 20 mm cannon Payload: 20,000 lb. bomb load No. of Engines: 4 Horsepower: 2,200 hp. Cruise speed: 220 mph Max Speed: 358 mph Ceiling: 31,850 ft.