General Overview
The Boeing B-29 Superfortress is an American four-engine propeller-driven heavy bomber built by Boeing during the 1940s. It’s sadly is mostly known for dropping the 2 atomic bombs over Japan in August 1945, finishing WWII. The aircraft was developed from the Boeing B-17 Flying Fortress (hence the name) (vote here!) and would later serve as a basis for the development of the Boeing C-97 Stratofreighter, which would lead to the development of the Boeing KC-97 Stratofreighter and the Boeing 377 Stratocruiser. Currently 2 Boeing B-29s fly. They are named “FiFi” and “Doc”
Specifications
(taken from Wikipedia)
General Characteristics
Crew: 11 (Pilot, Co-pilot, Bombardier, Flight Engineer, Navigator, Radio Operator, Radar Observer, Right Gunner, Left Gunner, Central Fire Control, Tail Gunner)
Length: 99 ft 0 in (30.18 m)
Wingspan: 141 ft 3 in (43.05 m)
Height: 27 ft 9 in (8.46 m)
Wing area: 1,736 sq ft (161.3 m2)
Aspect ratio: 11.5
Airfoil: root: Boeing 117 (22%) ; tip: Boeing 117 (9%)
Zero-lift drag coefficient: 0.0241
Frontal area: 41.16 sq ft (3.824 m2)
Empty weight: 74,500 lb (33,793 kg)
Gross weight: 120,000 lb (54,431 kg)
Max takeoff weight: 133,500 lb (60,555 kg)
135,000 lb (61,000 kg) combat overload
Powerplant: 4 × Wright R-3350-23 Duplex-Cyclone 18-cylinder air-cooled turbosupercharged radial piston engines, 2,200 hp (1,600 kW) each
Propellers: 4-bladed constant-speed fully-feathering propellers, 16 ft 7 in (5.05 m) diameter
Performance
Maximum speed: 357 mph (575 km/h, 310 kn)
Cruise speed: 220 mph (350 km/h, 190 kn)
Stall speed: 105 mph (169 km/h, 91 kn)
Range: 3,250 mi (5,230 km, 2,820 nmi)
Ferry range: 5,600 mi (9,000 km, 4,900 nmi)
Service ceiling: 31,850 ft (9,710 m)
Rate of climb: 900 ft/min (4.6 m/s)
Lift-to-drag: 16.8
Wing loading: 69.12 lb/sq ft (337.5 kg/m2)
Power/Mass: 0.073 hp/lb (0.120 kW/kg)
Armament
Guns:
8 or 10× .50 in (12.7 mm) Browning M2/ANs in remote-controlled turrets. (omitted from Silverplate B-29s)
2× .50 BMG and 1× 20 mm M2 cannon in tail position (the cannon was later removed)
Bombs:
5,000 lb (2,300 kg) over 1,600 mi (2,600 km; 1,400 nmi) radius at high altitude
12,000 lb (5,400 kg) over 1,600 mi (2,600 km; 1,400 nmi) radius at medium altitude
20,000 lb (9,100 kg) maximum over short distances at low altitude
Could be modified to carry two 22,000 lb (10,000 kg) Grand Slam bombs externally.
The Silverplate version delivered the first atomic bombs.
Conclusion
The Boeing B-29 Superfortress overall is a great aircraft and one of the first pressurized bombers. In addition to that, Infinite Flight lacks vintage aircraft, both in quality and in quantity. The Superfortress would undoubtedly be a very interesting addition to the fleet!