WW2 American Boeing B-29 Superfortress long range nuclear and conventional heavy bomber - Moore Aircraft warbird aviation photograph pictures

Boeing B17 Flying Fortress US Eighth Air Force bomber
Seeing a B17 Flying fortress flying again over England at Airshows is inspiring. The Boeing B17 World War Two Flying Fortress bomber had a maximum speed of 300 mph with a cruising speed of 170 mph. It’s range depending on model started off at 1, 850 miles and later increased to 3,750 miles. It had a service ceiling of 35,000 feet. For its Armament each Flying Fortress had thirteen .50-cal. machine guns with normal bomb load of 6,000 lbs. New they cost $276,000. The crew comprised of two pilots, a bombardier, a radio-operator and 5 gunners

The first prototype flew on 28th July 1935. The Boeing Aircraft Company of Seattle, Washington financed the entire prototype project to meet the Army Airforce need for a multi-engine bomber. It only took 12 months from drawing board to the first test flight. It was a great advance in Boeing design and technology. It was their first military aeroplane that did not have an open cockpit. Mounting five .30-caliber machine guns in clear "blisters" was also a first. A Seattle reporter, who commented on its defensive firepower, was the first to call it a ‘Flying Fortress’. The name stuck.

Operation MATTERHORN was the name given to the AAF 20th Air Force India-based B-29 Superfortresses job of bombing Japan from forward bases in China. As Island Hopping allied forces made advances in the South Pacific the Twentieth Air Force moved it’s B-29 operations to nearer bases in the Marianas Islands and then from the islands of Saipan, Guam and Tinian. During the brief span of 16 months 28,000 combat sorties against Japan were flown. The B-29 was SAC’s first post WW2 Cold War aircraft 60 Superfortresses had been modified to carry the atomic bomb by the end of 1948. In 1950 B 29 Superfortresses were used for conventional bombing operations in North Korea. It was gradually replaced by the jet engined B-52 Stratofortresses bomber from 1955 onwards.

These aircraft photographs are great reference sources if your painting 1/72 scale, 1/48 scale or 1/24 scale plastic model airplane Airfix, Tamiya, zvezda, revel, Pavala aircraft kits or you’re into flying and painting radio RC controlled model planes. There are many aviation books published about the Boeing B-29 Superfortress heavy bomber

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