Boeing B-29

Boeing submitted the prototype for the B-29 long-range heavy bomber to the Army in 1939, before the United States entered World War II. The B-29 had many new features, including guns that could be fired by remote control. The crew areas were pressurized and connected by a long tube over the bomb bays. The tail gunner had a separate pressurized area that could only be left during unpressurized flight. The B-29 was also the heaviest production plane because of increases in range, bomb load and defensive requirements.

Description	Specifications
Manufacturer: Boeing	Length: 99 feet
First Flight: Sept. 21, 1942	Height: 27.8 ft
Enter Service: 1943	Wing Span: 141 ft. 3 in.
Model: 345	Wing Area: 1,736 sq ft
Crew: 10	Empty Weight: 13,5011 lb
Nickname: Superfortress	Max. Weight: 140,000 Lb.
Basic Role: High-altitude heavy bomber	Armament: 12 .50-caliber machine guns, 1 20 mm cannon, 20,000 Lb. bomb load
Other Versions:	Propulsion
Principal User: USA	Power Plant: Wright Double Cyclone engines
Performance	Horsepower: 2,200-horsepower
Range: 5,830 miles	No. Of Engines: Four
Max. Speed: 365 mph	Drawing
Ceiling: 31,850 feet
Climb Rate:	Photo By Coll B. Thouanel