Air Force the Official Service Journal - Air Force Historical Studies ...

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THE gunner had completed 85 missions in B-25s and he
was being interviewed at an AAF redistribution center.
"If you had your choice," said the interviewer, "what
would you want to do next?"
Loud and clear came the sergeant's answer. . "I want to
be assigned to the B-29."
At this particular moment it can be said safely that casual
aircrew members with combat experience in four-engined
planes who get back to the States and request B-29 training
have a good chance of getting it. Others with combat
behind them may gct into the Vcry Heavy program upon
their own request if thcir particular experience isn't more
urgently needed elsewhere. Newly graduated aircrew mem-
.bcrs take the same chances with probabilities, rosters, and
just plain luck that they always have.
Let's assume that you have been tapped for the B-29.
This means, first of all, that you go to the 2nd Air Force
which. is commanded by Major Gcneral Uzal G. Ent with
headquarters in Colorado Springs, Colo. For transition
training, individual combat crew member training, and replacement
training, some may go to Brig. Gen. Newton D.
Longfellow's 16th Wing. There many of you will see your
first Supcrfortress.
Many novitiates to the Boeing Superfortress admit to
being disappointed at finding that the thing is just an airplane,
despite all the publicity, and not a magic carpet at all.
It smells of gasoline and hot metal, requires constant attention
and the same continual application of common sense
as any other plane.
However, given the fact that it is an airplane, it's the
most complete, the most advanced, and in many ways the
most efficient in the world. On your first ride you'll notice
that, for the crew members forward particularly, it is
astonishingly quiet. The pilot, copilot, bombardier sit well
'ahead of the engines; the interior is sound-proofed so that
The 8-29 program is ex-
panding all the time. If you
should find yourself part
of it. here is a preview
of what you can expect
16
By MAJ. LUTHER DAVIS
AIR FORCE Staff
those in command of the plane can talk to each other without
benefit of intercom.
The pilot and copilot have fewer instruments than they
have in any other four-engined plane-because most of the
purely engineering instruments are given to the flight engineer,
who has his place of business nearby. The navigator
has a good place to work and a very complete set of selfcomputing,
handy gadgets; an astrodome he can really get
a sight from. The bombardier sits where he may signal or
speak to the pilot and copilot without any time-lag. The
radioman has lousy visibility but more equipment than
KDKA, Pittsburgh. The gunners-thcy enter the ernancipatcd
life.
There's a system of remote fire control based on the fact
that all B-29'gunners, except the tail gunner, are removed
from any manual contact with their guns and fire them
from remote stations. The tail gunner, unlike the others, is
near his guns-he can at least sec them-but he doesn't
actually touch them.
Sighting is by automatic computers which correct for
range, altitude, temperature, and airspeed. This means that
gunners, removed from their guns, are spared the jar and
vibration of rceoil making it much easier to track and hold
a target. The gunner's personal comfort is greatly increased
as he doesn't have to crowd himself in behind his guns and
ammunition. They have comfortable seats, room to stretch
and move around, and more armor protection than in any
other combat plane.
The B-29 handles more easily than any other four-engined
airplane due to the perfcetly balanced controls. It takes off
easily with partial flaps at between 20 and 30 degrees but docs
not gain altitude or speed very quickly immediately after.
take-off. Because of the slim and aerodynamically perfect
design of the engine nacelles, cowls must be handled carefully
and cruisinlj speed reached as quickly as possible.
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