The World War Two bomber that cost more than the atomic bomb

[THE PILGRIM]

"A total of 3,970 Boeing B-29 Superfortress bombers were built between 1943 and 1946 by four manufacturers: Boeing, Bell Aircraft, and Glenn L. Martin Company. This mass production effort ensured a sufficient supply of these advanced heavy bombers for use in World War II, with production concluding in 1946 after the war ended. "
Once upon a time, Went to a School up at Offutt AFB, Omaha.
Got on the bus and away we went. To the back side of the base, then we see this huge derelict building.
It was the Glen Martin Plant where 536 B-29s were built, including the Enola Gay and the other 'Silverplate' A Bomb variants.
The driver drives into the building. It was being used for storage. Vehicles, snow removal equipment, Xmas decorations, etc.
The bus stops. The driver announces, we're here.
Somebody up front asks, where is it?
Down the stairs. To the vault in the Basement.
Where DIA folks awaited.

 

[greenwellg]

Pop is top left, Pilot. 447th BB group Rattlesden England. 12/24/43 - 6/6/44, 30 missions. Died at 103.5 11/16/2024.

 

[greenwellg]

Another issue was the jet stream over Tokyo was sometimes 150 MPH west to east. Later Pop was a systems analyst for TAC setting up payroll computer systems (think IBM 1401). Once he was flying west over the Mississippi River in a DC 3 and the headwinds were so powerful they were not even moving west. After that they put him in much faster planes.

 

[swsig]

I have read that the AAC had some woman fly the B 29's just to show they were safe to fly..
If a woman could do it, well.....

That is absolutely true, and I have a personal connection to one of them. There were two women who trained to fly the B-29, Dora Strother and Didi Moorman. They were recruited from the famous WASP squadron of women pilots who ferried military aircraft around the US.

I had the extreme honor of meeting Dora Strother in person. Around 1980, I was looking for an internship for one of my graduate students. The internship had to be supervised by a licensed psychologist. I found a licensed psychologist who was working at Bell Helicopter. It was Dora, who was in charge of designing helicopter cockpits. She had a PhD in aviation psychology from NYU, and was a licensed psychologist in Texas. I also knew she was a helicopter pilot who could fly anything Bell built. (She had set the world record for high altitude flight by a helicopter.) I did not know about her WW 2 experience. I went to Bell to meet her, and found a delightful older woman who couldn't have been more gracious. Here she is as I remember her:



We sat in her office and talked about our mutual interests, but she needed to get more information about my student. When she learned he had been a helicopter mechanic in the Marine Corps, she immediately agreed to take him on as an intern. As he proceeded through his internship, Dora and I would occasionally talk about his progress, and he successfully completed his internship.

A few years later, the Fort Worth Museum of Science had an exhibit about the WASP squadron, and that's where I learned that Dora had not only been a WASP pilot, but she had also been a B-29 pilot. The early versions of the B-29 had developed the reputation as a widow-maker, and Air Force pilots were avoiding it like the plague. That's when the officer in charge of the B-29s, Lt. Col. Paul Tibbets, (yes, THE Lt. Col. Tibbets) decided to challenge pilots into volunteering to fly them. Tibbets would have a B-29 fly into various bomber bases to recruit pilots. The B-29 would taxi up to the ramp, and the two pilots would emerge, Dora and Didi. Do you think all those macho pilots were embarrassed and shamed by the sight of two "girls" flying a B-29? Tibbets had no difficulty finding pilots after that!

Here is a photo of Dora, Didi, and the aircrew of their B-29, Ladybird. Col. Tibbets is on the left. Dora is third from left.

A remarkable woman with a remarkable career. And I am proud to say I knew her.

 

[DWalt]

Another issue was the jet stream over Tokyo was sometimes 150 MPH west to east. Later Pop was a systems analyst for TAC setting up payroll computer systems (think IBM 1401). Once he was flying west over the Mississippi River in a DC 3 and the headwinds were so powerful they were not even moving west. After that they put him in much faster planes.

Some years ago, in Midland TX on a very windy day, I witnessed at the airport a small plane which was suspended motionless in the air for several minutes. The pilot finally gave up and did a 180.

 

[Greyman50]

Feel blessed as we met countless WWII flyers at air shows we displayed at in the 80s-90s. Just wish we had recorded our many conversations with them. Truly America's Greatest Generation.