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Boeing B-29 Superfortress Development, History, Assembly Plants, & Production Numbers
Our Tribute to the B-29
This section is meant to be a tribute to those who designed & built the B-29 Superfortress, the crews who flew her, and those who have worked tirelessly to preserve this incredible plane and its history.
Boeing began work on a pressurized long-range bomber in 1938. In December 1939, the Army Air Corps issued a formal specification for a so called "superbomber", capable of delivering 20,000 lbs of bombs to a target 2,667 miles distant, at a speed of 400 mph.
The first three aircraft built were identified as the XB-29, with triple-bladed propellers.
Boeing XB-29, S/N 41-0002, the first B-29 prototype |
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B-29
The most widely produced Superfortress model was the B-29, of which 2,537 aircraft were built.
The B-29 featured the first ever fully pressurized nose and cockpit in a bomber; an aft area for the crew was also pressurized. Since the bomb bays were not pressurized, a pressurized tunnel was devised to connect the fore and aft crew areas. A retractable tail bumper was provided for tail protection during nose-high takeoffs and landings.
More about the B-29 Superfortress |
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B-29 Superfortress Specifications
Boeing Wichita Plant, inside view of B-29s on the assembly lineI
Armament: Eight .50-cal. machine guns in remote controlled turrets plus two .50-cal. machine guns and one 20mm cannon in tail; 20,000 lbs. of bombs
Engines: Four Wright R-3350s of 2,200 hp each
Maximum speed: 357 mph
Cruising speed: 220 mph
Range: 3,700 miles
Ceiling: 33,600 ft.
Span: 141 ft. 3 in.
Length: 99 ft.
Height: 27 ft. 9 in.
Weight: 133,500 lbs. maximum
B-29 Superfortress Assembly Plants and Production Numbers
A total of 3,970 production B-29s were built, at these locations:
Prototypes |
Production |
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Aircraft Manufacturer |
Plant Location |
Plant Code |
XB-29 |
YB-29 |
B-29 |
B-29A |
B-29B |
Production B-29s Built |
| Boeing | Seattle, Washington | BO |
3 |
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| Boeing | Renton, Washington | BN |
1,122 |
1,122 |
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| Boeing | Wichita, Kansas |
BW |
14 |
1,644 |
1,644 |
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| Bell Aircraft Co. | Atlanta (Marietta), Georgia |
BA |
357 |
311 |
668 |
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| Glenn L. Martin Co. | Omaha, Nebraska |
MO |
536 |
536 |
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TOTAL PRODUCTION
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2,537 |
1,122 |
311 |
3,970 |
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Inside the Boeing Wichita Kansas Plant, B-29 Superfortress assembly line |
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Boeing Wichita Plant, aerial view of completed B-29s parked on apron with part of the original Stearman Aircraft plant and water tower in the background |
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USAF B-29 Assembly Line Photos
Boeing B-29 Superfortress Assembly Line |
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Boeing B-29 Superfortress pressurized cockpit sections, showing connectors for pressurized tunnel over bomb bays
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Partially completed wing assembly of the Boeing B-29 Superfortress |
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Boeing B-29 Superfortress Assembly Line |
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Boeing B-29 Superfortress Assembly Line |
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Boeing B-29 Superfortress Assembly Line |
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The completed aircraft: The Boeing B-29 Superfortress |
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YouTube Video of Surviving B-29 Superfortress Bombers in the U.S. Today
More about the B-29 Superfortress |
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