Boeing B-29 "The Dragon Lady" undergoes maintenance on Saipan, Marianas. Note that the No. 1 and No. 2 propellers have been removed. (U.S. Air Force photo)
The B-29 heavy bombardment type aircraft has been designed for long distance, high altitude operation and utilizes the favorable flying conditions afforded by sub-stratosphere flight.
Pressurized cabins, in addition to standard oxygen equipment, and use of two turbosuperchargers on each of its four engines, enable the airplane to fly at a service ceiling in excess of 40,000 feet. The four 18-cylinder Wright Model R-3350-23 engines develop 2200 horsepower each, giving the airplane a total of 8800 horsepower.
The long, narrow wing of the mid-wing bomber is mounted a short distance forward of the center of the fuselage. When the airplane is loaded to its normal gross weight of 105,000 pounds, the wing loading is 61.4 pounds per square foot.
For support on the ground, the B-29 depends upon electrically-retractable, tricycle type alighting gear. The main gears are drawn into the inboard engine nacelles, and the nose gear into a housing beneath the forward pressurized compartment. The airplane rolls entirely on dual wheels equipped with dual brakes. An electrically-operated, fully retractable tail skid also is provided to prevent damage to the rear of the airplane and to absorb shock in tail-down take-offs and landings.
The airplane carries a 10-ton bomb load and has for defensive armament 10 caliber .50 machine guns and one 20 mm cannon. The machine guns are housed in five power turrets, the cannon protruding from the tail turret. All turrets are actuated electrically and are remotely controlled from sighting stations within the pressurized cabins.
Fuel tanks in the wing provide an overall normal capacity of 5608 U.S. gallons (4669 Imperial). However, the capacity may be increased to a maximum of 9501 U.S. gallons (7912 Imperial) by the installation of auxiliary wing and bomb bay tanks.
TECHNICAL NOTES (B-29 General Dimension Diagram):
Span: 141 ft. 2.76 in. Length: 99 ft. 0 in. Height: 27 ft. 9 in. (at rest) 27 ft. 6.7 in. (taxi position) Maximum fuselage diameter: 9 ft. 6 in. Height to centerline of propeller hub (taxi position) 1. Inboard engines: 9 ft. 5.6 in. 2. Outboard engines: 10 ft. 8 in. Ground clearance of inboard propeller tips (taxi position): 14.1 in.
WINGS:
Airfoil section: Boeing 117 1. Root: 22% 2. Tip: 7% Chord root: 17 ft. Chord tip (70 feet 10 inches from centerline of fuselage): 7 ft. 5 in. Incidence: 4 degrees Dihedral: 4 degrees 29 minutes 23 seconds Sweepback: 7 degrees 1 minute 26 seconds
STABILIZER:
Span: 43 ft. Maximum chord: 11 ft. 2.4 in.
AREAS:
Wing (less ailerons): 1609.68 sq. ft. Wing (flaps extended, plus ailerons): 2070.88 sq. ft. Alierons (total, including tabs): 129.2 sq. ft. Flaps (total): 332 sq. ft. Stabilizer and elevators (including tabs): 333 sq. ft. Elevators (total including tabs): 115 sq. ft. Elevator trim tabs (total): 10.12 sq. ft. Vertical fin: 131.9 sq. ft. Dorsal fin: 40.6 sq. ft. Rudder (including tab): 65.5 sq. ft. Rudder trim tab: 5.79 sq. ft.
Weight: 133,500 lbs. (maximum overload) 105,000 lbs. gross Armament: 10 or 12 .50-cal. machine guns and one 20mm cannon plus 20,000 lbs. of bombs. Engines: Four Wright R-3350-21 or -23 "Cyclone" radials each equipped with two type B-11 turbo superchargers; later B-29 models fitted with -23A, -41 or -57 Cyclone radials Engine gear ratio: 20:7 (.35) Take-off power: 2,200 hp at 2,600 rpm w/ manifold pressure of 47.5 in. Military power: 2,200 hp at 2,600 rpm w/ manifold pressure of 47.5 in at 25,000 ft. Normal rated power: 2,000 hp at 2,400 rpm at sea level Idling speed: 600 +/- 50 rpm (propeller at increase rpm)
PROPELLERS: Manufacturer: Hamilton Standard Propeller division of United Aircraft Corp. Type: 4-blade, full feathering Diameter: 16 ft. 7 in.
FUEL TANK CAPACITIES: Regular wing (22 cells): 5608 US gals. (4669 Imp.) Auxiliary center wing (four cells): 1333 US gals. (1110 Imp.) Auxiliary bomb bay (four cells): 2560 US gals. (2133 Imp.) Net Total capacity: 9501 US gals. (7912 Imp.)
Crew: Normal crew of 10 consists of Pilot, Co-Pilot, Flight Engineer, Bombardier, Navigator, Radio Operator, (2) Side Gunners, Top Gunner, and Tail Gunner
PERFORMANCE:
Maximum speed: 357 mph at 25,000 ft. Cruising speed: 220 mph Range: 5,600 miles maximum ferry range and 3,250 miles with 20,000 lbs. of bombs Service ceiling: 33,600 ft.
