The Boeing B-29 Superfortress was the most expensive weapons project undertaken by the United States during World War II, surpassing even the Manhattan Project in cost. This massive and powerful four-engine bomber was used exclusively in the pacific theater in the last year of the war to rain literal hell down upon Japan.
One of the most incredible features of the B-29 were the defensive turrets equipped with state-of-the-art technology. The turrets had analog computers which could take in variables (including air speed and velocity vectors) in order to calculate lead, and allow pilots to fire more accurately at enemy planes. Not only that, but the turrets could be remote controlled - all in 1945.
The superfortress is in my personal opinion the most badass machine of all time.
There are several surviving aircraft, two of which are currently airworthy:
Doc ( tinyurl.com/Do... ) and FIFI ( tinyurl.com/FI... ). These aircraft participate in airshows and other events.
For the full list of surviving B-29s:
en.wikipedia.o...
Two other superfortresses gained noteworthy status as the planes that dropped the two atomic bombs on Japan. Both are currently on display as static displays:
Enola Gay ( en.wikipedia.o... ) at the Udvar-Hazy Center in Virginia.
Bockscar ( en.wikipedia.o... ) at the National Museum of the US Air Force in Ohio.
The footage used in this video was taken from The Final Bomb ( • The Last Bomb - 1945 (... ) a ~35 minute documentary that focuses towards some of the logistical and technical aspects of the superfortress raids against Japan.
The sound at the end is a compound of several airplane sound effects which are NOT original.
7 сен 2024
