Were any B-29s used in Europe?

B-29s were developed while World War II was in progress and only used near the end of the war in the Pacific theater. They were not available for use in the European theater before the air war there was essentially completed.

Was the b29 a failure?

Four hundred and fourteen B-29s were lost bombing Japan—147 of them to flak and Japanese fighters, 267 to engine fires, mechanical failures, takeoff crashes and other “operational losses.” Do the math and you’ll see that for every B-29 lost to the enemy, almost two were lost to accidents and crashes.

How many B-29s were shot down over Japan?

On March 10, 1945, flying in darkness at low altitudes, more than 300 B-29s dropped close to a quarter of a million incendiary bombs over Tokyo. LeMay’s gamble was successful. Perhaps as many as 100,000 Japanese were dead, almost 16 square miles of the city destroyed, and a million people homeless.

Why was the B-29 not used in Europe?

The B-29 was designed as a high-altitude long-range bomber. High altitude bombing at the time meant area bombing, and after Dresden that kind of bombing of European cities was politically unpopular.

Why was the B-29 so expensive?

The advances were startling and included the following: a huge new airframe that was a total departure from previous Boeing practice; new engines that had to go through a long and costly development process before they became even remotely reliable; new propellers that gave almost as much difficulty as the engines; a …

Was the B-29 Pressurised?

One of the largest aircraft of World War II, the B-29 had state-of-the-art technology, including a pressurized cabin, dual-wheeled, tricycle landing gear, and an analog computer-controlled fire-control system that allowed one gunner and a fire-control officer to direct four remote machine gun turrets.

How many b17 were shot down in Europe?

During the night, the 73 B-17s at Poltava were attacked for 2 hours by an estimated 75 German bombers led by aircraft dropping flares. 47 B-17s were destroyed and most of the rest were severely damaged….B-17 Flying Fortress.

Country	United States
Manufacturer	The Boeing Company
Primary Role	Heavy Bomber
Maiden Flight	28 July 1935

Why didn’t the B-29 bomber fly over Europe?

By the time the B-29 was ready for combat, there was no need for it in Europe. The B-17s and B-24 were in service in such abundance that their formations over Europe were called aluminum overcast. The B-29 was developed with its great range to bomb Japan, not Germany.

When was the B-29 bomber used in the Korean War?

The B-29 was used in 1950–53 in the Korean War. At first, the bomber was used in normal strategic day-bombing missions, though North Korea’s few strategic targets and industries were quickly reduced to rubble.

What is the difference between a B-17 and a b 29?

Their bomb-carrying capacity (B-17: range-limited, with 4,000 to 8,000 pounds of bombs depending on the distance to the target; B-29: 20,000 pound standard load). The US started sending B-17s to England in the spring of 1942.

What was the first aircraft to fly around the world non-stop?

The Royal Air Force flew the B-29 as the Washington until 1954. The B-29 was the progenitor of a series of Boeing-built bombers, transports, tankers, reconnaissance aircraft and trainers. The re-engined B-50 Superfortress became Lucky Lady II, the first aircraft to fly around the world non-stop, during a 94-hour flight in 1949.