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Ibomber9/10/2023 The first B-32s assigned to the 386th Bombardment Squadron (Heavy) underwent initial combat evaluation in the Philippines, attacking targets in Formosa.Īs more B-32s arrived and the war closed in around Japan, the 386th moved forward to Okinawa. One for the first trio of aircraft sent to the Pacific was aircraft serial number 42-108532, nicknamed Hobo Queen II. Only a handful of B-32 Dominators made it into combat. ![]() During roughly the same time span, five aircraft plants turned out nearly 4,000 B-29s. Though meant as a reliable back-up, the development of the B-32 slowed to a crawl, mired in problems. But as the war progressed through 1943 and into 1944, it became increasingly clear that Boeing and the US Army Air Forces were solving, or at least working their way through, many of the B-29’s most alarming issues.And as might be expected for a plane that was similar in size and mission, the B-32 Dominator was saddled with its own set of thorny troubles during development and beyond, including unreliable pressurization, faulty landing gear, and the same engine issues that plagued the B-29. The B-32 was slightly smaller, a bit faster at normal cruising speed, and could fly farther.įor a time, both the government and Consolidated banked on building thousands of Dominators for combat. Both were fully-pressurized, could carry up to 20,000 pounds of bombs, and maxed out at around 357 miles per hour. Later versions of the bomber that would become known as the Dominator flew with a host of improvements including revised defensive weaponry, more modern nose and cockpit glass, and a strikingly tall single vertical tail.īoth the B-29 and B-32 used Wright’s powerful but persnickety R-3350 Duplex-Cyclone 18-cylinder radial engines, driving four large four-bladed propellers. ![]() Its chubby, cigar-shaped fuselage sported a multi-paned “birdcage” nose and flight deck that looked decidedly antiquated. Officially designated the XB-32, the prototype mega-bomber borrowed the efficient Davis airfoil wing and distinctive double tail of the layout of the earlier B-24 Liberator. To most observers, Consolidated’s creation was not an attractive-looking aircraft. Now Consolidated and Boeing were going head-to-head again, racing to develop a streamlined, massive, and fully-pressurized “very heavy” bomber that could reach deep into Germany, or even hit Tokyo. In the skies over Occupied Europe, the Boeing’s venerable B-17 Flying Fortress was joined by the newer, but in many ways analogous, Consolidated B-24 Liberator. With the Corsair modified for carrier duty, the last year of the war saw both aircraft types prowling the Pacific in great numbers. When the Vought F4U Corsair naval fighter ran into difficulties qualifying for carrier operations, Grumman’s Hellcat briefly took center stage alone as the Navy’s most capable front-line fighter. North American’s famous B-25 Mitchell and Martin’s speedy B-26 Marauder were born from the same 1939 medium bomber proposal. Parallel aircraft development programs were common as America geared up for a fight, often leading to a pair of similar and successful warplanes. As early as 1940, military officials consulted with Consolidated Aircraft Corporation and commissioned the company to design and build an aircraft similar to the vexing B-29. ![]() Rarely willing to put all of its eggs in one basket, the US Army Air Forces had a back-up plan in the event that Boeing’s developers, suppliers, or builders ultimately crashed and burned. As Boeing rushed to get the mammoth machine ready for service, a multitude of minor and major technical issues cropped up, including catastrophic engine cooling problems that led to the loss of a prototype aircraft in a fiery accident in early 1943. The “superbomber” was incredibly advanced and, as a result, it was more complex than any other aircraft in history. Top image courtesy of the National Archives.īefore the Boeing B-29 Superfortress became the linchpin to victory in the Pacific, it was a troublesome mess.
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