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(More customer reviews)Boeing's B-29 is the subject of this 2003 Crowood Press release by author Steve Pace. Credited with ending the war in the Pacific, the Superfortress was a groundbreaking design that overcame initial shortcomings to become an effective warbird, seeing combat in the Pacific and later Korea. Superfort fans will want to add Pace's comprehensive volume to their collection.
Conceived as a long-range, high-altitude, high-speed 'super bomber,' the B-29's initial development was dogged by powerplant and other problems that resulted in the loss of a B-29, ace Boeing pilot Eddie Allen and a test crew. In time, design problems were resolved and B-29 units, initially based in China and then on Tinian and Guam, burned the heart out of Japanese cities. Service in Korea followed. The design was so successful the Soviets copied it bolt-for-bolt to produce their Tu-4 bomber!
Pace does a workmanlike job of tracing the B-29's development; wartime service; variants such as tankers, dumbos, weather recce and atom bomb testers; service with SAC and the RAF; Soviet copies; and so on. There is a tremendous amount of information - and photos, both color and b&w - crammed in the book's 208 pages.
Much of the material is pretty dry but Pace includes a number of first-person reminiscences that bring some sparkle to the text. Among those reminiscences are a lengthy account of the B-29's early days by XB-29 test pilot Bob Robbins, several 'combat over Japan' stories by 20th AF vets, details on the 'Lucky Lady II' non-stop around-the-world flight, an RAF navigator's comments on flying 'Washingtons' and so on.
As a comprehensive, wide-ranging summary of the B-29 aircraft, BOEING B-29 SUPERFORTRESS is right on the mark. It has facts, stats, specs and photos galore. For $49.95, I would have liked more combat stories but that's just me. Recommended.
*****
If you desire more details on the B-29 in action, check out Steve Birdsall's SAGA OF THE SUPERFORTRESS.
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The Boeing B-29 Superfortress was the most advanced and successful of all World War Two bombers.Conceived in the late 1930s as a high-speed, high-altitude, long-range 'super bomber', the first prototype B-29 did not fly until September 1942.It entered the war in time to make a significant impact, including the dropping of the two atomic bombs that led to the surrender of Japan and the end of the war. This is the complete history of this extraordinarily advanced aircraft, and includes full details of its design and manufacture and service with American and British air forces during World War Two, the Korean War and after.
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