The B-29 Superfortress Chronology, 1934–1960

The Boeing B-29 Superfortress lived an operational life of only 26 years, but what a life it was. The introduction to this book provides basic information on the physical plane: dimensions, specs, leading particulars and operational usages. Then an exhaustive day-by-day chronology of the B-29 is presented—from the earliest designs in 1934 through thousands of missions and aircraft events in World War II and Korea to the 1960 retirement of the last operational B-29. The book also includes an extensive glossary and three appendices, which provide a discussion of the general anatomy of a mission, a sample of operational voice or radio codes used in 1945, and a guide to (very unofficial) aircraft names.

Robert A. Mann is a former member of the United States Air Force, and enjoyed a long career in the aerospace industry. The author of five books, he lives in Pahrump, Nevada.

Robert A. Mann
Format: softcover (7 x 10)
Pages: 319
Bibliographic Info: glossary, appendices, bibliography, indexes
Copyright Date: 2009
pISBN: 978-0-7864-4274-4
eISBN: 978-0-7864-5413-6
Imprint: McFarland

Acknowledgments      vii
Introduction      1
Glossary      3

Organizational Structures      18
B-29 Specifications: Description, Dimensions and Leading Particulars      21
The Timeline      25

Appendix 1. Tracing the Evolution of a Mission      239
Appendix 2. Operational Voice and Radio Codes, 1945      250
Appendix 3. Etymology of Representative Aircraft Names      252
Bibliography      263
General Index      267
Aircraft Name Index      282
Serial Number Index      292

“an excellent reference volume…essential for collections specializing in military history”—ARBA; “a staggering compendium of data, a great companion to The B-29 Superfortress: A Comprehensive Registry, and a terrific reference for anyone seriously interested in the big bombers”—Stone & Stone Second World War Books.