Everything you need to know about the legendary B-29 is in this video.
The Boeing B-29 was a four-engine heavy bomber operational during WWII designed for high-altitude strategic bomber role that become particularly famous for carrying out the devastating atomic bomb attacks on Hiroshima and Nagasaki in August 1945.
After the war, the advanced B-29s carried out several tasks including in-flight refueling, antisubmarine patrol, weather reconnaissance and rescue duty. The B-29 saw military service again in Korea between 1950 and 1953, battling new adversaries: jet fighters and electronic weapons. The last B-29 was retired from active service in September 1960.
The Superfortress featured pressurized cabin, tricycle dual wheeled landing gears, and a quite-advanced-for-the-time, remote, electronic fire-control system that controlled four machine gun turrets that complemented a manned, semi-automatic, rear gun turret.
“FIFI” is the nickname of a surviving B-29 out of about 4,000 produced by Boeing, the only one currently flying. The aircraft is owned by the Commemorative Air Force, currently based at Addison, Texas that rescued it in the early 1970s.
Since then, the aircraft has taken part in airshows, documentaries, demo flights and movies.
In the video below, filmed by our reader and friend Erik Johnston, you can join the aircraft commander Allen Benzing in a guided tour outside and inside “FIFI.”
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Was lucky enough to see Fifi in flight a few years ago on its way to an airshow in Long Island. You could feel those Wright Cyclones well before the plane came into view. We were eating outside near the Sound, told my boys to get up and take a look as it might be the only time they would see a B-29 flying and then to imagine 200 of them at once. She was flying at about 4k feet above the LaGuardia approach pattern, still everything in your body vibrated from the engines. Magnificent.
I enjoyed the Data on the B-29 very much–as I had an older brother that was a Bomberdier on a B-29–& in chatting w/ Him his Bombers Name was Mrs Minaver!–& I inquired? as to why? the Crew named it that name?–a little humor? –He said his B-29 crew was allways getting Screwed!–as the Crew was Also–important NOTE!–Mrs Minaver & the Enola Gay were the newest & thus!–were choisen by flipping of a coin–to see? who? would actually Drop the ATOM BOMB! &the Enola Gay WON!–the pilot of Mrs Minaver was from Louisiana–& after the War owned & operated a New Ford Auto dealership–I don*t remember his name?? but shortly after the WAR–He took his own life by Shooting Himself–as when WW11 ended I was a teenage–{13} yrs old!–I was Luckyer than most kids my age–as I had three older brothers All Air force–another was a Pilot on a B-17 that flew over 100 missions over Germany–& another a Fighter pilot that flew all the then Great Fighters of that area!–P-39s–P-38s–P-47s & the One he liked the Best!–the P-51–when JOE first was sent to England He flew P-39s–not much happened flying them–he flew P-38s as RECON–taking photos of enemy positions–during “D” DAY he flew P-47s–in ground support–after the Boot was Secure!-He was sent back to England & He flew P-51s flying cover for B-17s & B-24s–until the War Ended!-All three came Home Safe & sound!–the only time they talked about WW11 was when they had more than a few Drinks!–Their all Gone now!–I*M a last of my Family–now 81 going on 82?–AMEN!!