Boeing KB-29 Superfortress
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KB-29 | |
---|---|
KB-29M refueling KB-29MR | |
Role | Strategic Tanker |
Manufacturer | Boeing |
Introduction | 1948 |
Status | retired |
Primary user | United States Air Force |
Produced | 92 KB-29M, 74 KB-29MR,[1] 116 KB-29P[2] |
Number built | 282 total conversions |
Developed from | B-29 Superfortress
|
The Boeing KB-29 was a modified
The
Variants
KB-29M
The B-29 played an important role in developing the effective use of aerial refueling during the late 1940s. The first aircraft involved in this programme were the KB-29M tanker and B-29MR receiver. At first, a grappling system, known as the looped hose method, was used; the tanker would enter formation flight behind, above and to the left of the receiver. It would then unreel a hauling cable attached to a 55-pound (25 kg) weight to make it dangle near vertically. The receiver would trail a hauling cable ending in a drag cone (to make this trail near horizontally) and a grapnel. With both cables trailed, the tanker would cross to the right of the receiver so the two cables snagged each other. With cables snagged, the tanker hauled both into its fuselage where the receiver's cable was connected to the tanker's hose. This was then hauled into the receiver. After connecting with internal fuel compartments pumping would begin. When the receiver was full the process was reversed allowing the tanker to recover its hose and the receiver its hauling cable. While this system was clumsy, it was often used in the late 1940s before a better system was developed. It was most notably used to refuel the Lucky Lady II during her famous circumnavigation of the globe in 1949. This helped sway the argument as to whether the USAF or US Navy should provide the US's nuclear delivery capability. The USAF won with the consequential massive expansion of the USAF's Strategic Air Command and cancellation of the US Navy's super carriers.
The looped hose method was only of use with large multi-crew planes since crew members were required to assist in the hauling in. A modified method known as the probe and drogue system was developed to allow single seat aircraft to be refuelled in the air. With jet fighters suffering from short range there was a need for these to be refuelled in the air and several KB-29Ms were modified to use 'probe-and-drogue' systems, in which the refueling hose has a torus-shaped para-drogue attached to the end, and the receiving aircraft has a probe on its nose or wing, which the pilot manoeuvers into the drogue to link the hose.
One KB-29M, redesignated YKB-29T, was modified to have another two refueling hoses on its wingtip. It served as the prototype for the
The refuelling systems were developed and installed by
KB-29P
In an effort to improve on the probe-and-drogue system, Boeing developed a
Specifications (KB-29P)
Data from United States Military Aircraft since 1909[6]
General characteristics
- Length: 120 ft 1 in (36.60 m)
- Wingspan: 141 ft 3 in (43.05 m)
- Height: 29 ft 7 in (9.02 m)
- Wing area: 1,736 sq ft (161.3 m2)
- Empty weight: 69,011 lb (31,303 kg)
- Gross weight: 138,500 lb (62,823 kg)
- Powerplant: 4 × Wright R-3350 radial engines, 2,200 hp (1,600 kW) each
Performance
- Maximum speed: 400 mph (640 km/h, 350 kn) at 30,000 ft (9,150 m)
- Cruise speed: 315 mph (507 km/h, 274 kn)
- Range: 2,300 mi (3,700 km, 2,000 nmi)
- Service ceiling: 38,000 ft (12,000 m)
- Rate of climb: 500 ft/min (2.5 m/s)
Armament
- None
See also
- Boeing B-29 Superfortress Survivors
- B-29 Superfortress variants
- Tupolev Tu-4 – Soviet copy was also used as tanker
Related development
- Boeing KB-50
Aircraft of comparable role, configuration, and era
- KC-97 Stratofreighter
Related lists
- List of military aircraft of the United States
- List of B-29 Superfortress operators
- List of United States military aerial refueling aircraft
References
- ^ a b c Baugher's Encyclopedia of American Aircraft Archived 18 June 2006 at the Wayback Machine KB-29M/MR Details
- ^ a b Baugher's Encyclopedia of American Aircraft Archived 18 June 2006 at the Wayback Machine KB-29P Details
- ^ a b Strategic-Air-Command.com's 303d BW Davis-Monthan AFB
- ^ National Museum Fact Sheet on KB-29M/MR variants Archived 8 November 2014 at the Wayback Machine Official Site
- ^ National Museum Fact Sheet on KB-29P variant Archived 12 August 2007 at the Wayback Machine Official Site
- ^ Swanborough and Bowers 1963, p.90.
External links
- Baugher's Encyclopedia of Bombers B-29 Index Page