I am *fascinated* by the interiors of these aircraft. Finding out tech specs and service records is easy, but the human elements can be quite hard to see, so I'm very glad to watch these detailed tours. Can't wait for the B-17!
You’ll notice the tail has a K. That designates the bomb squadron and was used to keep the group together. My Fathers bomb squadron used the K. So, this aircraft was one of maybe 15 associated with my Father when he was a staff intelligence officer on Guam. His job was to brief and debrief crews. He was in Guam from about March 1945 through October or November 1945, a couple months after the war ended. These planes were the ones that conducted General LaMay’s low level fire Bombing of Japanese cities which killed many more than the two atomic bombs did. My Dad received the bronze star along with everyone in his group for one particular raid but I’m unsure which one. He did fly one time over Tokyo on a mission as an observer. As a kid I played with his leather bombers jacket, his headset, and throat mic which he brought home. He also returned home with his service 1911 .45 as well as a hand grenade which he made inert so I could play with it. I still have his pistol but the other stuff was lost over the years. My wife and I saw this B29 a few years back at the Pima Museum. It was a very emotional experience for me. My Dad passed away in 1999 at the age of 90. He was a Major when discharged from the reserves sometime around 1954 I think.
A gentleman at my church was a radio operator on B17s and B29s. He was actually on the last flight of WW2, they were on the way to Japan when they received word to turn around because of the surrender. Seeing the station he was in was incredibly interesting to me. He was a smaller man, so he fit the space well. Told me he hated crawling down the tunnel though, lol. He later became a dentist(we called him "Doc") and was a HAM operator for the rest of his life. Built his home and a huge tower on top of a small mountain for better range.
My father at age 17 worked at the Ford Motor Willow Run plant building B-24 Liberator. Dad was very skinny and tall so he crawled in tight areas to work. When dad was finished others would pull dad out but is ankles. A few years ago my son and I visited the Pima museum and boneyard. Seeing the airplanes and a B-24 up close helped me understand what my dad told me. RIP dad
Yes despite the huge size they were incredibly cramped inside. Obviously every bit of space was taken up for military equipment and technology. It’s almost as if crew comfort was the last thought. Same could be said for the submarine’s and German U boats. I’ve visited a German U boat that you can walk around in Germany and how a crew of 40/50 men lived on board those things is beyond me?
Much appreciate the tour - dad was a b-17 ball turret gunner then retrained as a b-29 tail gunner. Those man are mostly gone now, their children are getting older and fewer everyday
Very nice video of the B-29 Superfortress. Thankyou for sharing. My father was a B-29 pilot in command in June 1945. He and his B-29 crew had orders to report for combat duty at North Field in Guam. As it turned out, the war with Japan had ended just two weeks before they were to report for combat duty at North Field in Guam. Dad later joined the newly formed USAF in 1947 when the Air Force separated from the Army, where he flew WB-29 Superfortresses for the USAF's Air Weather Service where he flew several weather reconnaissance missions. Dad would fly through hurricanes to track where they were headed. He would also fly through clouds to take air samples to check for radiation to see if the Soviets had detonated any atomic weapons recently. He retired from the USAF in 1957.
my father-in-law archie hamrick was a tail gunner on a B-29 out of saipan . the ramp queen. won the distinguished flying cross awarded by general curtis lemay himself. had twin 50 cal. machine guns plus a 20mm cannon. cannon removed on many planes due to performance problems but archie took meticulous care of his weapon and did not have a problem. thank you for this most interesting video. JDR
20mm were removed from all B-29s. Both performance and weight problems. The gun system and ammunition weight >1,600lbs. So less weight meant more bombs.
Thanks Paul, in the age of mobile phones and automatic coffee machines its a great reminder of how staggeringly complex aircraft design was 70 plus years, though someone does need to give that beast of a plane a vacuum on the inside.
It's a very noticeable thing about older aircraft, often still in working order, all the wear on a variety if surfaces but NEVER where it counts. They are well used tools after all but never where it would cause a problem.
Thank you for this well made video. 7 years ago My Wife surprized me with a 30 Minute flight on the B-29 named FiFi for my Birthday. She knew I was fascinated with B 17s and B 29s. I think it cost $500.00 because she said she could of given me a round trip ticket to Miami from NY for what this cost her. The flight departed and returned to Wall NJ and cruised over the NJ Beach / Coast. I still get goosebumps recalling the sound of the FiFi engines starting one at a time. Amazing flight and experiance.
Excellent video! There is an operational B-29 in Dallas at the Henry B. Tippie National Aviation Education Center. I was taking a tour through the museum once and was given the opportunity to climb up into the aircraft. It was a honor to be inside a machine that made such a critical difference in WWII. You can actually book a ride in this aircraft on the rare occasions that it flies.
I live here in Tucson, AZ, and this museum was by far one of my favorites I have had a pleasure of visiting so far. I remember walking in and seeing this B-29 and was just like “this thing is insane” and I was smiling cheek to cheek. Love to see you’ve visited!!
Sight Glass/Peep hole?! Absolutely extraordinary video, glad you were allowed in it and did your own audio commentary not computer-generated since it allowed your own emotion involved. At around the 12-minute mark you would have seen between the front two cockpit seats. When I was in a B-29 in 1990 the crew asked me what I thought that small plexiglass piece IN the FLOOR between the pilot seats was? My comment was I believed it was so you could see THROUGH the floor and OBSERVE the direction the nose wheel was pointing!! To my amazement that actually was why it was so they could verify it was locked forward before takeoff! Ah the Little things in Life...
I’ve been fortunate to fly in the B-29 Fifi, Doc is on the list so I can say I’ve flown in both. Also few in the B-17 Aluminum Overcast and must admit, the 17 was cooler, especially standing in the waist gunner positions. But, the view from the cockpit of the 29 is really something to behold. The sound the brakes make, they scream, is amazing, that’s one I’ve only read about. Experiencing it first hand really connects you to those that flew those things into war. During the pre-flight tour I was standing in the bomb bay chatting with the tour guide on how the bomb racks looked like the ones the B-17 used. He pointed at a set of hooks and catches in one part and says “see those? That’s the modification to carry a nuclear bomb”. All I could do was stand there and stare wondering what it was like for those that had to load those weapons back then. Highly recommend the experience. But, hands down, my favorite multi-engine bomber to fly in is the B-25. It’s this super cool cross of a bomber with an inner rebel attitude of wanting to be a fighter when it grows up. I suspect if I ever was to fly in a Mosquito it’d take that first place award, that thing just screams “I WANNA FLY FAST!!!”
Imagine if a B-36 still flew. Those things carried like 3 massive nukes and so much fuel they didn't need any refueling. If Eisenhower gave the order , they could have reduced Soviet or Chinese cities to ashes (thank goodness we didn't have to though).
Paul, wonderful video!l got to fly on a b-29 for 30 minutes in 1998 in Cincinnati.500 bucks for 30minutes. It was a birthday present from my wife. At lunken air field. Clock started the second you got on board. It was worth every penny.I just found your channel and I love it. Thank God for guys like you who bring such happiness to old goats 🐐 like me. Fantastic job with these videos thanks again bill feilhauer 👍
Great video Paul. I remember spending a lot of time as a kid looking at this plane. As far as I know everything in it is original to the aircraft and I know for sure she was a combat veteran. Her crew used to come out for reunions every year.
Thanks for watching everyone! Make sure you are subscribed as I'll be uploading a similar tour video through a B-17 Flying Fortress in addition to my Avro Lancaster and B-52 videos already uploaded. In coming weeks I'll publish my B-36, B-58, XB-70, X15, F-14, F4 Phantom II, YF-23, F-22, YF-12, Space Shuttle Orbiter, Saturn V rocket, first 747/737/727 and others I've forgotten. Geez this will take me a long time to edit...
Fun fact, when the Russians copied the B29, they did such a through job of copying the plane that they even had the same mechanical problems with the engines that the B29 experienced.
so impressed the Soviets was with the b29/tu4 it lasted 6 months and was scraped😂 as was the famed V2 both were laughing crude machines to the Soviets 😮😢
Thanks to the Museum for allowing us to see it. Thankyou for videoing it. It appears as cramped as I have read about! Brave men flying them - and resourceful men servicing them on sandy, windy islands.
In the mid 1980s the Enola Gay was at Silver Hill Md. getting restored. I was there with a friend who worked there. It was on a Sunday when closed. I got a tour of the warehouse and saw a lot of the planes they were working on. I let me crawl thru the front half of the Enola Gay. It was missing a lot of the equipment and it was very cramped. I enjoyed you video it brought back the memories of that Sunday.
I started volunteering at the Pima Air Museum as a teenager in the late 1970's. I, with permission, gave myself that same tour on more than one occasion. That aircraft was in amazing condition back then, only significant part missing this video calls the barber chair, gunners position. What I was told was called the CFC gunners seat/Central Fire Control gunners position.
I spent a happy day walking around the outside of these and other war planes at Pima in the summer of 2001. It's very good to have a guided tour of the inside.
The Pima Aircraft Museum (near Tucson, AZ,) is worth the trip. An excellent place with over 70 acres of land and five or more hangers with about every kind of aircraft you can think of, made completely for aircraft geeks of all ages and interests!! Thanks for this video -- the '29 was a great piece of engineering during the war, and an awesome machine that played a large part in winning the Pacific in WWII!
What a machine...most instructive.. That must have been hard for those airmen. Being in effect a tin can high up and pretty vulnerable...With only themselves to work as a group to survive.. RIP airmen...you did your duty...and l respect you.. From a Brit in Spain
A detailed description of a plane which contributed muchly to the Allied victory in the 2nd World War. It was truly a great plane for its day which Paul explains with words and video - well done Paul. Looking forward to the next video!
Thanks for posting Paul. I went to the Pima Air Museum years ago. Great place. Interesting about the nose gear on the B-29. Never would have thought it was not hydraulically controlled. Enjoyed this!!
My uncle was the Radar Bombardier on the B29s. He said when he settled in his position he would almost never see anybody until they got back to base. He had some pictures of his radar screen that displayed the terrain land they were flying across. it was almost as good as some of the radars we have today. I'm a Vietnam vet, I do not think I would have liked being in that cubby hole while while the fecal matter hits the fan outside the aircraft. He was one of my hero's as I was growing up. He flew the Hump from India, raids on Indochina and Japan and flew from the Marianna Islands in attacks on the Japanese home Islands
Thx for sharing! It is really great they let you crawl in and document the inside too. It at least gives a hint at what those aviators had to go through when on operations.
This was an awesome tour inside. I was at the museum a while back and vividly remember being inside the wheel wells and bomb bays. The museum is an awesome place to visit and hope to go back again...
Paul, this was definitely a first hand look at the inside of a B29 for me. i've been a plane nut all my life. I just made my second visit of the USAF Museum in Dayton in December. We were there before the current bldgs were opened. Good Show.
Excellent Video! the fire control system for the turrets was a very advanced bit of technology for the time. I was surprised to see that the control surfaces did only use the control cables with no power assist. For Crew members moving through the plane, lots of places to bang their heads.
That was great! Thanks for posting this video. I used to have a model of a B29 that I assembled in the late 80s. It had all of the interior components of the real plane, including the crew tunnel. It was neat seeing the real thing. What a privilege it must be to see it for yourself. Thanks for sharing this special experience.
B-29's were apparently very difficult to handle on the ground due to lack of nosewheel steering. Differential braking to steer was much easier on a tail dragging aircraft. They added nosewheel steering to the upgraded B-50 variant of the B-29.
The sound of a B-29’s brakes while taxiing is astounding, it’s like it’s screaming to leave the ground. That aircraft lets you know it’s there, loudly.
Great seeing such a close up view of this beautiful aircraft! That remote control firing technology sounded very advanced and no wonder the plane cost so much!
I am a fairly total noob on this subject, but I am 'shocked' that it looks so high tech on the outside and rather primitive on the inside. It looks a bit like a dusty attic on the inside. But totally fascinating. Thank you.
Come to Wichita, Kansas and take a ride in 'Doc'! He will be flying this summer as usual and has a beautiful hanger as well. We love airplanes in Wichita.
Very cool and very different from walkthroughs of other unpressurized aircraft. They all have obstacles to navigate but the gun turrets and pressurized compartments make this very different.
Best memory ever.....Dec1990 while at Tom Reilly aviation in Kissimmee Florida two elderly gentleman sat down next to me outside while we watched aircraft goings-on. We struck up a conversation and turns out a common location many years apart was Wendover Utah. This is the bombing range past the Great Salt Lake we use for F16 and F-35, and the Israelis had used it to practice before the Iraqi nuclear bombing raid when we work with them. These gentlemen were truly pleased to see my genuine love of aircraft and service on many types throughout the years. The next thing that happened was one of the most unbelievable moments of my life, the gentleman reached into an old leather satchel he had and pulled out a picture remarkably from Wendover of his B-29 while they were working on the mock-up for atomic bomb testing. He SIGNED that picture and GAVE it to me that day ...his name was Colonel Paul Tibbets commander and Enola gay!!!
He's gotta carry those around right? If you flew the Enola Gay I'm sure you would be prepared for the chance encounter with an aviation enthusiast, right?
This was fascinating video for me. I have only seen the insides of FiFi and Doc, who don’t have a lot of the gun turret related stuff in them (the ammo boxes and such). It was also good to see what the fire control station looked like with most of the equipment on it. My grandfather was the fire control officer on his B-29 (named Bachelor Quarters) when he was part of the early B-29 raids flying out of bases in China.
May 7, 2023----Used to drive truck for a living and one time, I was passing thru Kansas. With my laptop, I'd find locations of museums, whether Army/Marines vehicles/tanks or aircraft. Called the museum to see if they had room for 70 feet of truck and trailer and they did. LOTS of aircraft and one of the volunteers offerled to show me the cockpit of their 29. Boy, talked about CRAMPED. Later on, found out that the average American height was 5' 8", which was my Dads height.
Cool video but few points of inaccuracy here: The primary reason remotely-controlled barbettes were employed was due to the need for pressurisation at the B-29s high operating altitude: the better shooting coverage & aerodynamic improvements were merely additional (though important) benefits. As all the crew needed to operate within a pressurised cabin, the gun ports in the turrets would require sealing which would have been impracticable & very difficult to achieve (except for the rear gunner's position, which didn't require a turret). The answer was to place the guns in electrically actuated, unpressurised "bins" & operate them remotely. The Soviets didn't "capture" the B-29, as such, they reversed engineered a damaged machine that force-landed in Soviet territory in November 44. None were returned to the US. The ailerons were metal skinned (which you can clearly tell from the inspection hatches cut into them & lack of ribbing undulations), but were made from a different type of alloy, hence the darker colour (the airframe comprised of many types of alloy "formulations" which was another advanced feature of the design). Having said all that, great video. One thing that comes across is how cramped it all was, especially that crawl tunnel. Definitely not for fatties or claustrophobics.
I LOVE B-29s! My Grandfather built IPs for them at Bell Aircraft (now Lockheed-Martin) here in Atlanta before, during, and after WWII. He always knew I was going to be an Engineer! 😁 BTW my Father was a WWII vet. Normandy, Battle of the Bulge, captured and spent 97 days in a German POW camp. Always remember those that came before us!
The distances and dangers and temperatures these guys faced just getting to where they were going BEFORE combat alone is amazing...especially in such a simple cramped space just 40 years after the first flight of a plane....such a sparse and basic design yet so expensive, massive, and complicated once you get into it all
Sir, thank you so much! I am currently making a video game by myself and needing some references for the plane and this saved me so much time Thank you! Much love ❤️
I am *fascinated* by the interiors of these aircraft. Finding out tech specs and service records is easy, but the human elements can be quite hard to see, so I'm very glad to watch these detailed tours. Can't wait for the B-17!
That green padding was stuffed with horsehair. Try restoring that nowadays!
I agree, the B29 is a magnificent plane, and seeing the human aspect just helps me appreciate how amazing they really were.
Just imagine in that smell when that stuff caught fire
You’ll notice the tail has a K. That designates the bomb squadron and was used to keep the group together. My Fathers bomb squadron used the K. So, this aircraft was one of maybe 15 associated with my Father when he was a staff intelligence officer on Guam. His job was to brief and debrief crews. He was in Guam from about March 1945 through October or November 1945, a couple months after the war ended. These planes were the ones that conducted General LaMay’s low level fire Bombing of Japanese cities which killed many more than the two atomic bombs did. My Dad received the bronze star along with everyone in his group for one particular raid but I’m unsure which one. He did fly one time over Tokyo on a mission as an observer. As a kid I played with his leather bombers jacket, his headset, and throat mic which he brought home. He also returned home with his service 1911 .45 as well as a hand grenade which he made inert so I could play with it. I still have his pistol but the other stuff was lost over the years.
My wife and I saw this B29 a few years back at the Pima Museum. It was a very emotional experience for me. My Dad passed away in 1999 at the age of 90. He was a Major when discharged from the reserves sometime around 1954 I think.
I salute all the Pilots and crews that fought in these planes and gave their lives, from an Englishman.
K actually designates the Bomb Group.., the 330th.
That’s probably true. All of the numbers confuse me
20th Airforce
330th
457
@@mraeromech 21st Air Force, 314th BW, 330th BG, 458th BS.
457th BG. MOS 9301. Cap Lawrence J Schulte
A gentleman at my church was a radio operator on B17s and B29s. He was actually on the last flight of WW2, they were on the way to Japan when they received word to turn around because of the surrender. Seeing the station he was in was incredibly interesting to me. He was a smaller man, so he fit the space well. Told me he hated crawling down the tunnel though, lol.
He later became a dentist(we called him "Doc") and was a HAM operator for the rest of his life. Built his home and a huge tower on top of a small mountain for better range.
My father at age 17 worked at the Ford Motor Willow Run plant building B-24 Liberator. Dad was very skinny and tall so he crawled in tight areas to work. When dad was finished others would pull dad out but is ankles. A few years ago my son and I visited the Pima museum and boneyard. Seeing the airplanes and a B-24 up close helped me understand what my dad told me. RIP dad
Yes despite the huge size they were incredibly cramped inside. Obviously every bit of space was taken up for military equipment and technology. It’s almost as if crew comfort was the last thought. Same could be said for the submarine’s and German U boats. I’ve visited a German U boat that you can walk around in Germany and how a crew of 40/50 men lived on board those things is beyond me?
Ive been in both the remaining airworthy B-29’s and its just amazing how it all works
Much appreciate the tour - dad was a b-17 ball turret gunner then retrained as a b-29 tail gunner. Those man are mostly gone now, their children are getting older and fewer everyday
Very nice video of the B-29 Superfortress. Thankyou for sharing. My father was a B-29 pilot in command in June 1945. He and his B-29 crew had orders to report for combat duty at North Field in Guam. As it turned out, the war with Japan had ended just two weeks before they were to report for combat duty at North Field in Guam. Dad later joined the newly formed USAF in 1947 when the Air Force separated from the Army, where he flew WB-29 Superfortresses for the USAF's Air Weather Service where he flew several weather reconnaissance missions. Dad would fly through hurricanes to track where they were headed. He would also fly through clouds to take air samples to check for radiation to see if the Soviets had detonated any atomic weapons recently. He retired from the USAF in 1957.
my father-in-law archie hamrick was a tail gunner on a B-29 out of saipan . the ramp queen. won the distinguished flying cross awarded by general curtis lemay himself. had twin 50 cal. machine guns plus a 20mm cannon. cannon removed on many planes due to performance problems but archie took meticulous care of his weapon and did not have a problem. thank you for this most interesting video. JDR
20mm were removed from all B-29s. Both performance and weight problems. The gun system and ammunition weight >1,600lbs. So less weight meant more bombs.
He took care of 20mm cannon when it was fitted and no problems but different ballistic travel than 50 cals strange idea
The B-29 was the most sophisticated airplane of its' time. Some say it was ahead of its' time.
Thanks Paul, in the age of mobile phones and automatic coffee machines its a great reminder of how staggeringly complex aircraft design was 70 plus years, though someone does need to give that beast of a plane a vacuum on the inside.
True. Even by today’s standards the technology is impressive.
It's a very noticeable thing about older aircraft, often still in working order, all the wear on a variety if surfaces but NEVER where it counts. They are well used tools after all but never where it would cause a problem.
Great video Paul! I can't wait to see your B-17 video too!
Thank you for this well made video.
7 years ago My Wife surprized me with a 30 Minute flight on the B-29 named FiFi for my Birthday. She knew I was fascinated with B 17s and B 29s. I think it cost $500.00 because she said she could of given me a round trip ticket to Miami from NY for what this cost her.
The flight departed and returned to Wall NJ and cruised over the NJ Beach / Coast.
I still get goosebumps recalling the sound of the FiFi engines starting one at a time.
Amazing flight and experiance.
My old college roommate and I also flew on FiFi when she was in Sioux City , IA. It was quite an experience.
Excellent video!
There is an operational B-29 in Dallas at the Henry B. Tippie National Aviation Education Center. I was taking a tour through the museum once and was given the opportunity to climb up into the aircraft. It was a honor to be inside a machine that made such a critical difference in WWII.
You can actually book a ride in this aircraft on the rare occasions that it flies.
I live here in Tucson, AZ, and this museum was by far one of my favorites I have had a pleasure of visiting so far. I remember walking in and seeing this B-29 and was just like “this thing is insane” and I was smiling cheek to cheek. Love to see you’ve visited!!
Thanks, I thoroughly enjoyed my visit to Arizona and PIMA.
Sight Glass/Peep hole?! Absolutely extraordinary video, glad you were allowed in it and did your own audio commentary not computer-generated since it allowed your own emotion involved. At around the 12-minute mark you would have seen between the front two cockpit seats. When I was in a B-29 in 1990 the crew asked me what I thought that small plexiglass piece IN the FLOOR between the pilot seats was? My comment was I believed it was so you could see THROUGH the floor and OBSERVE the direction the nose wheel was pointing!! To my amazement that actually was why it was so they could verify it was locked forward before takeoff! Ah the Little things in Life...
I’ve been fortunate to fly in the B-29 Fifi, Doc is on the list so I can say I’ve flown in both. Also few in the B-17 Aluminum Overcast and must admit, the 17 was cooler, especially standing in the waist gunner positions. But, the view from the cockpit of the 29 is really something to behold. The sound the brakes make, they scream, is amazing, that’s one I’ve only read about. Experiencing it first hand really connects you to those that flew those things into war.
During the pre-flight tour I was standing in the bomb bay chatting with the tour guide on how the bomb racks looked like the ones the B-17 used. He pointed at a set of hooks and catches in one part and says “see those? That’s the modification to carry a nuclear bomb”. All I could do was stand there and stare wondering what it was like for those that had to load those weapons back then.
Highly recommend the experience.
But, hands down, my favorite multi-engine bomber to fly in is the B-25. It’s this super cool cross of a bomber with an inner rebel attitude of wanting to be a fighter when it grows up. I suspect if I ever was to fly in a Mosquito it’d take that first place award, that thing just screams “I WANNA FLY FAST!!!”
Imagine if a B-36 still flew. Those things carried like 3 massive nukes and so much fuel they didn't need any refueling. If Eisenhower gave the order , they could have reduced Soviet or Chinese cities to ashes (thank goodness we didn't have to though).
What an incredible experience that would be!
Paul, wonderful video!l got to fly on a b-29 for 30 minutes in 1998 in Cincinnati.500 bucks for 30minutes. It was a birthday present from my wife. At lunken air field. Clock started the second you got on board. It was worth every penny.I just found your channel and I love it. Thank God for guys like you who bring such happiness to old goats 🐐 like me. Fantastic job with these videos thanks again bill feilhauer 👍
Great video Paul.
I remember spending a lot of time as a kid looking at this plane.
As far as I know everything in it is original to the aircraft and I know for sure she was a combat veteran.
Her crew used to come out for reunions every year.
I'm impressed how well lit and "roomy" the cockpit appears to be.
What a great video! My fav plane, such a beautiful piece of engineering!
Cheers
Thanks for watching everyone! Make sure you are subscribed as I'll be uploading a similar tour video through a B-17 Flying Fortress in addition to my Avro Lancaster and B-52 videos already uploaded. In coming weeks I'll publish my B-36, B-58, XB-70, X15, F-14, F4 Phantom II, YF-23, F-22, YF-12, Space Shuttle Orbiter, Saturn V rocket, first 747/737/727 and others I've forgotten. Geez this will take me a long time to edit...
I thank you for doing what you do. People need to be educated about these beautiful aircraft...
Awesome, can’t wait for all of them.
Fun fact, when the Russians copied the B29, they did such a through job of copying the plane that they even had the same mechanical problems with the engines that the B29 experienced.
Yeah I did read that they actually copied some of the mistakes
There was a field repaired “patch” on the skin from earlier damage. The TU-4’s (Soviet copies) all had that same patch!
Dad flew RB-50G’s, he said the Soviets even copied the equipment tags not knowing what it said or what it was for.
I believe they even copied the Boing logo on the controls
so impressed the Soviets was with the b29/tu4 it lasted 6 months and was scraped😂 as was the famed V2 both were laughing crude machines to the Soviets 😮😢
Thanks to the Museum for allowing us to see it. Thankyou for videoing it.
It appears as cramped as I have read about! Brave men flying them - and resourceful men servicing them on sandy, windy islands.
In the mid 1980s the Enola Gay was at Silver Hill Md. getting restored. I was there with a friend who worked there. It was on a Sunday when closed. I got a tour of the warehouse and saw a lot of the planes they were working on. I let me crawl thru the front half of the Enola Gay. It was missing a lot of the equipment and it was very cramped. I enjoyed you video it brought back the memories of that Sunday.
I started volunteering at the Pima Air Museum as a teenager in the late 1970's. I, with permission, gave myself that same tour on more than one occasion. That aircraft was in amazing condition back then, only significant part missing this video calls the barber chair, gunners position. What I was told was called the CFC gunners seat/Central Fire Control gunners position.
Wow, they really were on the bleeding edge of technology for the time. Fascinating video .
What a magnificent machine. You video tours are outstanding Paul - Thank you.
My pleasure!
This is incredible Paul. I’ve always been fascinated by this aircraft; amazing to see its details like this. Please keep doing what you do mate.
Many thanks!
Thanks for taking the time to film and post. Awesome. 👍👍🇦🇺
My father was a USAAF B-29 navigator in the Pacific 1944-1945. He died in 2016 age 94. I have his original flight jacket with squadron insignia.
A good memory, and keepsake from your Dad!!!
I spent a happy day walking around the outside of these and other war planes at Pima in the summer of 2001. It's very good to have a guided tour of the inside.
I like
This
Channel
Normally we only see commercial airline flight serial
This is unique with military jets and their unique setup to deal with wars.
Very impressive. Thanks for your hard work showing us this airplane.
Really cool to watch your B-17 video first and then this one to see the improvements. It’s really a lot more than just a bigger plane.
I always loved how the front of the B-29 looked.
Another fun vLog in the series Paul
A very comprehensive & enjoyable video. I'm glad that our international borders have opened so you are able to bring us these gems. Well done Paul
Great to see inside. My Uncle flew the B29 'Washington' when he was in the RAF.
Fascinating tour as always Paul. Most costly project of WW2, more than the Manhattan project.
The Pima Aircraft Museum (near Tucson, AZ,) is worth the trip. An excellent place with over 70 acres of land and five or more hangers with about every kind of aircraft you can think of, made completely for aircraft geeks of all ages and interests!! Thanks for this video -- the '29 was a great piece of engineering during the war, and an awesome machine that played a large part in winning the Pacific in WWII!
Thanks for this one!! I have been fascinated about aircraft, particularly WW2 aircraft such as this one!!
My father was training as a Flight Engineer on the B-29 when the war ended. Nice to see what his work space looked like.
He was lucky he actually missed active service. Sadly so many young men lost they’re lives serving on these fascinating aircraft.
What a machine...most instructive..
That must have been hard for those airmen. Being in effect a tin can high up and pretty vulnerable...With only themselves to work as a group to survive..
RIP airmen...you did your duty...and l respect you..
From a Brit in Spain
6:24 inspiration for Millennium Falcon
Amazing to see the inside finally thanks for the great video!👍🏾
Glad you enjoyed it!
I had the privilege to tour FiFi a few years ago in Leesburg FL.
Very Cool!!!
A detailed description of a plane which contributed muchly to the Allied victory in the 2nd World War. It was truly a great plane for its day which Paul explains with words and video - well done Paul. Looking forward to the next video!
Wowzers how super cool!! Great video 😲
My grandfather was a B-29 copilot in WW2 and again in the Korean War. He said of all the planes that he flew, the b-29 was always his favorite
Thanks for posting Paul. I went to the Pima Air Museum years ago. Great place. Interesting about the nose gear on the B-29. Never would have thought it was not hydraulically controlled. Enjoyed this!!
My uncle was the Radar Bombardier on the B29s. He said when he settled in his position he would almost never see anybody until they got back to base. He had some pictures of his radar screen that displayed the terrain land they were flying across. it was almost as good as some of the radars we have today. I'm a Vietnam vet, I do not think I would have liked being in that cubby hole while while the fecal matter hits the fan outside the aircraft. He was one of my hero's as I was growing up. He flew the Hump from India, raids on Indochina and Japan and flew from the Marianna Islands in attacks on the Japanese home Islands
love all your videos. You take us back in history.
best vid of the 29. Thanks! I had no idea the death/loss rate was so high for these. heros all, for sure.
As a resedent of southern AZ, Pima Air & Space Museum is excellent!
Wow you are getting these tours out fast! Another really interesting video! Can't wait to see the X-15 video you're teasing us with in the intro haha
Thx for sharing! It is really great they let you crawl in and document the inside too. It at least gives a hint at what those aviators had to go through when on operations.
Another brilliant, detailed and informative video as always!
Glad you enjoyed it!
This was an awesome tour inside. I was at the museum a while back and vividly remember being inside the wheel wells and bomb bays. The museum is an awesome place to visit and hope to go back again...
Paul, this was definitely a first hand look at the inside of a B29 for me. i've been a plane nut all my life. I just made my second visit of the USAF Museum in Dayton in December. We were there before the current bldgs were opened. Good Show.
Excellent Video! the fire control system for the turrets was a very advanced bit of technology for the time. I was surprised to see that the control surfaces did only use the control cables with no power assist. For Crew members moving through the plane, lots of places to bang their heads.
Thanks for the tour thru the B-29. I been in a B-17, but this is my first look inside of a B-29. Very impressive airplane.
Glad you enjoyed it!
Fantastic video sir! Packed full of information.
Glad you enjoyed it!
I don't know how you were able to actually get up close and inside these exhibits but these videos are awesome!
I asked very nicely :)
Great video! I missed this one!
Love your guides of the old birds.
Glad you like them!
Thanks! I’ve never seen (nor will I ever see) an actual B-29 in person.
That was great! Thanks for posting this video. I used to have a model of a B29 that I assembled in the late 80s. It had all of the interior components of the real plane, including the crew tunnel. It was neat seeing the real thing. What a privilege it must be to see it for yourself. Thanks for sharing this special experience.
Glad you enjoyed it! I was very grateful to PIMA for letting me film inside it.
I’ve always loved building these type of planes out of Lego’s!! I love the b-29!!
B-29's were apparently very difficult to handle on the ground due to lack of nosewheel steering. Differential braking to steer was much easier on a tail dragging aircraft. They added nosewheel steering to the upgraded B-50 variant of the B-29.
The sound of a B-29’s brakes while taxiing is astounding, it’s like it’s screaming to leave the ground. That aircraft lets you know it’s there, loudly.
Excellent work Paul! Really enjoyed this video.
Glad you enjoyed it
Really interesting video Paul! I missed this when you uploaded it so I'm glad to have found it!
Amazing fire control system for the mid-40s!
Great seeing such a close up view of this beautiful aircraft! That remote control firing technology sounded very advanced and no wonder the plane cost so much!
Cheers
I didn’t realize the rear including the rear gunner position was so crowded. Great video.
I am a fairly total noob on this subject, but I am 'shocked' that it looks so high tech on the outside and rather primitive on the inside. It looks a bit like a dusty attic on the inside. But totally fascinating. Thank you.
Very helpful for my purposes. Thank you.
Excellent presentation. Thanks for the effort.
You are welcome!
Your videos are pure gold!
Glad you like them!
Come to Wichita, Kansas and take a ride in 'Doc'! He will be flying this summer as usual and has a beautiful hanger as well. We love airplanes in Wichita.
Outstanding. Thanks for the up-close tour. From B-29 Museum in Pratt Ks USA.
Thanks for the video and sharing, great job!👏👏
Thanks for watching!
Very cool and very different from walkthroughs of other unpressurized aircraft. They all have obstacles to navigate but the gun turrets and pressurized compartments make this very different.
Another great tour, Paul. Thank you.
I think concentrating the facts makes these accounts more interesting as once again demonstrated. Liked.
Glad you enjoy it. Yes I too prefer the matter of fact videos where details are given and little other commentary.
Best memory ever.....Dec1990 while at Tom Reilly aviation in Kissimmee Florida two elderly gentleman sat down next to me outside while we watched aircraft goings-on. We struck up a conversation and turns out a common location many years apart was Wendover Utah. This is the bombing range past the Great Salt Lake we use for F16 and F-35, and the Israelis had used it to practice before the Iraqi nuclear bombing raid when we work with them. These gentlemen were truly pleased to see my genuine love of aircraft and service on many types throughout the years. The next thing that happened was one of the most unbelievable moments of my life, the gentleman reached into an old leather satchel he had and pulled out a picture remarkably from Wendover of his B-29 while they were working on the mock-up for atomic bomb testing. He SIGNED that picture and GAVE it to me that day ...his name was Colonel Paul Tibbets commander and Enola gay!!!
No way he served on the Enola Gay? That’s amazing.
Wow! Now that’s a cool story.
He's gotta carry those around right? If you flew the Enola Gay I'm sure you would be prepared for the chance encounter with an aviation enthusiast, right?
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Wow, that’s amazing.
By the way, the Japanese reply above me basically just means nice/good
Thanks for another great video Paul, the crew of the B29 certainly had their work cut out for them.
Man,one could feel a bit claustrophobic climbing back into that rear gunner's position in the tail section ! What a neat aircraft.
This was fascinating video for me. I have only seen the insides of FiFi and Doc, who don’t have a lot of the gun turret related stuff in them (the ammo boxes and such). It was also good to see what the fire control station looked like with most of the equipment on it. My grandfather was the fire control officer on his B-29 (named Bachelor Quarters) when he was part of the early B-29 raids flying out of bases in China.
May 7, 2023----Used to drive truck for a living and one time, I was passing thru Kansas. With my laptop, I'd find locations of museums, whether Army/Marines vehicles/tanks or aircraft. Called the museum to see if they had room for 70 feet of truck and trailer and they did. LOTS of aircraft and one of the volunteers offerled to show me the cockpit of their 29. Boy, talked about CRAMPED. Later on, found out that the average American height was 5' 8", which was my Dads height.
You do nice work. Thanks for sharing
Thanks. I’m back to PIMA next month and plan to film more :)
Cool video but few points of inaccuracy here:
The primary reason remotely-controlled barbettes were employed was due to the need for pressurisation at the B-29s high operating altitude: the better shooting coverage & aerodynamic improvements were merely additional (though important) benefits. As all the crew needed to operate within a pressurised cabin, the gun ports in the turrets would require sealing which would have been impracticable & very difficult to achieve (except for the rear gunner's position, which didn't require a turret). The answer was to place the guns in electrically actuated, unpressurised "bins" & operate them remotely.
The Soviets didn't "capture" the B-29, as such, they reversed engineered a damaged machine that force-landed in Soviet territory in November 44. None were returned to the US.
The ailerons were metal skinned (which you can clearly tell from the inspection hatches cut into them & lack of ribbing undulations), but were made from a different type of alloy, hence the darker colour (the airframe comprised of many types of alloy "formulations" which was another advanced feature of the design).
Having said all that, great video. One thing that comes across is how cramped it all was, especially that crawl tunnel. Definitely not for fatties or claustrophobics.
You do do the best descriptive tours ..
Thanks, Mark fascinating stuff.
I LOVE B-29s! My Grandfather built IPs for them at Bell Aircraft (now Lockheed-Martin) here in Atlanta before, during, and after WWII. He always knew I was going to be an Engineer! 😁
BTW my Father was a WWII vet. Normandy, Battle of the Bulge, captured and spent 97 days in a German POW camp. Always remember those that came before us!
I enjoyed your video describing in detail and comparing standards in various aircraft. Please keep it up.
The distances and dangers and temperatures these guys faced just getting to where they were going BEFORE combat alone is amazing...especially in such a simple cramped space just 40 years after the first flight of a plane....such a sparse and basic design yet so expensive, massive, and complicated once you get into it all
Awesome plane, thanks for making this video
Glad you liked it!
@@PaulStewartAviation 👍🏻
Sir, thank you so much! I am currently making a video game by myself and needing some references for the plane and this saved me so much time Thank you! Much love ❤️
A crisp and clean, direct description. You sir a quite talented.
Glad you liked it!
Great job I really enjoy this type of video! 🇮🇪