B29

The Boeing B-29 Superfortress is a four-engine heavy bomber developed by Boeing for the United States Army Air Forces during World War II. It first flew in 1942 and entered service in 1944, becoming a cornerstone of the Allied Pacific campaign due to its long range and payload.

It incorporated advanced features for its time, including a pressurized cabin for high-altitude crew comfort, a high-precision bombing capability, and a system of remote-controlled gun turrets. Powered by four Wright R-3350 Duplex-Cyclone engines driving four-blade propellers, it could carry a substantial bomb load, up to about 20,000 pounds.

The B-29 flew from bases in the Mariana Islands against Japan, enabling strategic bombing over the Japanese home islands. It performed both daytime precision bombing and night incendiary missions and relied on advanced navigation and fire-control systems for its era.

In August 1945, B-29s dropped atomic bombs on Hiroshima and Nagasaki, contributing to Japan's surrender and the end of World War II. After the war, B-29s served into the early Cold War period and the Korean War in various roles before being phased out in favor of jet bombers. The program produced thousands of aircraft, and the design influenced later bombers, notably the B-50 Superfortress.