Early B-29 Superfortress question.

[stevej60]

Hi Folks,I'm just starting Airfix's oldie and as someone who can just about do a passable silver finish don't want to risk it on what is now becoming a rare find.

Anyway I want to do an early OD scheme but references are scarce,I've put a request in wanted but not holding out much hope of finding decal's (I know Iliad did

a sheet) but as these early aircraft seem to be pretty anonymous with just stars n bars and a serial which I might be able to cobble together so any sites or photo's

would be appreciated.

[Max Headroom]

If you Google YB-29 Hobo Queen it’ll throw up some pictures including one in colour.

 

Long dormant brain cells seem to suggest that initially at least, 3 blade props were used.

 

No doubt someone with better knowledge will be along soon.......!

 

Trevor

 

Edit / Ding Hao is another OD machine that has a few snaps taken of it

[stevej60]

1 minute ago, Max Headroom said:

If you Google YB-29 Hobo Queen it’ll throw up some pictures including one in colour.

 

Long dormant brain cells seem to suggest that initially at least, 3 blade props were used.

 

No doubt someone with better knowledge will be along soon.......!

 

Trevor

Cheers trevor

[Work In Progress]

1 hour ago, Max Headroom said:

If you Google YB-29 Hobo Queen it’ll throw up some pictures including one in colour.

 

Long dormant brain cells seem to suggest that initially at least, 3 blade props were used.

The XB-29 was 3-blade props. The YB-29 was four-blade,  But note the nose mounted Erco turret and the nose package guns, so some light modification from the standard kit will be required 

[theplasticsurgeon]

Airfix B29 with Aeromaster decals 72-058 as Monsoon Goon.

Metal foil leading edges for removed anti-icing strips.  Should re-photo this model when I've converted that upper from turret back to 2 guns.

[spaddad]

Check your e-mails.

[Work In Progress]

For the record, in case someone else comes looking in a year or two's time, this is the  Iliad sheet for camo'd B-29s in 1/72. In addition to the wanted section here it might be worth putting a search out on the usual used dealers and the well-known auction site.

https://www.scalemates.com/kits/iliad-design-72003-camouflaged-b-29-s--182506

 

Edited January 29, 2020 by Work In Progress

[bobmig]

Here's a better image of our out-of-print "Camouflaged B-29s" decal sheet. I occasionally get a request that it be reprinted. At one point I was working on doing just that, but then Academy brought out their camouflaged B-29 kit in which they had ripped off every single scheme on our sheet! So... after that there was no point in reprinting.

Bob

[busnproplinerfan]

I just bought the Academy kit and don't need the nose arts etc. just the insignias, got a good price on the kit, want to do mine as Doc. Was there more of the camo B-29s than the decal sheet has? Didn't realize till now that Academy copied this set.

[Max Headroom]

4 hours ago, Work In Progress said:

The XB-29 was 3-blade props. The YB-29 was four-blade,  But note the nose mounted Erco turret and the nose package guns, so some light modification from the standard kit will be required 

That looks like ‘somewhere in England’ behind. Was this one of those flown to the U.K. for propaganda purposes to scare the Germans?

 

Trevor

[Work In Progress]

Hobo Queen (41-36963) spent about four weeks in the UK from 11 March 1944, the only YB-29 to leave the USA. It conducted service trials around various airfields. While it is impossible to be certain, there is a general perception that any remaining German intelligence sources in the UK would have been welcome to report it, causing an assumption in Berlin that the B-29 would be deployed to the UK.

 

[Troy Smith]

6 hours ago, Work In Progress said:

The XB-29 was 3-blade props. The YB-29 was four-blade,  But note the nose mounted Erco turret and the nose package guns, so some light modification from the standard kit will be required 

 

Are there gun turrets also fitted in where there are usually the waist sighting blisters? 

 

Not an image I have seen before.... time for a an information search!

[busnproplinerfan]

Is there an existing set of prop blades that could work with the three blade set up?

[bobmig]

5 hours ago, busnproplinerfan said:

Was there more of the camo B-29s than the decal sheet has?

Yup... here are a few others. Unfortunately I don't know the markings for the aircraft other than the nose areas shown, but maybe with some research...

Bob

[dogsbody]

This is from Monografie Lotnicze No.13. Sorry the caption is in Polish. Any translators out there? @JWM

 

 

 

 

 

Chris

[Ed Russell]

Pepper is 42-6217 from 58th Bombardment Wing, 468th Bombardment Group based at Chengdu in Sichuan  - participated in first B-29 raid against Japanese-held Siam, then first raid against Japan itself.

(found this out researching pandas)

Edit -  It was the 30th B-29 built and was with the 792nd BS

[stevej60]

9 hours ago, spaddad said:

Check your e-mails.

Cheers Dave.

[Mike]

I think the B-29 looks cool in green/grey, if that doesn't offend anyone.  Now I should very much like someone to create an XB-29 conversion kit in 1:48 please and thank you

[stevehnz]

I'm interested in those camel mission symbols in the photos posted by @bobmig & wondered were early machines used on the Hump when superceded by later machines in front line situations?

Steve.

[spaddad]

Hi Steve,

yep, a lot of the early camouflaged early birds were stripped of their turrets (apart from the tail turret) & used to carry bombs, fuel etc over the hump.

[spaddad]

8 hours ago, bobmig said:

! So... after that there was no point in reprinting.

Bob

 

Hi Bob,

sorry to hear that, I missed your sheet first time around but I'd definitely buy a repop.

[72modeler]

3 hours ago, busnproplinerfan said:

Is there an existing set of prop blades that could work with the three blade set up?

I don't think so, as  the props  on the XB-29 and the first YB-29's were 17' 3-blade units; these were replaced by 16' 7" 4-blade units; so  maybe only the Boeing PBB Sea Ranger used the same R-3350 and 3-blade prop. Maybe cutting down a 1/48 scale B-29 Hamilton Standard prop fitted to the 1/72 kit prop hub might work. It does look pretty neat in OD/neutral grey with the 3-blade props. I found the prop data in the William Wolf book Boeing B-29 Superfortress- the Ultimate Look.

Mike

[dogsbody]

19 minutes ago, 72modeler said:

I don't think so, as  the props  on the XB-29 and the first YB-29's were 17' 3-blade units; these were replaced by 16' 7" 4-blade units; so  maybe only the Boeing PBB Sea Ranger used the same R-3350 and 3-blade prop. Maybe cutting down a 1/48 scale B-29 Hamilton Standard prop fitted to the 1/72 kit prop hub might work. It does look pretty neat in OD/neutral grey with the 3-blade props. I found the prop data in the William Wolf book Boeing B-29 Superfortress- the Ultimate Look.

Mike

 

In 1/72 scale, what's the difference between 17' 3" and 16' 7"? Would it be noticeable in any view besides a side by side comparison?

 

 

 

Chris

[busnproplinerfan]

46 minutes ago, dogsbody said:

 

In 1/72 scale, what's the difference between 17' 3" and 16' 7"? Would it be noticeable in any view besides a side by side comparison?

 

 

 

Chris

Eight inches over the diameter, about 2.5 mm or just under 1/4", not much.

Edited January 30, 2020 by busnproplinerfan

[72modeler]

I guess the importance  of the difference in the length of the three and four blade B-29 props depends upon a person's perspective or the degree to which an individual modeler  wishes to go in order to build a model to his/her standard. To some, a five-inch difference in diameter/span/length, etc. might seem to be not worth the effort to correct, but to some, it might be a glaring shortcoming. Some errors in shape and/or dimension are many times not worth the effort or expense to correct. When I read kit reviews or WIP's that decry a 1mm error here and there, (This seems to be VERY important in recent reviews of Spitfire kits!) I have to smile, but at the same time, I have nothing but admiration for those who strive to correct errors this small that many times are not easily apparent to the observer. It is also very obvious that there are many gifted modelers and enthusiasts on BM who possess infinite knowledge on a certain aircraft, or who have a favorite aircraft, for which they do not  accept a kit or a build that is less than perfect, and boy oh boy, have I learned a lot from them- I just wish I were that good, but I'm trying to get there.

 

My two modeling mentors were both dentists, and both of them see a 1-2mm error in shape or dimension as a BIG problem, but I guess they spent their professional lives dealing with dimensions that small that could have a very serious effect if not corrected. Like many of you, I try to make as accurate a model as I can, given my skill set and ability to see what errors a kit might have that I can  correct. Me, a prop that is five inches too short in  diameter is an error I would want to fix, if I could, but another person might not deem that error as significant, and I have  no  problem with that whatsoever; my intention was just to give @stevej60 or any other builder contemplating an XB-29 or YB-29 the actual dimensions of the two  props so they could make up their own  minds as to how to address the prop issue. Like the disclaimer states in the auto ads, "Your mileage may vary!"

 

No offense intended, and none taken. I guess I'm sorta cranky today, as I have evidently misplaced a landing gear strut to one of my kits I was contemplating starting! Damn you, carpet monster!

Mike

Edited January 30, 2020 by 72modeler
corrected spelling