Boeing B-29 Superfortress Flight Engineer -1944

Comments · 683

• MI

  @mikerobinson2026 · 6 years ago

  My Dad was a Flight Engineer on '29's and I still have all of his log books and manuals. It was very cool to see the same documents I have being shown in this video and in use. It gives me a new appreciation for what he did.

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• GR

  @greywolfin · 6 years ago

  My dad was a flight engineer on the B-29. Now I understand why he qualified after having been a mechanic in Ft Sumner on the tow planes training glider pilots for D-day; it would be a natural transition considering that he would also have duties maintaining engines. He never talked about the panel much, except for a story about during training when the pilot suddenly dived down to avoid a head-on encounter. My dad was not belted in and found himself bounced up and then came down right on the engine controls. He said it was fortunate they were in lock position, otherwise it would have shut them all down. He also mentioned that the B-29 was designed to fly 340 mph, faster than Japanese fighters, when "war power" was called for (it could only be maintained for about 20 minutes). He talked about doing training runs from a base in Puerto Rico to Omaha and back. Once the plane's engines were performing poorly and over the ocean were consuming so much fuel he eventually ran out on paper and informed the captain who called ahead for a straight in approach. As they were close to the runway the outside starboard engine cut out and at touchdown the port outside quit. halfway down the runway the inside engines quit and the captain nosed off the runway and they walked in. He said that was how close I came to not being conceived (which happened between training and being deployed to Saipan).

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• B1

  @B1900pilot · 3 years ago

  It’s really incredible the amount of technical know- how was required to operate these airplanes!

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• RO

  @robertansley6331 · 6 years ago

  I had no idea it was so complicated to fly these bombers! Thanks for uploading.

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• AM

  @american707a · 11 years ago

  I was a tail gunner on the B-29 in 1945.

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• MR

  @mrshoashe · 4 years ago

  Has any other country made tireless excellence seem so fun? That was intense!

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• KE

  @kevinbixby2862 · 11 years ago

  My dad was a flight engineer on a B29. This video makes me feel proud. I am awed by the tremendous responsibility involved.

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• DU

  @duncancallum · 7 years ago

  My Cousins Husband was shot down over Germany in 1944 , being in British Bomber Command , and he parachuted and survived , finishing up in a Prisoner of war camp . .HE died in 2019 in Edinburgh his home town , which is my place of birth also.

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• MI

  @mike89128 · 6 years ago

  My branch manager started as a B-29 flight engineer, got accepted to OCS and flight school. Flew F-86 in Korea and was Col. Francis "Gabby"Gabreski's wingman when Gabreski shot down his 5th MIG. BTW reporting to Jim was Jim (Swede) Malmstrom, son of Col Malmstrom, for whom the base is named.

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• IZ

  @iztheterrible · 11 years ago

  couldnt stop watching this one.  my father in law was a b29 pilot.he liked this plane. i was able to meet his flight engineer at dad's burial at arlington.  talked with his radio operator,  who's still alive, this summer.  dad said it wasnt unusual to experience an engine failure on each mission.  good thing there were 4 engines.

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• DA

  @DataWaveTaGo · 7 years ago

  Handing the flight engineer task onto the co-pilot was brilliant. It transforms viewer interest from "routine rigmarole" to "trial by fire". Very clever and effective. I watched the switches, gauges & procedures with great intensity. Training film at it's best.

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• CA

  @CAVOKJONES · 3 years ago

  Its amazing to see how much has changed and sometimes, how some things havent. This was so great! Thanks for posting this.

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