B-29: The Airplane that Changed the World

The technological developments during the campaign affected the significance of the bombing of Germany during the Second World War. In 1939-1941, there were less planes, or navigational

Being the real first heavy bomber, the B-29 would start production six years after the B-17 won the USAAC competition. The head of Boeing Aircraft Co. on January 29, 1940, received a letter titled "U.S. Army, Airplane, Bombardment, Specification For". (The Boeing B-29) This would start production of the B-29. After thousands of hours of work, the plane took it maiden flight on September 21, 1942. The plane could carry a whopping 70 tons of cargo, the same amount of weight the Enola Gay carried on its way to Japan. It could fly at 400 miles per hour, almost 200 more miles per hour than its predecessor. The plane could also fly 4 thousand miles. (The Boeing B-29) The most famous B-29, the Enola Gay, dropped the bombs on Japan and forced them to raise the white flag and win the war against the Japanese. The plane was flown by Paul Tibblets and Robert Lewis. These planes helped win the war against the Axis powers and capture Berlin.

Airplanes were in a similar position as tanks - the technology was really too new and immature for effective combat use. At best, the airplane provided better observation and reconnaissance ability than previously available, but, in a static trench-warfare setting (with the commonly poor European weather), the amount of benefit this provided is easy to overstate. Tactical and strategic bombing was non-existent; the airplane would have to wait for the wars of

Because of the tight formations and gutsy flying by the B-17 crews they were able to put thousands of tons of bombs on target with great accuracy. The insight and information of the crews was a vital part in the military to create bigger and better equipment to help the war come to a close. While many of the crews were lost, the steel on target and the information provided saved thousands of lives. The average death toll of a B-17 pilot during World War II was eighty percent. To put that in perspective CPT. Morgan, the pilot of the Memphis Belle, said it like this, “You eat breakfast with 10 of your closest buddies, go on a mission, and only two would be at

Few inventions have shaped war as much as the atomic bomb. The atomic bomb enabled massive indiscriminate destruction on a scale the world had never seen. The offensive capabilities of the atomic bomb were terrifying and many believed a nuclear war could destroy the world. Bernard Brodie, Albert Wohlstetter, Thomas Schelling, and André Beaufre describe the state of war the atomic bomb introduced in the Nuclear Age. Their writings show that atomic bombs changed warfare by changing the focus of arms development to avoid conflict and threats against civilians were now used to force surrender.

However, because of the unreliability of bomber commands performance the Nazis managed to quickly control the situation. They ensured that no photographs or news reports were published from the bomb stricken reports meaning that the rest of Germany could only gather information from stories and tales. On top of this only a small part of Germany was bombed as the allied forces simply did not have the technology to reach the majority of the Reich. That it was relatively easy for the country to regroup, resulting in heavy retaliation and a continuous growth in German production. However, in the last years of the war bombing technology drastically improved and the attacks were relentless. As opposed to less than one quarter of bombs dropping within five miles of the target, each bomb now hit their target and inflicted maximum damage due to new aiming technology. Bombing raids were now performed twenty-four hours a day, in the night by Bomber Command and in the day by the heavily armoured bombers in the American 8th squadron. 1,500 bombers were now available after a huge increase in production speed, each with the

Britain’s air force was a vital part of their military and defence when Hitler attempted to gain air superiority over England through the German Luftwaffe which was led by Hermann Göering. The radar system used to detect aerial attack in Britain was flawed in the beginning of the war and there was a shortage of anti-air craft guns. Radar could not predict the size and height of incoming enemy bombers and lacked detail that was necessary and vital for effective defence preparations. At the start of the Blitz, there were only 92 anti-air craft guns to defend London and the guns were outdated with a terrible fire control system.

With the invention of the machine gun the fighter plane was created and the first flying “aces” arose. This was important because when both sides were entrenched it became the job of the planes to create an opening. In addition to fighter planes the creation of bombers played a vital role in the war and in subsequent wars. Planes were now able to just drop a bomb on the enemy, causing a large amount of damage. The advancements in aircraft made during wartime paved the way for future generations to create advanced airplanes with useful additions like precise maneuvering equipment and missiles. In addition, post-war advancements include the invention of the tri-motor in 1926, the first single engine plane in 1927, and the first transatlantic passenger plane also in 1927. WWI had a huge effect on the development of plane technology because without it people may have never realized the potential for air warcraft except for the few pilots with the vision of dropping bombs on the

Fighters and Bombers roamed the skies and were used to target or protect important cities, military installations, and other major things. Fighters protected bombers, and were used to shoot down other bombers and fighters. Bombers bombed major targets, and helped suppress the enemy. Some fighters include the P-38, P-34, and P-40, these aircraft, as stated above, usually protected friendly bombers and shot down enemy fighters and bombers. Bombers, such as the B-17, B-29, B-36, and B-24, were, also stated above, used to destroy or damage major targets, such as hostile artillery, buildings, cities, or trade

"World War 2 was a war fought in two distinct phases. The first was the last war of a new generation. The second was emphatically the first of a new era" . <br><br>"The British strategic bomber campaign was of doubtful cost effectiveness" . Bomber Command was by far the largest claimant on labour and factory space within the armed forces. Relative to their size they suffered more casualties than any other sector. <br><br>The Anglo-American bomber force was divided in terms of strategy. Bomber Command believed it was too risky to bomb by day, while the Americans believed it was too difficult to bomb by night. Initially both forces lacked accurate navigational equipment, which deterred them from precision bombing. <br><br>Germany developed a

Before and during the Second World War people were fascinated with flight, the speed and the idea of flying high in the sky has kept people interested. Bombers and fighters alike both change dramatically in the twenty years after the Great War. From cloth wings to metal wings planes became bigger, faster, agile, and can hold a lot more fire power. The air war has changes significantly since the First World War. During the First World War bombers played a big role in the air war and after it left many questions whether it is the way to win wars. There has been speculation that future wars would be won by bombers and it can crush and the enemies at home and also the soldiers. Both book, Wartime by Fusslle and Why the Allies Won by Overy explain in depth what was the actual outcome of bombers and their roles before and after the war.

An interview was conducted on a man named Theodore Van Kirk, who was originally the navigator of the aircraft called “Enola Gay” (The Telegram, 1945). Van Kirk explained on August 6, 1945 that Colonel Paul Tibbett’s was under command of the famous B-29 bomber plane which dropped the first atomic bomb used in combat on Hiroshima, Japan to end World War II and begin the Atomic Age (The Telegram, 1945). “The B-29 was a pleasure to fly,” Paul Tibbett’s

The first B-29s arrived at Allied airfields in India and China in April 1944. Originally, the Bomber Command was to fly from India, B-29s first saw combat on June 5, 1944, when 98 planes struck Bangkok. The bomber was use for combat but the biggest thing it was made for was to drop an atomic bomb on Hiroshima and Nagasaki. In this paper I will talk about how and why people are so controversial over a historical exhibit.

The introduction of the new long-range planes helped reduce the hazards of this dangerous portion of battle. Avro Lancaster was a British four-engined bomber which was implemented in warfare during the Battle of the Atlantic of the Second World War used by the Royal Air Force. It was first active as a strategic bombing offensive, and then became the main heavy bomber used by the RAF and RCAF. The Lancaster took upon the role of a long-range anti-submarine patrol aircraft and air sea rescue. It was also used as an aerial mapping resource to figure out where German U-boats most commonly attacked, hence figuring out where they usually place, with this information the Allies were able to strategically place counterattacks. The Avro Lancaster also carried passengers and delivered weapons to Britain and the Soviet Union.

Towards the end of the War the airplane becomes a practical device of war being able to carry weapons. Anthony Fokker and Louis Bleriot create the most successful of early modern biplanes known as the D-VII and D-VIII. Biplanes are eventually taken over by the monoplane, or one wing. This new design allowed for faster flight and better visibility for the pilot. Air-cooled engines lead the way for commercial aircraft, and Boeing introduces the first modern airliner the 247. Airplanes are effected the greatest by supply and demand of war. New styles of war begun to emerge so did new and improved types of aircraft. The population of the U.S. also begun to grow which leads to the modern most sophisticated commercial airliner the 777. Most aircraft improvements are found in the military and intelligence field. The most high tech aircraft known today for such things as spying are the SR-71 Blackbird, and the U-2 Spy plane. The most complicated and best aircraft performance is still held by the space shuttle and probably always will be. The last 200 years have seen incredible changes in aircraft from the man with wings to heavier than air flying machines that can travel at supersonic speeds.