B-29 Superfortress: America's $3 Billion Bomber

The Boeing B-29 Superfortress was an extraordinary aircraft that played a pivotal role in World War II. Conceived before the US entered the war, it was designed to be a pressurized, very-long-range bomber capable of carrying ten tons of bombs across the Pacific.

With a combat range of over 5,200 kilometers and a bomb load of up to 9,000 kilograms, the B-29 outmatched any other aircraft in its class. Its pressurized cabin allowed its crew of around 11 men to work comfortably above 30,000 feet, while its remote-controlled turrets were aimed by an early analogue computer.

The development of the B-29 was troubled, with the prototype experiencing engine fires that killed Boeing's chief test pilot Eddie Allen. Despite these challenges, the aircraft played a crucial role in the war, including the atomic bombings of Hiroshima and Nagasaki. The US spent around $3 billion on the B-29 program, more than the Manhattan Project.