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- Code Number:
- MYFV06P11_18
- Title:
- Boeing WB-50D Superfortress, Wright-Patterson Air Force Base, Fairborn, Ohio
- Boeing WB-50D Superfortress: The B-5O, the last propeller-driven bomber delivered to the Air Force, made its initial flight on June 25, 1947. The aircraft was first designated as the B-29D, but modifications to the original B-29 structure were considerable so it was redesignated as the B-50.
B-50s served with the Strategic Air Command as medium bombers between 1948 and 1954 when they were replaced by the jet-propelled B-47's. B-50's were modified for other roles such as weather-reconnaissance, crew training, photo-mapping, and aerial refueling. In these support roles, some B-5Os remained in service until the late 1960s. The most famous B-5O was the Lucky Lady II which on March 2, 1949, became the first aircraft to fly non-stop around the world, completing the 23,482 mile flight in 94 hours. Boeing built 370 B-5Os, 222 of which were -Ds.
WB-50D,
Span: 141 ft 2 in
Length: 99 ft. 0 in.
Height 32 ft. 8 n.
Weight: 173,000 lbs. maximum
Armament: Thirteen .50 cal. machine guns: 20,000 lbs. of bombs internally: 8,000 lbs. externally
Engines: Four Pratt & Whitney R-4360s of 3,500 hp. each Cost: $1,144,000
Max speed: 395 mph /343 knots
Cruising speed: 277 mph/241 knots
Range: 4,900 statute miles/4,258 nautical miles (without aerial refueling)
Service ceiling: 36,700 ft.
Span: 141 ft 2 in
Length: 99 ft. 0 in
Height 32 ft. 8 in
Weight: 173,000 lbs. maximum
Cost: $1,144,000 , United States Air Force, USAF
- Keywords:
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Aviation Power Plants, Engines, Propulsion, Thrust, Boeing, B-29 Superfortress, United States Air Force, Military, Strategic Bomber Aircraft, Four Engine Bomber, Long Range Heavy Bomber, Airplane, Aviation, Plane, Aircraft, Air Force, Military, Weapons, Armament, Weaponry
- Image by:
- Wernher Krutein
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