hi, We know that 1122 B-29A superfortresses were built until may 1946 at the renton plant. but how many were built by VJ day? cheers
My book has 1056 aircraft and 1378 crews as of August 1945. Of that 528 aircraft were lost, 414 to combat, 104 non combat, and 10 lost in route from the USA. The losses were for April 1944-August 1945. Anouther 34 were lost in the Korean war. From B-29 Superfortress by John Pimlott
From http://www.boeing.com/history/boeing/b50.html B-50 Bomber [. . .] The B-50 evolved from the B-29D, but because it included so many improvements, it was redesignated the B-50A, with 59 percent more power than the B-29. [. . .] Sixty B-50As were ordered by the U.S. Army Air Forces before the end of World War II, and delivery began in 1947. In all 79 B-50As were built. The next version, the B-50B, was heavier, with a gross weight of 170,000 pounds. [. . .] it was designated of RB-50B and used for strategic reconnaissance. [. . .] Some B-50s were later converted to hose-type KB-50 aerial tankers, their speed enhanced by the addition of two 5,200-pound-thrust jet engines, so at 400 mph, they could refuel jet aircraft. One KB-50D became a drone to test Bell XGAM missiles, and 36 became long-range reconnaissance aircraft (WB-50D). Boeing built 371 B-50s between 1947 and 1953. [. . .]. No internet information forthcoming on B-50 losses in Korea..... .....
The B-50 and Strategic Air Command and the US Air Force all started in 1947. The B-50's were new and the latest item to use against the Russians and Korea was viewed as a "police action" by the people in power then. The B-29's used in Korea were old by then and not a big deal if lost in combat. There were a few times when the Air Force used the B-45 for recon work but not too many times since they got shot at by Mig-15's. For the most part Korea air wars were fought with ex WWII equipment with the exception of the Mig-15 and F-86. F-80's and F-84's were also used but as gound pounders and not as fighter against the Mig-15. As far as I can tell the B-50 was not used during the Korean war however a number were shot down or shot at after the war doing spy fights over Korea, China, Eastern Europe, and the USSR.
That's interesting since, by then, the ageing B-29 was considered a "medium" bomber. Plus, with the construction of B-50s between 1947 and 1953 - 1953 being the cease-fire year - one would think that they made at least a few sorties. I did find that of the 34 B-29s lost in the war that 16 were due to fighters, 4 to Flak and 14 to other causes.
True. Someplace I saw a picture of a B-36 next to a B-29 or B-50 and there is a large size difference between them. In the late 40's the B-47 was on the drawing board and it sent the piston types off to second line duties. If you want to expand the production numbers then look up how many B-29/B-50's the USSR produced. I think they are called Tu-4 by Tupolev.