B-50 SUPERFORTRESS

The 'Boeing B-50 Superfortress' was a post-World War II revision of the wartime B-29 Superfortress with new, more powerful Pratt & Whitney R-4360 radial engines, a taller vertical stabilizer, and other improvements.

Contents

Design and development

Operational history

Variants

Boeing B-50 Survivors

Operators

Specifications (B-50D)

References

Related content

Design and development

The B-50 started as a B-29D. Officially, the aircraft's new designation was justified by the changes separating the B-29D from its predecessors. However, according to Peter M. Bowers, a long-time Boeing employee and aircraft designer, and a well-known authority on Boeing aircraft, "the redesignation was an outright military ruse to win appropriations for the procurement of an aeroplane that by its designation appeared to be merely a later version of an existing model that was being canceled wholesale, with many existing examples being put into dead storage."
Boeing built 371 of these between 1947 and 1953, some serving until 1965. A reconnaissance variant, the 'RB-50B' (a B-50B conversion) existed and played an important role in Cold War espionage. An aerial refueling tanker conversion designated 'KB-50' was used in the Vietnam War.
In 1949, The ''Lucky Lady II'', commanded by Captain James Gallagher, became the first airplane to circle the world nonstop. This was achieved by refueling the plane in flight.

Operational history

B-50D-90BO ''48-086'' with R-4360 engine differences visible

While not many were ordered, the B-50 was the ultimate expression of the B-29 family and one of the last piston-engined bombers built. The B-50 was retired from its main role as atomic bomber in 1955. A number were converted into KB-50 tankers and lasted long enough to be deployed to Southeast Asia in support of tactical operations. The type was grounded and removed completely from inventory when wreckage of a KB-50 that broke up in flight in 1965 revealed corrosion problems in the fleet. No flying examples exist today, although several can be found in various air museums.
The USAF 'Strategic Air Command' had B-50 Superfortresses (B-50s and RB-50s) in service from 1948 through 1954.

Variants

★ 'XB-44:' One B-29A was handed over to Pratt & Whitney to be fitted with the new Wasp Major 28-cylinder engines. Initially designated B-29D, this was eventually changed to B-50A in December 1945 . (x1, converted)

★ 'B-50A'--First production version of the B-50. It had new wings that were stronger and lighter than the units on the B-29. It also had taller vertical tail than the B-29. (x60)

★ 'B-50B'--Increase in gross weight over the A model, from 168,480 lb (76,420 kg) to 170,400 lb (77,290 kg). Also included a new type of lightweight fuel cell. (x45)

★ 'B-50D'--Definitive production version of the B-50. The 7-piece nose cone window was replaced by a single plastic cone and a flat bomb-aimer's window. Many included the new boom-type refueling system. (x222)

★ 'DB-50D'--Drone director conversion of a B-50D, to be used with the GAM-63 Rascal missile. (x1, converted)

★ 'EB-50B'--Single conversion of a B-50B to be fitted with a track-tread undercarriage. (x1, converted)

★ 'KB-50'--Air to air refueling tanker conversions of the bomber. (x134, converted)

★ 'KB-50J'--Tanker B-50s with improved performance, via two extra General Electric J47 turbojets under the outer wings. (x112, converted)

★ 'KB-50K'--Tanker conversions of the TB-50H trainer aircraft. (x24, converted)

★ 'RB-50B'--All but one of the B-50Bs were converted into the recon role. These were fitted with nine cameras in four stations, weather instruments, and a bomb bay capsule holding the extra crew members. (x44, converted)

★ 'RB-50E'--Special photographic conversions of the RB-50B, modified at Wichita. (x14, converted)

★ 'RB-50F'--Conversions of the RB-50B, fitted with SHORAN navigation radar for special missions. (x14, converted)

★ 'RB-50G'--Conversions of the RB-50B, fitted with electronics countermeasures statios along with the SHORAN radar. (x15, converted)

★ 'TB-50A'--Trainer conversion of the B-50A. (x11, converted)

★ 'TB-50D'--Trainer conversion of the B-50D. (x11, converted)

★ 'TB-50H'--Newly built trainer planes. (x24)

★ 'WB-50' --Weather reconnaissance conversion of the B-50.

★ 'WB-50D'--Weather reconnaissance conversions of outdated B-50Ds, fitted with meteorological equipment. (x36, converted)

★ 'YB-50C'--Version to be fitted with the Variable Discharge Turbine version of the R-4360 engine. None were built.

★ 'B-54A'--Proposed version of the YB-50C.

★ 'RB-54A'--Proposed reconnaissance version of the YB-50C.

Boeing B-50 Survivors

B-50D-115BO ''49-310'' used for weather reconnaissance on display at the United States Air Force Museum

★ B-50A-5BO ''46-10'', '" Lucky Lady II "', Planes Of Fame, Chino, California (D)

★ B-50D-115BO ''49-310'', ex-WB-50D, '" 48-114 "', USAFM, Wright-Patterson AFB, Dayton, Ohio (D)

★ B-50D-120BO ''49-351'', ex-WB-50D, '" Flight Of The Phoenix "', former Castle AFB, Atwater, California (D)

★ B-50D-125BO ''49-372'', ex-KB-50J, '" 372 "', Pima Air Museum, Tucson, Arizona (D)

★ B-50D-125BO ''49-389'', ex KB-50J,'" 48-014 "', MacDill AFB, Tampa, Florida (D)


note: On ''46-10'' '" Lucky Lady II "' its been reported that nose section is not original to this airframe

Operators

;United States

★ United States Air Force

Specifications (B-50D)

References

1. Post-World War II bombers, 1945-1973, Knaack, Marcelle Size, , , Office of Air Force History, 1988, ISBN 0-16-002260-6


★ Boeing B-50 Superfortress

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