Was that a B-29 Super Fortress on HWY 301 FLA today heading North ??

and other stuff up in the air
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Was that a B-29 Super Fortress on HWY 301 FLA today heading North ??

Post by 70th Division » Tue Jan 16, 2018 4:08 pm

Hello,

I was driving today and saw a perfect looking B-29 fuselage, on 2 flatbed trucks heading north from central Florida turning off 441 to 301 North !!!!
It looked like it just rolled out of the Boeing Factory, and had US Air Force painted on its sides.
It looks like it will be flying again soon :D :D :D :D :D

Anybody know what the story is on this northbound B-29 ?????
I didn't know any B-29's were hiding in Florida !!!
It looked awesome is case anyone was wondering :D :D :D :D :D


Best Regards,

Raymond


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Re: Was that a B-29 Super Fortress on HWY 301 FLA today heading North ??

Post by clintm20 » Wed Jan 17, 2018 6:40 am

I bet it looked good.
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Re: Was that a B-29 Super Fortress on HWY 301 FLA today heading North ??

Post by bharr » Thu Jan 18, 2018 5:17 am

Your phone couldn't take pictures for our viewing pleasure????
Stupid is free so it's everywhere !!

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Re: Was that a B-29 Super Fortress on HWY 301 FLA today heading North ??

Post by Chuck W. » Thu Jan 18, 2018 7:54 am

Maybe something to do with Kermit Weeks Fantasy Of Flight museum near Lakeland, FL?

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Re: Was that a B-29 Super Fortress on HWY 301 FLA today heading North ??

Post by Joe Gopan » Thu Jan 18, 2018 8:11 am

May have been Kermits B-29 mother ship Fertile Myrtle. He is phasing down and the Fantasy of Flight Museum is changing missions.
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Re: Was that a B-29 Super Fortress on HWY 301 FLA today heading North ??

Post by 70th Division » Thu Jan 18, 2018 9:01 am

Hello,

Not that I didn't try to get a picture, but my I-phone camera memory was "full" .

The trucks had an entire fuselage on them, disassembled in sections.

The plane looked to be in perfect condition, and the green primer paint on the inside had stenciling etc. and looked factory fresh.

The nose section had U.S Air Force painted on it in large print.
The red trucks had a logo on the doors, something like ...Historical Aircraft Recovery or something to that effect.
They turned off at the 444/27/301 split north of Ocala, Fla.
I was on 441 and caught them just at the split as they were turning off on 301 N.
So likely they were heading to I-10 to I- 95 North if they were leaving Florida.
They were not heading in the direction of I-75, so I am thinking to the east coast region serviced by I-95.

It was a beautiful thing to see, hopefully someone will be able to get more intel on the B-29 !
Clint do you have any incite on this Super Fortress ?

Since we have 2 flying B-29's now, I would imagine this one could become number 3 :D :D :D

Best Regards,

Ray

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Re: Was that a B-29 Super Fortress on HWY 301 FLA today heading North ??

Post by cvairwerks » Thu Jan 18, 2018 12:05 pm

KB-50J s/n 49-0389 headed from McDill to Dover De. to the AMCM museum. The F-16 from McDill is headed to the HQ for Arizona Air National Guard.

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Re: Was that a B-29 Super Fortress on HWY 301 FLA today heading North ??

Post by Mark Jesic » Thu Jan 18, 2018 12:12 pm

How many B29s were produced, i know they were a late arrival in WW2 ?

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Re: Was that a B-29 Super Fortress on HWY 301 FLA today heading North ??

Post by 70th Division » Thu Jan 18, 2018 12:39 pm

Hello,


Thanks for the update !!

A B-50 based on the B-29 , looks great, and I hope it is going to a great new home and indoor museum !

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Boeing_B-50_Superfortress



We learn something new everyday, I never knew about the B-50 program.

Best Regards,

Ray

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Re: Was that a B-29 Super Fortress on HWY 301 FLA today heading North ??

Post by 70th Division » Thu Jan 18, 2018 12:58 pm

Mark,

It appears that 3,970 B-29's were built.

They were retired in 1960.

The British used many post war for a few years as well.

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Boeing_B-29_Superfortress


They are special planes like the B-17 to see flying over !!

I saw Fifi a couple times here in Fla, and went to see it as well at a local ex WW2 Army Airfield that is now a small local airport in Leesburg, Fla.
There was also a POW camp across the street, that now has a small college there, there were also some local barns and sheds around the area that were built by German POW's, who several times were featured in the local paper when they came back to visit a few years ago.

One building nearby was still rock solid with no sagging that the German's built in 1944. Written on the wall........
"This building was contructed by German POW's in 1944 " with an Iron Cross logo.
It was made of wood timbers and galvanized steel sheet meatl panels.
Unfortunately, that historic little building was levelled 6 years ago to out a Subway restaurant there.
A waste of history, especially if they would have offered it up to be moved !!!
I would have gone to get it.

It was used for many years as an auto repair shop, and I had been in it many times , and admired the workmanship of the Germans and their message written on the wall.

I will keep my eyes open on another old shed or two that are still around that I think were built by German POWs.

What a great Jeep Barn that would have made !!!!


Best Regards,

Ray

Best Regards,

Ray

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Re: Was that a B-29 Super Fortress on HWY 301 FLA today heading North ??

Post by Mark Jesic » Fri Jan 19, 2018 2:52 am

Ray thanks for a really interesting post, i never realised us Brits used them. I went to an air show about three years ago, they had a B52 there. How the hell did those things ever get off the ground ? It was massive, but a very impressive sight. :D Just for the record, they also had a Bell Huey there (my favourite), amazingly it was marked up RAF RESCUE, another pleasant suprise.

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Re: Was that a B-29 Super Fortress on HWY 301 FLA today heading North ??

Post by Wolfman » Fri Jan 19, 2018 6:49 am

Lots and lots of horse power, Mark.
Like the B-52, the B-29 had a massive payload that far surpassed any of it's predecessors.
Unfortunately, it was the last product of the piston age. The jet age took over and most of the piston planes were phased out.
The sound of a passing B-29 is a sound you won't forget.
Hueys. I have fond memories of Hueys. Some when they were taking me out into the jungle and better ones when they were picking me up, bringing me back out. Another sound I won't forget. A local museum flys one over my AO on occasion. I can hear that thing coming 10 miles out ! :D
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Re: Was that a B-29 Super Fortress on HWY 301 FLA today heading North ??

Post by halifaxgroup » Fri Jan 19, 2018 8:01 am

From my buddy who lives less than 2 miles from the base:

"It's a KB50 (refueler) that is being shipped in parts to Dover. It is intended for a display restoration which will make Dover the only place in the world with the original 3 re-fuelers KB50, KC-97, and KC-135 all in one place."
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Re: Was that a B-29 Super Fortress on HWY 301 FLA today heading North ??

Post by Mark Jesic » Fri Jan 19, 2018 11:40 am

Thanks for an interesting reply Mike, it sounds like you have a bank full of memories. :)

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Re: Was that a B-29 Super Fortress on HWY 301 FLA today heading North ??

Post by Wolfman » Sat Jan 20, 2018 6:50 am

I live just south of Grissom AFB. Been lots of interesting aircraft fly in and out of there.
I have KC-135s fly over, pretty low, all the time.
Before the gulf war, there was A-10s. Still a few occasionally.
Sometimes a C-130. That is another droning sound from the past.
Back in the late 50s and early 60,s, there was B-58 Hustlers. That was an awesome aircraft. A small, four engine, nuclear bomber, with afterburners. I remember when one crashed on take off. Everyone was running for fall out shelters. Not that it would have made any difference. Air Force never said if it was loaded or not, but at least there was not a big flash.
And the Huey. I think it is based some place around Indianapolis and flies up to Peru a lot, as well as over to the Vietnam Veterans camp ground at Greentown. Just north east of my AO. Puts me in the flight path either way. :D
Several Warbird of America members in the area. That keeps interesting aircraft flying over head. Everything from PT-19s to P-51s.
There was a flight of AT-6s flew over the local grave yard in a missing man formation for the funeral of a WWII airman whose remains were returned home recently. That was just east of me. Glad he finally made it home.
I have even had a B-17 fly over on it's way from Lafayette/Purdue airport to Columbus Oh. ?? Or maybe it was Cincinnati.
I live in a great place !!
Didn't Kermit Weeks move his Museum out into the mid west some place after a hurricane, a few years ago ???
I am rambling. I'll shut up.
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