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Whiteman Display B-29 art

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Description

B-29-40-BN, 44-61671 on display at Whiteman AFB as Silverplate B-29-40-MO 44-27353 "The Great Artiste".

The Great Artiste was assigned to the 509 CG stationed on Tinian Island in the Mariana’s during WW II. This was one of the aircraft modified as "Silverplate" aircraft to perform the Atomic Bombing mission of Japan. All of the turrets and extra armor were removed and specially cuffed propellers were used to increase engine cooling.

The Great Artiste was the only one of the 509th aircraft to participate in the bombing of both Hiroshima and Nagasaki. It did not carry any weapons but was heavily instrumented to measure data concerning the blast effects.

Note the two red "Fat Man" marks for the "nuclear missions. The other three black "Fat Man" marks were for dropping "Pumpkins", high explosive bombs over Japan prior to the nuclear drops.

The pumpkins were similar to the nuclear "Fat Man" implosion device in aerodynamics and trajectory.

Unfortunately, the real "Great Artiste" was lost in a landing accident at Goose Bay Labrador after the war.

This is a wonderful reproduction of this very historic aircraft.

Whiteman AFB is now home to the 509 BW operating B-2A's with a direct legacy to the 509 CG nuclear bombers
Image size
2560x1920px 2.25 MB
Make
Panasonic
Model
DMC-LZ2
Shutter Speed
10/4000 second
Aperture
F/6.0
Focal Length
8 mm
ISO Speed
100
Date Taken
May 19, 2009, 6:22:55 PM
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Comments10
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Grandfather trained gunners in WWII on this plane. Nice!