FLYBOYJ
"THE GREAT GAZOO"
Based on the technology and accepted military doctrine of the day, I don't think anyone "would have" seen anything much different unless someone showed up in Arnold's office from the future with a crystal ball.
B-29 reset
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Based on the technology and accepted military doctrine of the day, I don't think anyone "would have" seen anything much different unless someone showed up in Arnold's office from the future with a crystal ball.
GrauGeist
Generalfeldmarschall zur Luftschiff Abteilung
But the data recorded on those flights (and every other record setting flight made, for that matter) is useful in finding limits. These flights were also instrumental in analyzing the Jetstream and also led to trans-Pacific passenger service.
Anytime you push the envelope, you reset the bar.
Otherwise, the skies over Europe in WWII would have been contested by Spads, Sopwiths, Fokkers and the Albatros...
FLYBOYJ
"THE GREAT GAZOO"
Quite correct, but the potential was shown and in the post war years the useful weapon load focus was one bomb.
Eventually we saw other flights like this...
Lucky Lady II - Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia
You are correct; probably the B-32 would have been fully developed, the orders for the Martin B-33 would have been fulfilled, the ....
GrauGeist
Generalfeldmarschall zur Luftschiff Abteilung
But the B-32 was a fallback design requested by the USAAC in the event the B-29 didn't pan out. Also look at the plague of problems the B-32 had through it's development, dragging the program timeline out.
It was so problematic, that as soon as WWII ended, so did the B-32.
It's stellar career lasted a whole year.
I do not disagree but if, as the poster implied, the time and money had NOT gone to the B-29 then probably either of the two I mentioned and or others would have received that money and flown.
FLYBOYJ
"THE GREAT GAZOO"
GrauGeist
Generalfeldmarschall zur Luftschiff Abteilung
You can throw money by the handful at something and that doesn't magically make it happen. The list is a long one, of projects that consumed money and time, but never proved to be the right avenue.
The Germans did it, the Americans did it and yet, it was the B-29 that emerged successful not only in wartime, but postwar as well. A good example was the B-32. It simply was a PoS that no matter how much money you dump on the project, it was a PoS.
The B-17 went on for many years after the war, serving in many capacities, the B-24 did to a certain degree, also. The B-29 went on for many years and the B-32 was killed off before the dust even cleared from the last battlefield. There is a reason for that.
The Germans did it, the Americans did it and yet, it was the B-29 that emerged successful not only in wartime, but postwar as well. A good example was the B-32. It simply was a PoS that no matter how much money you dump on the project, it was a PoS.
The B-17 went on for many years after the war, serving in many capacities, the B-24 did to a certain degree, also. The B-29 went on for many years and the B-32 was killed off before the dust even cleared from the last battlefield. There is a reason for that.
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FLYBOYJ
"THE GREAT GAZOO"
I think the B-32's success would have been "iffy" to say the least had it been deployed, that also depending if the war would have lasted longer. From Joe Baugher's site, note the few "good things" about the aircraft...
"In service, the B-32 had numerous deficiencies. The cockpit had an extremely high noise level and the instrument layout was poor. Bombardier vision was rather poor. The aircraft was overweight for the available engine power, the mechanical subsystems were inadequate, and there were frequent engine fires caused by a faulty nacelle design. There were frequent undercarriage failures, which caused the type to be grounded briefly during May of 1945. On the plus side, the B-32 had excellent low-speed directional control, good takeoff and landing characteristics and rapid control response. The B-32 was a stable bombing platform, its manned turrets provided good protection, its subsystems were easily accessible for maintenance, and its reversible inboard propellers gave it excellent ground-handling characteristics.
Many of the problems encountered during the B-32 service tests were eliminated in subsequent production aircraft, either through design changes or through better quality control during manufacture.
An August 1944 directive from the USAAF had required that a combat test be carried out before the B-32 could be introduced into service. However, the AAFPGC agency opposed both a combat test and general service introduction of the B-32, so it seemed that the Dominator would be consigned to operational limbo indefinitely. In the meantime, Lt. Gen. George C. Kenney, the commander of the Far East Air Forces, had been anxious to get B-29s but his requests had always been turned down on the grounds that the B-29s were urgently needed elsewhere. As an alternative, General Kenney started requesting B-32s instead. On March 27, General Arnold approved Kenney's request and authorized a comprehensive Dominator combat test.
Col. Frank R. Cook was appointed commander of the test detachment. Three B-32s were chosen for the combat test (42-108529, -108531 and -108532). -108531 was damaged in an accident before leaving Fort Worth, and was replaced by 42-108528. -108528 was in rather bad shape, since it had been used as a test machine at Fort Worth. The first two arrived on Luzon on May 24, with the recalcitrant -108528 not arriving until the next day. The test was to be carried out under the auspices of the 5th Bomber Command, with the 386th Bombardment Squadron of the 312th Bombardment Group as the host unit. The 312th BG had four squadrons (386th, 387th, 388th, and 389th) that had been operating A-20s, and if things worked out well, all of the A-20s flying with the 386th and 387th BS would be replaced by B-32s. However, by the end of the war only the 386th and 387th had made the transition to the B-32, with the 388th and the 389th Squadrons still retaining their A-20s.
The first combat mission took place on May 29, 1945. It was a strike against a Japanese supply depot in Luzon's Cayagan Valley. All three of the Dominators were to take part, but -108528 aborted on takeoff. The other two proceeded to the target. There was no opposition, and bombing runs were made from an altitude of 10,000 feet, and both aircraft returned without incident. This raid was followed by a series of attacks on Japanese targets in the Philippines, in Formosa, and on Hainan Island in the Tonkin Gulf. The only opposition encountered during these missions was some rather inaccurate flak. The tests were thus deemed a success, and plans were made to convert the entire 386th Bombardment Squadron to B-32s. The 312th BG was scheduled to move to Okinawa as soon as the conversion of the 386th BS to the B-32 was completed.
Following the dropping of the atomic bombs, in August of 1945, the unit was ordered to move to Okinawa before the conversion could be carried out. Six more B-32s joined the squadron on Okinawa a few days later. Combat operations continued in spite of the de-facto cease-fire that had been called following the bombing of Nagasaki. During this time, the B-32s flew mainly photographic reconnaissance missions, most of which were unopposed. However, on August 17 a group of 4 B-32s flying over Tokyo were fired on by radar-directed flak and were attacked by Japanese fighters. The American aircraft escaped with only minor damage, claiming one confirmed fighter kill and two probables. During a reconnaissance mission over Tokyo on August 18, 42-108532 and 42-108578 were attacked by Japanese fighters. The American gunners claimed two kills and one probable, but -108578 was badly shot up and one of her crew was killed with two being injured. This was to prove to be the last combat action of World War 2.
The last Dominator mission of the war was flown by four B-32s on August 28 in a reconnaissance mission to Tokyo. The mission was a disaster, although not because of any enemy action. 42-108544 lost an engine on takeoff and skidded off the runway. All 13 men aboard perished when the aircraft exploded and burned. On the way back from the target, 42-108528 lost power on two of its four engines. The plane's pilot ordered the crew to bail out, but two men were killed.
After VJ-Day, the surviving B-32 aircraft were ordered to return to the USA. All further production of the B-32 was cancelled in September/October of 1945. At the time of cancellation, Fort Worth had produced 74 B-32s and 40 TB-32s, and San Diego had built only one. The last six fully-equipped Dominators (42-108579/108584) were flown from the production line directly into storage at Davis-Monthan and Kingman, Arizona. Twelve additional aircraft in shop-assembled status at San Diego and Fort Worth were declared "terminal inventory" and were also flown directly to disposal sites. At least 37 partially-assembled machines were stripped of all their government-furnished equipment and engines and were scrapped on site by the contractor. Those Dominators that were already in service were flown to the nearest disposal center, and all the non-flyable examples were scrapped in place. By 1947, most of B-32s that had been sent to the disposal centers had been scrapped."
"In service, the B-32 had numerous deficiencies. The cockpit had an extremely high noise level and the instrument layout was poor. Bombardier vision was rather poor. The aircraft was overweight for the available engine power, the mechanical subsystems were inadequate, and there were frequent engine fires caused by a faulty nacelle design. There were frequent undercarriage failures, which caused the type to be grounded briefly during May of 1945. On the plus side, the B-32 had excellent low-speed directional control, good takeoff and landing characteristics and rapid control response. The B-32 was a stable bombing platform, its manned turrets provided good protection, its subsystems were easily accessible for maintenance, and its reversible inboard propellers gave it excellent ground-handling characteristics.
Many of the problems encountered during the B-32 service tests were eliminated in subsequent production aircraft, either through design changes or through better quality control during manufacture.
An August 1944 directive from the USAAF had required that a combat test be carried out before the B-32 could be introduced into service. However, the AAFPGC agency opposed both a combat test and general service introduction of the B-32, so it seemed that the Dominator would be consigned to operational limbo indefinitely. In the meantime, Lt. Gen. George C. Kenney, the commander of the Far East Air Forces, had been anxious to get B-29s but his requests had always been turned down on the grounds that the B-29s were urgently needed elsewhere. As an alternative, General Kenney started requesting B-32s instead. On March 27, General Arnold approved Kenney's request and authorized a comprehensive Dominator combat test.
Col. Frank R. Cook was appointed commander of the test detachment. Three B-32s were chosen for the combat test (42-108529, -108531 and -108532). -108531 was damaged in an accident before leaving Fort Worth, and was replaced by 42-108528. -108528 was in rather bad shape, since it had been used as a test machine at Fort Worth. The first two arrived on Luzon on May 24, with the recalcitrant -108528 not arriving until the next day. The test was to be carried out under the auspices of the 5th Bomber Command, with the 386th Bombardment Squadron of the 312th Bombardment Group as the host unit. The 312th BG had four squadrons (386th, 387th, 388th, and 389th) that had been operating A-20s, and if things worked out well, all of the A-20s flying with the 386th and 387th BS would be replaced by B-32s. However, by the end of the war only the 386th and 387th had made the transition to the B-32, with the 388th and the 389th Squadrons still retaining their A-20s.
The first combat mission took place on May 29, 1945. It was a strike against a Japanese supply depot in Luzon's Cayagan Valley. All three of the Dominators were to take part, but -108528 aborted on takeoff. The other two proceeded to the target. There was no opposition, and bombing runs were made from an altitude of 10,000 feet, and both aircraft returned without incident. This raid was followed by a series of attacks on Japanese targets in the Philippines, in Formosa, and on Hainan Island in the Tonkin Gulf. The only opposition encountered during these missions was some rather inaccurate flak. The tests were thus deemed a success, and plans were made to convert the entire 386th Bombardment Squadron to B-32s. The 312th BG was scheduled to move to Okinawa as soon as the conversion of the 386th BS to the B-32 was completed.
Following the dropping of the atomic bombs, in August of 1945, the unit was ordered to move to Okinawa before the conversion could be carried out. Six more B-32s joined the squadron on Okinawa a few days later. Combat operations continued in spite of the de-facto cease-fire that had been called following the bombing of Nagasaki. During this time, the B-32s flew mainly photographic reconnaissance missions, most of which were unopposed. However, on August 17 a group of 4 B-32s flying over Tokyo were fired on by radar-directed flak and were attacked by Japanese fighters. The American aircraft escaped with only minor damage, claiming one confirmed fighter kill and two probables. During a reconnaissance mission over Tokyo on August 18, 42-108532 and 42-108578 were attacked by Japanese fighters. The American gunners claimed two kills and one probable, but -108578 was badly shot up and one of her crew was killed with two being injured. This was to prove to be the last combat action of World War 2.
The last Dominator mission of the war was flown by four B-32s on August 28 in a reconnaissance mission to Tokyo. The mission was a disaster, although not because of any enemy action. 42-108544 lost an engine on takeoff and skidded off the runway. All 13 men aboard perished when the aircraft exploded and burned. On the way back from the target, 42-108528 lost power on two of its four engines. The plane's pilot ordered the crew to bail out, but two men were killed.
After VJ-Day, the surviving B-32 aircraft were ordered to return to the USA. All further production of the B-32 was cancelled in September/October of 1945. At the time of cancellation, Fort Worth had produced 74 B-32s and 40 TB-32s, and San Diego had built only one. The last six fully-equipped Dominators (42-108579/108584) were flown from the production line directly into storage at Davis-Monthan and Kingman, Arizona. Twelve additional aircraft in shop-assembled status at San Diego and Fort Worth were declared "terminal inventory" and were also flown directly to disposal sites. At least 37 partially-assembled machines were stripped of all their government-furnished equipment and engines and were scrapped on site by the contractor. Those Dominators that were already in service were flown to the nearest disposal center, and all the non-flyable examples were scrapped in place. By 1947, most of B-32s that had been sent to the disposal centers had been scrapped."
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