Boeing B-50

1947

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Boeing B-50

The B-50's development was approved in 1944, when the aircraft was known as the B-29D. Still in the midst of war, the Army Air Forces (AAF) wanted a significantly improved B-29 that could carry heavy loads of conventional weapons faster and farther. As World War II ended, the production of thousands of B-29s was canceled. The B-29D survived, but its purpose was changed. Redesignated as the B-50 in December 1945, the improved bomber was now earmarked for the atomic role. The decision was prompted by the uncertain fate of Convair B-36, the first long-range, heavy bomber produced as an atomic carrier. Of course, some of the B-29s that had been modified to carry the atomic bomb remained available, and surplus B-29s were being reconfigured for the atomic task. Just the same, the B-29s of war vintage were nearly obsolete. Hence, they would have to be replaced by a more efficient, atomic-capable bomber pending availability of the intercontinental B-36 or of another bomber truly suitable for the delivery of atomic weaponry.

While the short-range B-50 was immediately recognized as a stopgap measure, the magnitude of the aircraft's development problems proved unexpected. The B-50's first difficulties stemmed from its bomb bay which, like that of the B-29, was too small to house the new bomb and its required components. The fast development of special weapons created more complications, since the individual components of every single type of bomb had to be relocated within the bomb bay's narrow confines.

In keeping with the usual vicissitudes accompanying the development of any new or improved aircraft, the B-50 soon exhibited engine malfunctions. Then, cracking of the metal skin on the trailing edge of the wings and flaps dictated extensive modifications. And while these problems were being resolved, new requirements were levied on the aircraft. In 1949, as the proposed RB-36 remained a long way off, and because of the older RB-29's deficiencies in speed, range, and altitude, some B-50s had to be fitted for the reconnaissance role. To make matters worse, fuel tank overflows, leaking fuel check valves, failures of the engine turbo-chargers, generator defects, and the like continued to plague every B-50 version.

Meanwhile, contrary to plans, most B-50s came off the production lines without the receiver end of the new air-to-air refueling system being developed by Boeing. Additional, and successful, modifications therefore ensued. Nevertheless, the Strategic Air Command (SAC) had no illusions. The B-50, along with the B-36 (first delivered in June 1948), would be obsolete in 1951. That the B-50 did not start leaving the SAC inventory before 1953 was due to the production problems and many modifications of its replacement: the subsonic B-47.

Boeing B-50 on YOUTUBE

3-View 
Boeing B-50DA three-view drawing of Boeing B-50D (582 x 774)

Specification 
 MODELB-50A
 CREW11
 ENGINE4 x Pratt & Whitney R-4360-35 Wasp Major, 2610kW
 WEIGHTS
  Take-off weight76389 kg168410 lb
  Empty weight36764 kg81051 lb
 DIMENSIONS
  Wingspan43.05 m141 ft 3 in
  Length30.18 m99 ft 0 in
  Height9.96 m33 ft 8 in
  Wing area161.55 m21738.91 sq ft
 PERFORMANCE
  Max. speed620 km/h385 mph
  Cruise speed378 km/h235 mph
  Ceiling11280 m37000 ft
  Range7483 km4650 miles
 ARMAMENT12 x 12.7mm machine-guns, 1 x 20mm cannon, 9000kg of bombs

Boeing B-50

Comments1-20 21-40 41-60 61-80 81-100 101-120 121-140
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Mac McEachern, e-mail, 24.02.2018 20:57

now 86 and still would like to hear from anybody about B50's particularly mather AFB from about 1950 to 1954.

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N.L. Hansen, e-mail, 10.12.2020 Mac McEachern

Hope this isn't too late for you, Mac. I'm 90 and going strong --mostly. At Mather in 1953, my cadet class M-36R was training to be triple-rated observers ("monsters") for B-36 aircraft. Our flights were nearly all scheduled to be in either the beautiful, reliable Convair twin-engine T-29; or the complex, ponderous TB-50 which was outfitted for training flight engineer students as well. Our routine for the T-29 was to report to the flight line, board the aircraft, check our gear, take off and complete the flight. Our routine for the TB-50 was to report to the flight line, check the maintenance status of the aircraft, form a circle and sit on the concrete until takeoff deadline had passed, acknowledge our instructor's announcement that the mission was scrubbed and that we were dismissed for the day, return to the barracks, eat our flight lunches, change into civvies and go to town. NOT ONCE did we complete a flight in, or even see the inside of, a TB-50 --with one exception: One evening, a classmate, jovial John Folloni determined he would have a B-50 experience or bust. He hung around Operations and got himself booked on a TB-50 local-area flight whereon some pilots were to practice night takeoffs and landings. One of the aft gunner /scanners even allowed John, during a landing, to take his seat at the sighting blister where he soon demonstrated his natural ability as a scanner by perceiving that the sparks appearing at the propeller tips were indicative of a gear-up landing. John would claim later that, by the time he reached the nearest exit, it had been opened by a crewman, over whose back he climbed to get himself outside and on the ground before the plane had stopped skidding. A subsequent unofficial report stated that firefighting and rescue personnel arriving at the aircraft could not find anyone in or near it. Ever since those days, I have wondered how the flight engineer students were able to complete their training. Hans.

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Kerry Edwards, e-mail, 04.02.2018 11:35

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John F Hampton, e-mail, 30.01.2018 02:37

Hey, Stuart Murphy. I was at Palm Beach in 1958 also on the crew that photographed Yahoo and Umbrella. Your post indicated you had been to Eniwetok. I'm not aware of any other times other than Apr-May-June '58 Operation Hardtack that we had an RB-50 there. I was second photo and acting Operation NCO. You are right, very few of the prop plane crews left.

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Ray Magourik, e-mail, 07.11.2017 03:16

I was stationed in the 1370th photo mapping sqd at Turner field in Ga 1961-1963 Tdy to Georgetown British Guiana and Port Moresby New Guiana then PCS to 6486th Hickam AFB Hi. Took radio and Radar repair at Keesler AFB Miss 1961-62.would like to hear from anyone who might have been stationed at either base at that time.

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DON BREN, e-mail, 20.09.2017 06:25

I WAS ACREW MEMBER B-50 AT MATHER ARFB SAC CALIF. AS A SR. BOMB NAV.TECK. WE WERE TRAINED ON E-6 AUTOPILOT [HOHEYWELL] AND NORDEN BOMBSIGHT---1952-1953 35 A AND E SQ.

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Al Barrs, e-mail, 12.07.2017 02:24

A relative of mine, William Bell, was killed in 1950 after the B50A 46-021 crashed near Eglin AFB Florida... He was buried in his hometown in the Day, Lafayette County, FL cemetery. My parents and I attended the graveside funeral services...

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Dave Gaw, e-mail, 09.05.2017 07:18

Looking for anyone who knew my father-in-law T /Sgt Edgar Stoelting in the early-mid1950s. He was in the 343 SRS and 6091 SRS. Thanks.

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Donald Ross, e-mail, 16.05.2021 Dave Gaw

Just saw your 2017 post on Ed Stoelting, your father in law. Ed was radio operator on same crew as me in 1954,1955 at Biggs AFB El Paso TX and lakenheath Eng. I was ECM on many flights with Ed. Squadron was 343SRS also known as 4021 Bomb Squadron. Plane tail number 47156. A /C Maj. Marshall. We flew from Russian base Murmansk in Arctic to Black Sea and Caspian Sea in Middle East. We were stationed in Lakenheath. Coincidentally, the father of my next door neighbor was also on RB 50 and in same squadron too. His name was Lovell Parker.
Small world isn’t it.

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Donald Ross, e-mail, 16.05.2021 Dave Gaw

Just saw your 2017 post on Ed Stoelting, your father in law. Ed was radio operator on same crew as me in 1954,1955 at Biggs AFB El Paso TX and lakenheath Eng. I was ECM on many flights with Ed. Squadron was 343SRS also known as 4021 Bomb Squadron. Plane tail number 47156. A /C Maj. Marshall. We flew from Russian base Murmansk in Arctic to Black Sea and Caspian Sea in Middle East. We were stationed in Lakenheath. Coincidentally, the father of my next door neighbor was also on RB 50 and in same squadron too. His name was Lovell Parker.
Small world isn’t it.

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Dave Gaw, e-mail, 23.12.2021 Donald Ross

Donald?
Please email me your contact info. I would love to sit down and talk about your memories of Ed. The family has very little info about his time in the 343rd. His daughter(my wife) was born at Ramey in 1951. Where do you live?

Dave Gaw

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Stuart Murphy, e-mail, 24.06.2016 20:09

i just finished reading this web page on the B50. I especially enjoyed the emails from crew members, maintenance folks etc. I flew the RB50 at Palm Beach AFB Fla, the WB50 at Kindley AFB, Bermuda, and the RB50 again at Turner AFB, Ga..This got me to a lot of interesting places like England, Azores, North Africa, Iceland, Thule, Panama, New Guinea, Colombia, Japan, Hawaii, Phillipines, Guam, Samoa, Port Moresby, Eniwetok, Austrailia, and other places I can't remember at the moment. It was exciting, important and rewarding. The many people involved were the most rewarding part of it. God bless you all! Hi to Ed Fleck, and Gene Sheldon ! Our ranks are thinning thanks to Father Time. I'd do it again though, how bout y"all? Stu Murphy

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Jim Smith, e-mail, 17.05.2016 19:51

I was a tail gunner with "Menting's Meatheads" in the 6091 Recon Sq. in 1955. Flew many recon missions on an RB-50 while at Yokota AB in Japan. Great times except when an engine blew one night on takeoff. Makes for an interesting pucker time. Great engineer had that puppy "fire-out and feathered" in seconds and a great AC (Capt. Carrol V. Menting) had us back on the ground in minutes. Never saw so many fire trucks in my short 20 year old life.

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john toole, e-mail, 29.01.2016 01:24

I was at Walker AFBase in Roswell, New Mexico in the ground crew of the B50 and 29's in 830 bomb sqdn. from 1948 until 1952 great aircraft

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Dewey Tillman, e-mail, 22.12.2015 03:00

Was an airborne radio Maintenance technician, 1370 PMW AST-7, Guam, 1962. Got to ride the bombardier position during in flight maintenance testing. The take off and landings were fantastic. Nothing like the view of the runway coming up to meet you up close and personal.

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wendy bennett, e-mail, 20.10.2015 22:32

How do you reply to a comment

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Wendy Bennett, e-mail, 20.10.2015 22:31

This message is in reply to J Stewart, 20.07.2015. My dad was also a weather observer stationed on Guam at the same time. He was suppose to be on that flight but schedules were changed at the last minute. He is still living and talks frequently about this incident. He spent many hours after looking for this aircraft.

My dad was a weather observer stationed on Guam with the 54th weather squadron. The B50 he was flying in went down 500 miles off Guam during typhoon Ophelia in Jan of 1958. He loved flying and took some beautiful pictures from the eyes of several typhoons.Guess the typhoon was stronger than the aircraft. Anyone remember or was it too long ago? My dad was Capt. Marcus George Miller.

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Judith Stewart, e-mail, 14.04.2022 Wendy Bennett

Is your dad still alive? Sorry I didn't see this sooner. My mom could never talk about it but I think I heard they found some debris from the plane. I had a great deal of trouble accepting my dads death. Hearing that and seeing the debris would have helped me. But like I said--it was too hard for mom to talk about.

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Wendy Bennett, e-mail, 15.04.2022 Judith Stewart

Hi Judith: I am so glad to hear from you. Sadly, my dad passed away about 5 years ago. He talked often about this, He was very much effected and he has always been very saddened. Although I do not know you, I feel there is a connection in some way. I have always felt so sorry for your families loss. I was not very old during our time on Guam only about 2. My brother was older, about 7 or 8. He would have been called Chucky. I can’t even imagine how hard this must have been for your family. Love, Wendy

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