They might have called it the hemisphere bomber because of the holes left wherever it parks.

There is an article on this airplane in the magazine "Air Classics" 45th Anniversary issue. Vol 45 Number 11.

It refers to the B-19 as the Hemisphere Bomber. Implying that it could bomb anywhere in the hemisphere a very long range.

I FIRST SAW THE B-19 AS A STUDENT PILOT FLYING A CUB IN OCTOBER OR NOV, 1941; I WAS ON AN EARLY SOLO FLIGHT OVER SOCAL WHEN I LOOKED AHEAD AND FOUND MYSELF NOSE TO NOSE WITH THE BIGGEST AIRPLANE I HAD EVER SEEN. TO BE FAIR, HE WAS ABOUT 500 FEET HIGHER BUT, MAN WAS THAT A BIG BIRD!!
IN 1960, I WAS WORKING AT THE DOUGLAS SANTA MONICA PLANT AND WAS SHOWN THE MOMENTO OF THE ROLL-OUT OF THE B-19. STLL VISIBLE IN THE ASPHALT OUTSIDE HANGER DOOR WERE TWO LARGE PATCHES WHERE THE WHEELS OF THAT BIRD SANK INTO THE ASPHALT AS SHE WAS FIRST ROLLED OUT.

This A/C was assigned to the All Weater Flying Center stationed at Clinton County Air Base, Wlmington,Ohio in the late 40s. The famous Col. Ben Kelsey would come to the base from Wright Pat to fly the B-19. A few of us lucky Lieutneants would get to fly co-pilot for him. Col.Ben had a Flight Engineer sargent(he called Rosey) especially assigned to this plane and Rosey's huge control panel was down a set of steps beneath the pilots. Of course engine starting, monitoring etc was all done on interphone. At that time it had the liquid cooled Allisons under the cowl. As I recall these were 2-1710s of the type used on the P-40s etc, mated at the front with a gear box. Therefore the plane had 8 Allisons hauling her along. I still recall that cool sound. Standing beside the single wheel on the main strut, I could just see over the top of the tire. The short time in the right seat is one of the highlights of my aeronautical career. I have one faded photo taken with "The All Weather Flying Center" livery paint job but do not know how to add it to this comment. There is a fine site on the web about Col. Kelsey. An interesting account of his delivering the first P-38 to Mitchell Field on Long Island.

AS a 12 year old,living just outside of Wright-Patterson A.F. Base in Dayton during the war years, I saw many experimental aircraft flying over the house. THE XB-19 was one I remember as I had never seen anything so big. It landed at Wright Field and had to take right back off as the concrete runway was breaking up under it from the weight. It returned to Wright Field after they were resurfaced with a greater depth of concrete. Bob

It was sent to Davis-Monthan AFB and placed in storage in 1946. In 1949 is was cut up for scrap.

Prettier than the B-29 or B-17

Where did this plane end up?

Competed with the XB-15.