In Box Review of Monogram 1/48th Scale
U.S. Boeing B-29 Superfortress Bomber
Kit no 5700
By Ray Mehlberger
OUT OF PRODUCTION
Copyright 1977
I paid a paltry $10.00 for this kit back 41 years ago.. Talk about inflation since!! It can still be purchased but with a different decal option and box art.
By Ray Mehlberger
OUT OF PRODUCTION
Copyright 1977
I paid a paltry $10.00 for this kit back 41 years ago.. Talk about inflation since!! It can still be purchased but with a different decal option and box art.
HISTORY:
The Boeing B-29 Superfortress is a four-engine propeller-driven heavy bomber designed by Boeing, which was flown primarily by the United States during World War II and the Korean War.
It was one of the largest aircraft operational during World War II and featured state-of-the-art technology. Including design and production, at over $3 billion it was the single most expensive weapons project in World War II, exceeding the $1.9 billion cost of the Manhattan Project—using the value of dollars in 1945.
Innovations introduced included a pressurized cabin, dual-wheeled, tricycle landing gear, and an analog computer-controlled fire-control system directing four remote machine gun turrets that could be operated by a single gunner and a fire-control officer.
A manned tail gun installation was semi-remote. The name "Superfortress" continued the pattern Boeing started with its well-known predecessor, the B-17 Flying Fortress.
Designed for the high-altitude strategic bomber role, the B-29 also excelled in low-altitude nighttime incendiary bombing missions. One of the B-29's final roles during World War II was carrying out the atomic bomb attacks on Hiroshima and Nagasaki.
The Enola Gay (/ɪˈnoʊlə/) was a Boeing B-29 Superfortress bomber, named after Enola Gay Tibbets, the mother of the pilot, Colonel Paul Tibbets. On 6 August 1945, during the final stages of World War II, it became the first aircraft to drop an atomic bomb.
The bomb, code-named "Little Boy", was targeted at the city of Hiroshima, Japan, and caused the near-complete destruction of the city. Enola Gay participated in the second atomic attack as the weather reconnaissance aircraft for the primary target of Kokura. Clouds and drifting smoke resulted in a secondary target, Nagasaki, being bombed instead.
Bockscar, sometimes called Bock's Car, is the name of the United States Army Air Forces B-29 bomber that dropped a Fat Man nuclear weapon over the Japanese city of Nagasaki during World War II in the second – and last – nuclear attack in history.
One of 15 Silverplate B-29s used by the 509th, Bockscar was built at the Glenn L. Martin Aircraft Plant at Bellevue, Nebraska, at what is now Offutt Air Force Base, and delivered to the United States Army Air Forces on 19 March 1945.
It was assigned to the 393d Bombardment Squadron, 509th Composite Group to Wendover Army Air Field, Utah in April.
Because of the B-29's advanced design, unlike many other World War II-era bombers, the Superfortress remained in service long after the war ended, with a few even being employed as flying television transmitters for the Stratovision company.
The B-29 served in various roles throughout the 1950's. The Royal Air Force flew the B-29 as the Washington until phasing out the type in 1954.
The Soviet Union produced an unlicensed reverse-engineered copy as the Tupolev Tu-4. The B-29 was the progenitor of a series of Boeing-built bombers, transports, tankers, reconnaissance aircraft and trainers including the B-50 Superfortress (the first aircraft to fly around the world non-stop) which was essentially a re-engine B-29.
The type was retired in the early 1960's. The B-29 production total was 3,970 aircraft. Dozens of B-29's remain as static displays, but only two examples, Fifi and Doc, have been restored to flying status, with Doc flying again for the first time from McConnell AFB on July 17, 2016.
A transport developed from the B-29 was the Boeing C-97 Stratofreighter, first flown in 1944, followed by its commercial airliner variant, the Boeing Model 377 Stratocruiser in 1947.
This bomber-to-airliner derivation was similar to the B-17/Model 307 evolution. In 1948 Boeing introduced a tanker variant of the B-29 as the KB-29, followed by the Model 377-derivative KC-97 introduced in 1950.
A heavily modified line of oversize-cargo variants of the Stratocruiser is the Guppy / Mini Guppy / Super Guppy, which remain in service today with operators .
SPECIFICATIONS:
Role: Strategic bomber, Heavy bomber
Manufacturer: Boeing
First flight: 21 September 1942[1]
Introduction to service: 8 May 1944
Retired: 21 June 1960
Status: Retired
Primary users: U.S. Army Air Forces, U.S. Air Force, Royal Air Force
Produced: 1943–1946
Number built: 3,970
Unit cost: U.S. $639,188
Variants: Boeing KB-29 Superfortress, XB-39 Superfortress, Boeing XB-44 Superfortress, Boeing B-50 Superfortress
Developed into: Boeing 377 Stratocruiser, Tupolev Tu-4
The Boeing B-29 Superfortress is a four-engine propeller-driven heavy bomber designed by Boeing, which was flown primarily by the United States during World War II and the Korean War.
It was one of the largest aircraft operational during World War II and featured state-of-the-art technology. Including design and production, at over $3 billion it was the single most expensive weapons project in World War II, exceeding the $1.9 billion cost of the Manhattan Project—using the value of dollars in 1945.
Innovations introduced included a pressurized cabin, dual-wheeled, tricycle landing gear, and an analog computer-controlled fire-control system directing four remote machine gun turrets that could be operated by a single gunner and a fire-control officer.
A manned tail gun installation was semi-remote. The name "Superfortress" continued the pattern Boeing started with its well-known predecessor, the B-17 Flying Fortress.
Designed for the high-altitude strategic bomber role, the B-29 also excelled in low-altitude nighttime incendiary bombing missions. One of the B-29's final roles during World War II was carrying out the atomic bomb attacks on Hiroshima and Nagasaki.
The Enola Gay (/ɪˈnoʊlə/) was a Boeing B-29 Superfortress bomber, named after Enola Gay Tibbets, the mother of the pilot, Colonel Paul Tibbets. On 6 August 1945, during the final stages of World War II, it became the first aircraft to drop an atomic bomb.
The bomb, code-named "Little Boy", was targeted at the city of Hiroshima, Japan, and caused the near-complete destruction of the city. Enola Gay participated in the second atomic attack as the weather reconnaissance aircraft for the primary target of Kokura. Clouds and drifting smoke resulted in a secondary target, Nagasaki, being bombed instead.
Bockscar, sometimes called Bock's Car, is the name of the United States Army Air Forces B-29 bomber that dropped a Fat Man nuclear weapon over the Japanese city of Nagasaki during World War II in the second – and last – nuclear attack in history.
One of 15 Silverplate B-29s used by the 509th, Bockscar was built at the Glenn L. Martin Aircraft Plant at Bellevue, Nebraska, at what is now Offutt Air Force Base, and delivered to the United States Army Air Forces on 19 March 1945.
It was assigned to the 393d Bombardment Squadron, 509th Composite Group to Wendover Army Air Field, Utah in April.
Because of the B-29's advanced design, unlike many other World War II-era bombers, the Superfortress remained in service long after the war ended, with a few even being employed as flying television transmitters for the Stratovision company.
The B-29 served in various roles throughout the 1950's. The Royal Air Force flew the B-29 as the Washington until phasing out the type in 1954.
The Soviet Union produced an unlicensed reverse-engineered copy as the Tupolev Tu-4. The B-29 was the progenitor of a series of Boeing-built bombers, transports, tankers, reconnaissance aircraft and trainers including the B-50 Superfortress (the first aircraft to fly around the world non-stop) which was essentially a re-engine B-29.
The type was retired in the early 1960's. The B-29 production total was 3,970 aircraft. Dozens of B-29's remain as static displays, but only two examples, Fifi and Doc, have been restored to flying status, with Doc flying again for the first time from McConnell AFB on July 17, 2016.
A transport developed from the B-29 was the Boeing C-97 Stratofreighter, first flown in 1944, followed by its commercial airliner variant, the Boeing Model 377 Stratocruiser in 1947.
This bomber-to-airliner derivation was similar to the B-17/Model 307 evolution. In 1948 Boeing introduced a tanker variant of the B-29 as the KB-29, followed by the Model 377-derivative KC-97 introduced in 1950.
A heavily modified line of oversize-cargo variants of the Stratocruiser is the Guppy / Mini Guppy / Super Guppy, which remain in service today with operators .
SPECIFICATIONS:
Role: Strategic bomber, Heavy bomber
Manufacturer: Boeing
First flight: 21 September 1942[1]
Introduction to service: 8 May 1944
Retired: 21 June 1960
Status: Retired
Primary users: U.S. Army Air Forces, U.S. Air Force, Royal Air Force
Produced: 1943–1946
Number built: 3,970
Unit cost: U.S. $639,188
Variants: Boeing KB-29 Superfortress, XB-39 Superfortress, Boeing XB-44 Superfortress, Boeing B-50 Superfortress
Developed into: Boeing 377 Stratocruiser, Tupolev Tu-4
THE KIT:
Monogram is an old prolific model company based in Morton Grove, IL. They manufacture all manner of model subjects in the popular scales.
This kit came in a absolutely HUGE shrink-wrapped tray and lid type box.
The box art shows two B-29's making a bombing run.
Both are overall bare-metal. The one in the foreground has black de-icer boots on the wings leading edges, rudder and elevators. It has a black fuselage number 21, a black vertical bar before a large black letter A on the rudder. Olive-drab cowling fronts on the top of them. A cartoon of a rabbit riding atop a black bomb with white THUMPER followed by 25 mission marks that are small copies of the Thumper cartoon.
The box art says "It is the largest plastic scale model airplane kit ever produced. It has a 35 1/4" wingspan and is molded in color."
One side panel has 5 color walk-around type photos, showing a kid holding the model, 3 shots of the box art subject and one as a cutaway - showing its cockpit interior and one as built up as the ENOLA GAY, with ground crew and A-bomb on a cart.
Monogram is an old prolific model company based in Morton Grove, IL. They manufacture all manner of model subjects in the popular scales.
This kit came in a absolutely HUGE shrink-wrapped tray and lid type box.
The box art shows two B-29's making a bombing run.
Both are overall bare-metal. The one in the foreground has black de-icer boots on the wings leading edges, rudder and elevators. It has a black fuselage number 21, a black vertical bar before a large black letter A on the rudder. Olive-drab cowling fronts on the top of them. A cartoon of a rabbit riding atop a black bomb with white THUMPER followed by 25 mission marks that are small copies of the Thumper cartoon.
The box art says "It is the largest plastic scale model airplane kit ever produced. It has a 35 1/4" wingspan and is molded in color."
One side panel has 5 color walk-around type photos, showing a kid holding the model, 3 shots of the box art subject and one as a cutaway - showing its cockpit interior and one as built up as the ENOLA GAY, with ground crew and A-bomb on a cart.
Finished length of the model is 24 3/4" long.
The other side panel begins with one-paragraph history of the B-29, followed by a side view color photo of the model made up in the box art scheme, over the copyright date of 1977 and Monogram's address in Morton Grove, IL. MADE IN USA.
The other side panel begins with one-paragraph history of the B-29, followed by a side view color photo of the model made up in the box art scheme, over the copyright date of 1977 and Monogram's address in Morton Grove, IL. MADE IN USA.
Kit includes a 4-page color photographed booklet about how to build a B-29 Superfortress diorama.
WHAT'S IN THE BOX:
This kit holds 5 silver trees, a black tree, a clear tree, the decal sheet, instructions and the diorama booklet.
Parts fit the box tight in all four directions. The trees are not cello bagged or alphabetized or illustrated in the instructions. They do have part number tabs next to the parts on the trees however.
The black tree holds: the A-bombs (FAT MAN & LITTLE BOY), ground crewmen figures, wheels etc. (55 parts)
This kit holds 5 silver trees, a black tree, a clear tree, the decal sheet, instructions and the diorama booklet.
Parts fit the box tight in all four directions. The trees are not cello bagged or alphabetized or illustrated in the instructions. They do have part number tabs next to the parts on the trees however.
The black tree holds: the A-bombs (FAT MAN & LITTLE BOY), ground crewmen figures, wheels etc. (55 parts)
The 1st silver tree holds: fuselage halves, bulkheads, domes, panels etc. (25 parts)
The 2nd silver tree holds: wing halves, struts, landing gear legs, bulkheads, floor panel, DF football shaped antenna, inner wing brace etc. (25 parts)
The 3rd silver tree holds: other wing halves, another inner wing brace, structural beams etc. (13 parts)
The 4th and 5th silver trees are identical. They each hold: propellers, cowlings, bombs, turrets, elevator halves, seats, landing gear leg, engines, steering yoke, exhaust pipes (49 parts each)
The clear tree holds: cockpit windows, blisters, wing light lenses (13 parts)
The large decal sheet, instructions and diorama instructions complete the kits contents.
The instructions consists of staple-bound booklet of 12 pages in 8 1/2" x 11" page format.
Page 1 has the history of the B-29 on the left side of the page, over Monogram's address in Morton Grove, IL, the copyright date of the kit as 1977 and MADE IN USA.
The right side of the page has READ BEFORE YOU BEGIN instructions on it.
Page 2 has painting of the aircraft and figures instructions and decal application instructions down the left side of the page. The right side, through to page 9 gives a total of 22 assembly steps.
Page 10 is the painting and marking instructions for ENOLA GAY as a 7-view.
It is overall bare-metal with a large black circle with fuselage number black 82. Enola Gay on the sides of the nose.
Page 11 has a 7-view of BOCKS CAR. It is overall bare-metal also. It has a large black triangle with letter W in the center, fuselage number black 77, Bocks Car logo on the sides of the nose.
Page 12 has another 7-view of THUMPER (already described above).
Next is the 4-page color folder on how to build a diorama, showing a diorama built by Sheperd Paine in the Enola Gay scheme.
Kit has great detail.
Page 1 has the history of the B-29 on the left side of the page, over Monogram's address in Morton Grove, IL, the copyright date of the kit as 1977 and MADE IN USA.
The right side of the page has READ BEFORE YOU BEGIN instructions on it.
Page 2 has painting of the aircraft and figures instructions and decal application instructions down the left side of the page. The right side, through to page 9 gives a total of 22 assembly steps.
Page 10 is the painting and marking instructions for ENOLA GAY as a 7-view.
It is overall bare-metal with a large black circle with fuselage number black 82. Enola Gay on the sides of the nose.
Page 11 has a 7-view of BOCKS CAR. It is overall bare-metal also. It has a large black triangle with letter W in the center, fuselage number black 77, Bocks Car logo on the sides of the nose.
Page 12 has another 7-view of THUMPER (already described above).
Next is the 4-page color folder on how to build a diorama, showing a diorama built by Sheperd Paine in the Enola Gay scheme.
Kit has great detail.
Highly recommended.