Did the remote mechanical controls on the B29's defensive armament work well?

[Felix C]

I was watching a docu and an aircrewman said in his experience it did not function well.

[RSwank]

Here is a write-up of how the system was supposed to work:

https://airandspace.si.edu/stories/e...control-system

There were a lot of problems with the system, e.g. quality control problems. This next article gets into some of those, including problems with the B-29 itself, engines, etc.

https://theaviationgeekclub.com/here...rmany-in-1943/

[Laurent Rizzotti]

From what I have heard, it worked well enough to be really dangerous for Japanese pilots. And IMHO the B-29 engine reliability problem was far more serious and costly in terms of lost lifes and aircraft. A B-29 with no more guns could always be covered by its formation and will likely not meet a Japanese aircraft, or may cancel the mission and return to base. A B-29 with engine problem will probably end in the drink.

[Felix C]

I read the analog computers that accomplished all of these fire control calculations, after the B-29s were retired, were placed in the B-47 to operate the 2-20MM cannons located in the tail turret. The gunner was the co-pilot. He would turn his seat 180 degrees facing the rear of the aircraft and had at his command a “Turret Radar System” that he could “lock-on” to an attacking aircraft.