Bent Wing B-29

[ArtieBob]

In 1960, I was in basic training at NAS Pensacola. We used a site at Eglin AFB for FCLP (Field Carrier Landing Practice). 10 to 15 aircraft would fly from Forest Sherman field to Eglin (my memory thinks it was site 17 or 18) and do10 to 15 touch and gos, then land for refueling the aircraft and a LSO debreif. At the North end of the runway was a derelict B-29, complete in all respects, with (IIRC) a 1 to 2 feet "crank" in the Port wing between the wing root and the inboard nacelle. I asked the Air Force personnel about the B-29 and was told it had flown into a violent thunderstorm where the aircraft received the wing damage, but managed to make it in to landing at the site. My memory is they said this happened in 1946, which if true means the aircraft had been sitting for 14 years. I did not have the presence of mind to get a photo and by the time of my last flight there the airplane had been removed. Has anybody ever seen a photo of a B-29 with damage as I have described? I would like to obtain a copy if possible as in my 70+ years of flying, have never seen an aircraft that safely landed with that type of structural damage. Thanks in advance!
ArtieBob

[RSwank]

According to these the navy used Biancur Field (Elgin Aux #6) for touch and goes. Site is also called Camp Rudder.

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Camp_Rudder

This link includes information on the Eglin Aux Field:

http://www.airfields-freeman.com/FL/...s_FL_Eglin.htm

Including Biancur:

http://www.airfields-freeman.com/FL/...in.htm#biancur

If you scroll down through the Biancur section, they show an overhead photo of the field which includes a large plane sitting on one of the runways. The plane was there for a number of years. There is an enlargement of the overhead photo which shows the plane a little clearer. They think it may have been a B-24 but it is possibly the B-29.


Unfortunately no close-up photos of the plane.

[Revi16]

Perhaps the structural damage to the wing was caused by a botched landing after being in a severe storm. Flared to high and dropped it in? Might make more sense than bending a wing in flight.

[kaki3152]

Another twisted B-29 story:
http://www.rb-29.net/html/38embwsd.htm

[RSwank]

I wonder if possibly the B-29 was assigned to one of the post-war guided missile test groups located at Eglin. There is mention of B-29s assigned to such groups, such as the 1st Experimental Guided Missiles Group. Perhaps the plane was damaged (perhaps even just a ground accident) and it was abandoned.

In comparing the length of the plane vs the wingspan and the distance from the nose to the wing root vs the wing tip to first motor, the ratios don't seem to match up to a B-24 (or Privateer for that matter). They appear to very close to a B-29. I suppose another possibility would be a B-50.

[kaki3152]

There was one incident with the 1st Experimental Guided Missiles Group and a B-29. On July 29,1947 B-29 s/n 44-86307 had a takeoff accident Here is a short description ASN:

On July 29, 1947, nine crew were killed and two injured in a failed take-off attempt from Eglin Field, Florida at 08:13 hours, the bomber coming down approximately 300 yards North of the main base near Valparaiso, Florida and burning. Killed were:

Instructor pilot Capt. Gordon W. Barrett, of Pittsfield, Massachusetts, a West Point graduate who was awarded the DFC while flying B-29s in World War II
Trainee pilot 1st Lt. Huddie C. Bagley of Braufield, Texas
Co-pilot Capt. Robert M. Seldomridge of Lancaster, Pennsylvania
Navigator 1st Lt. Joseph A. Anderson, Shalimar, Florida
Navigator 1st Lt. Milton Rose, Fort Walton, Florida
Engineer Master Sgt. Michele Aulicino, Mary Esther, Florida
Scanner Staff Sgt. Hugh T. Mulholland of Philadelphia, Pennsylvania
Scanner Cpl. Ashley W. Odom, McBee, South Carolina
Scanner Pfc. Donald D. Crawford from Fort Worth, Texas.

Injured were:
Scanner S/Sgt. Jeremiah W. Conlon of Worthington, Kentucky, admitted to the Eglin hospital with abrasions of the face and head, and ankle injuries
Radio operator S/Sgt. Lloyd D. Farris of Pensacola, Florida, with minor injuries but admitted for observation.

The Superfortress apparently failed to gain much altitude before coming down, said Capt. Robert Gaughan, base public relations officer.

https://aviation-safety.net/wikibase/98581

[kaki3152]

Due to an excess of time on my hand, I set out to try to identify the B-29 shown derelict on Biancur (Eglin Auxiliary #6). There is date on the bottom of the picture- 4/16/1955, Therefore, I reasoned, I would look for B-29s Surveyed/Reclaimed/Class 26 at Eglin AFB. before April 1955. Using the AAIR (Aviation Archeological Investigatory & Research) Database on USAF accidents, Joe Baugher's website, and Robert Mann's B-29 book. Unfortunately, assuming the 1946 date is approximately correct, i came up with three candidates:

S/N DATE UNIT FATE
44-61798 9/16/1946 59th Weather Recon Sq. Salvaged at Eglin
44-61793 10/16/1946 59th Weather Recon Sq. Salvaged at Eglin
42-24478 01/27/1947 611 B.U. Salvaged at Eglin


Besides these three, there is also 44-27263. 22 BG, Class 26 at Eglin 05/201954 and B-29, 44-62294 which suffered a landing accident at Eglin on March 29,1952. This particular serial number is listed as "Unknown" in Robert Mann's Master B-29 listing. It's hard to find out any information on post war B-29S.