Veteran
of 33 Missions in Pacific,
Bomber is Readied for New Duties
"We
know not what name it will carry into battle. Its identity
may be lost as the thunder of its engines blends with
those of other B-29's in the dangerous skies over Japan.
But wherever it goes - whatever its mission - the No.
1,000 Superfortress will bear on the glistening span
of its great silver wings the pride and spirit of those
who built it: the men and women of Boeing-Wichita."
- From Boeing Plane Talk, February 16. 1945.
Old "Boeing-Wichita 1000" is back home! She
moved through the B-29 modification lines at Plant II
last week and is now ready for flight test and a new
role with the United States Air Force - ready, as she
was in 1945, to once more "hear on the glistening
span of her great silver wings the pride and spirit
of those who built her: the men and women of Boeing-Wichita!
Still dimly seen on the right side of her nose is the
legend, "Boeing-Wichita 1000"; still dimly
24 bombs, seven symbols representing fighter escort
missions over Japan and two symbols for super-dumbo
(or rescue) missions.
Boeing-Wichita
1000, flew in the Pacific during the war as "The
Antagonizer," is probably the most famous of the
1,644 B-29 Superfortresses produced at the plants here.
She was delivered on the Plant II north apron February
14, 1945 in the presence of four AAF generals, high
Boeing officials, and more than 20,000 Boeing-Wichita
employees.
A
Money-Laden Bomber
Plastered on the wings, tail and fuselage of the plane
during this historic delivery ceremony was $10,343.38
in currency and coins, voluntary contributions of Boeing
employees toward the national infantile paralysis fund.
Standing beside the B29 during the ceremony and delivered
at the same time was the 10,346th, and last, equivalent
Boeing Kaydet primary trainer to be built here. The
little Kaydet had $218.85 plastered on its fuselage.
Boeing-Wichita
1000 winged its way to the Pacific war theater and was
assigned to a crew under a young lieutenant from Ohio,
Stephen Franko. From a plaque placed inside the plane's
cabin at Boeing-Wichita, this crew learned that it had
a "really special" airplane to fly into battle.
Lieutenant Franko, proud of his B-29, wrote letters
back to the plants containing glowing accounts of "The
Antagonizer's" missions over Japan. Twenty-four
times she smashed her bombay loads down upon selected
Japanese targets.
Escort
Fighter Planes
Then,
an unusual job was assigned to the plane. Moved up and
based on historic Iwo Jima, the B-29 took off seven
times to serve as an escort mother ship in leading United
States fighter squadrons on special missions over Japan.
Her
two search-rescue missions were special, too. Their
exact nature has never been revealed publicly but they
were important enough to be named "super-dumbo."
After
Japan was defeated - and with 33 missions to her credit
- Boeing-Wichita 1000 was flown back to the United States
and its identity was lost among the hundreds of B-29's
placed in reserve at various storage depots. Plane Talk
long ago heard the No. 1000 was at Warner Robbins Air
Force Base in Georgia. But after that, no word of the
plane was received at all.
Discovered
in Plant Here
Then,
just two weeks ago yesterday, Robert W. Pearson (2430),
a former B-29 flight engineer with 33 missions over
Japan to his credit, happened to notice the legend Boeing-Wichita
1000 on the nose of a Superfort going through the Plant
II modification lines.
The
legend was dim because practically all paint had been
removed from the plane. Pearson told Elmer Blanchat
(541) of his discovery. Immediate investigation revealed
that the plane was - and is - old "Boeing-Wichita
1000th."
Only
the Air Force knows what her new job will be. But those
who built her know that the job will be done - and well. |