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Description
| Manufacturer: | Boeing | |
| Base model: | B-50 | |
| Designation: | B-50 | |
| Version: | D | |
| Nickname: | Superfortress | |
| Designation System: | U.S. Air Force | |
| Designation Period: | 1924-Present | |
| Basic role: | Bomber | |
| Crew: | 12 | |
Specifications
| Length: | 99' | 30.1 m | |
| Height: | 32' 8" | 9.9 m | |
| Wingspan: | 141' 3" | 43.0 m | |
| Wingarea: | 1,720.0 sq ft | 159.7 sq m | |
| Empty Weight: | 81,050 lb | 36,757 kg | |
| Gross Weight: | 173,000 lb | 78,458 kg | |
Propulsion
| No. of Engines: | 4 | ||
| Powerplant: | Pratt & Whitney R-4360-35 | ||
| Horsepower (each): | 3500 | ||
Performance
Known serial numbers
Recent comments by our visitors
| robert ogden sunnyvale, CA | IN RESPONSE TO ED FLECKS MESSAGE OF 1 19 2008 REGARDING THE CRASH OF A B50 AT BIGGS AIR FORCE BASE IN APRIL 1951.
THE AIRCRAFT WAS OF THE 340TH BOMB SQUADRON,97TH BOMB WING. I WAS A GROUND CREW MECHANIC ASSIGNED TO THE GROUND CREW OF ANOTHER AIRCRAFT OF THE 340TH AT THE TIME. THE CRASH OCCURRED SHORTLY AFTER TAKE OFF IN THE DESERT THERE.AS BEST I CAN RECALL,ONLY ONE LIFE WAS LOST IN THAT CRASH,THAT BEING THE NAVIGATOR WHOSE STATION WAS LOCATED NEAR THE UPPER FORWARD GUN TURRET,WHICH APPARENTLY BROKE LOOSE IN THE CRASH. 03/30/2008 @ 07:04 [ref: 20293] |
| robert ogden sunnyvale, CA | IN RESPONSE TO ED FLECKS MESSAGE OF 1 19 2008 REGARDING THE CRASH OF A B50 AT BIGGS AIR FORCE BASE IN APRIL 1951.
THE AIRCRAFT WAS OF THE 340TH BOMB SQUADRON,97TH BOMB WING. I WAS A GROUND CREW MECHANIC ASSIGNED TO THE GROUND CREW OF ANOTHER AIRCRAFT OF THE 340TH AT THE TIME. THE CRASH OCCURRED SHORTLY AFTER TAKE OFF IN THE DESERT THERE.AS BEST I CAN RECALL,ONLY ONE LIFE WAS LOST IN THAT CRASH,THAT BEING THE NAVIGATOR WHOSE STATION WAS LOCATED NEAR THE UPPER FORWARD GUN TURRET,WHICH APPARENTLY BROKE LOOSE IN THE CRASH. 03/30/2008 @ 07:03 [ref: 20292] |
| ed fleck Vacaville, CA | To answer Mr. Rex Taylor's question about the crash at Biggs AFB in 1951, I find the following information that might help in his quest.
Air Force official records show that a B50D, S/N 49-0279 of the 340BS ( of the 97th BG I think), was involved in an accident at Biggs AFB, TX. on April 18, 1951. The pilot's name may have been Wells. I heard about this accident in 1951 while assigned as a B50 F/E at Castle AFB. Mr Taylor may find more information on this website: aair@aviationarchaeology.com Best regards, ED Fleck 01/19/2008 @ 20:55 [ref: 19366] |
| ed fleck Vacaville, CA | I was the F/E on B50D 48095 of the 329th BS out of Castle AFB, CA, in July of 1950. My crew had landed at Wright Patterson AFB, OH, while enroute to Mildenhall, England. I saw the wreckage of a 15th AF B50 on a wrecking trailer brought into the base. It was totally destroyed and looked as though it had burned. I have wondered about that crash for 58 years, and now thanks to Vickie and Mr. Taylor, I have the answer. My best regards to you both. Ed Fleck 01/19/2008 @ 20:37 [ref: 19365] |
| pete shelton northampton, FL | I was a airframe mech in 1950 at RAF mildenhall suffolk England looking after c in c of RAF bomber commands personal transport - a year 1935 avro anson the camp being no 1 RAF bomber base was in fact the only place you guys could get a b50 inside a hanger 3ft spare width but tail outside your guys flew in for 90 days classed as active service .
I made mates with many of groundcrew I flew afew times ate n your mess,--such food -- we were still on rationing.one particular friend was a Vincent Massey a NewYork Italian such a friend we named our 1st son vin. But the b50 was some bit of kit 4-pratt&whitney 4360s thats 60 odd ltres to us ,a bit more than a lancaster or a B17 wich I had flown in , Im 78 now and think those were the days pete 01/13/2008 @ 09:38 [ref: 19279] |
| Krista Lebanon, OH | I recently learned about the B50 that crashed near Lebanon in 1950. It crashed on my great-grandparents' farm and my mother says they watched the plane as it fell from the sky. I'm told that my great-grandfather ran to the crash site, hoping against all hope, that he would be able to help some of the airmen but as you know, he could not. It does my heart good to know he at least tried. 09/21/2007 @ 18:04 [ref: 17986] |
| robert ogden , CA | IN RESPONSE TO WALTER ANDERSON(REFERENCE # 12612)
I WAS IN THE 340TH BOMB SQDN,97TH BOMB WING, AT BIGGS AIR FORCE BASE IN EL PASO,TX.I WAS A MECHANIC ON THE GROUND CREW OF ONE OF THE B 50S. THE AIRCRAFT OF WHICH WALTER SPEAKS WAS OF THE 341ST BOMB SQDN. AT THE OUTBREAK OF THE KOREAN WAR ON 3 JULY 1950 THE THREE SQUADRONS OF THE 97TH BOMB WING (340TH,341ST,342ND) WERE DEPLOYED TO ENGLAND,LEAVING BIGGS ABOUT THE 10TH-13TH OF JULY.THE PURPOSE OF THIS DEPLOYMENT WAS TO SERVE AS A DETERENT TO PREVENT THE RUSSIANS FROM ENTERING THIS WAR.I RECALL UPON ARRIVAL AT RAF STATION SCULTHORPE,HEARING OF THE PLANE CRASHING IN OHIO.A BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THIS CRASH IS AS FOLLOWS. THE B 50 WAS ON A TRAINING MISSION FROM BIGGS AIR FORCE BASE,EL PASO,TEXAS.THE AIRCRAFT WAS FLYING AT 7000 FEET ON A CLEAR DAY.THE AIRCRAFT NOSED DOWN AND FLEW INTO THE GROUND KILLING FOUR OFFICERS AND TWELVE ENLISTED AIRMEN.THE HIGH EXPLOSIVE PORTION OF THE WEAPON(ATOMIC BOMB)DETONATED ON IMPACT.THERE WAS NO NUCLEAR CAPSULE ABOARD THE AIRCRAFT.THE EXPLOSION WAS HEARD OVER A RADIUS OF 25 MILES AND MADE A CRATER 25 FEET DEEP AND 200 FEET SQUARE.THE B 50 WAS AN IMPROVED DERIVITIVE OF THE B 29 WITH THE SAME GENERAL APPEARANCE.IT WAS OPERATIONAL FROM 1948-1953 AND 370 WERE BUILT. 07/23/2007 @ 13:59 [ref: 17250] |
| MICHAEL BOLDEN MBCV990@MSN.COM, MN | My father was a crew chief on a B-50 I'm trying to find info on the plane I dont have any info but I remember him showing me a photo of it in a hanger with the tail sticking out the tail had a V on it and the ship was named Belle of Bourban street 04/20/2007 @ 09:58 [ref: 16242] |
| Bud Winnett Wheeling, MO | Castle AFB was my first duty assignment. Spent 3 1/2 years with the 330th Bomb Sqdn, equipped with B-50Ds. Have many hours on that bird even though I was an engine mechanic. If my old A/C said to meet him at the base, that we were taking her back up... I'd beat him there. It was a magnificent Aircraft. We flew Thru an Atomic burst cloud over Yucca Flats in it. Just to see what it would do. Two A/C flew thru it and out the other side. Of course drone went in first. WOW what a ride. Those wings looked like bird wings the way they flapped. Still she held together and flew lot more hours before the B 47s came in. Love that plane. 02/22/2007 @ 12:37 [ref: 15620] |
| Bill Larkins , CA | I am going to post a rare photo that shows a B-29 and a B-50 in the same picture. I can only think of three times in 72 years of photographing airplanes that I have been able to do this. It's all a matter of luck. This photo was taken at McClellan Field in Sacramento, California, in 1948 and shows B-50D 48-54 landing above B-29-55-MO 44-86422.
09/18/2006 @ 21:19 [ref: 14208] |
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