Tell me about the B-29

[Mongoose]

  Calling all B-29 pilots.  I would like you to tell me some things about the B-29.

Specifically I am looking for things like

• Maneuverability
• Fighting in the B-29
• Fighting against the B-29

Tell me what you like, and what you don't like.  Who knows, some of your comments might end up in the wiki.  

[caldera]

Every time a fighter comes in on my 6, the tail gun gets shot out very quickly, yet the lower rear turret has never been shot out one single time.  The B-29 probably had at least equivalent tail armor protection to the B-17, but in this game (based only on personal experience) that isn't the case. 

[skorpx1]

Iv'e flown 29's quite a bit, and if you're upping a formation - DO NOT DO HARD TURNS.

Fighting in it? Easy, you've got literally thousands of rounds for each gun and can hold down the trigger and spray as much as you like, and still have ammo for the next guy.

Fighting against it? Good luck, make high speed passes with cannon rides from far above them. They're very tough and very well armed. Do not ever for the love of all that is good and right in this world line up on it's dead 6, or anywhere near it. You'll get shot down from 1k out. 3x 20mm's on you will destroy you with no trouble, and the other .50 cals will also tear you to shreds.

Head on attacks work best seeing that the nose is pure glass. Shooting at the wing roots and near the front of the plane also works well. Don't try to shoot in the wings though, the engines are hard to set aflame and the fuel tanks don't get lit up easily either.


I'm no expert, but it should be useful to a point.

[Lusche]

the engines are hard to set aflame

Replace 'hard' with'impossible' and extend it to every bomber in the game

[Babalonian]

Iv'e flown 29's quite a bit, and if you're upping a formation - DO NOT DO HARD TURNS.

Fighting in it? Easy, you've got literally thousands of rounds for each gun and can hold down the trigger and spray as much as you like, and still have ammo for the next guy.

Fighting against it? Good luck, make high speed passes with cannon rides from far above them. They're very tough and very well armed. Do not ever for the love of all that is good and right in this world line up on it's dead 6, or anywhere near it. You'll get shot down from 1k out. 3x 20mm's on you will destroy you with no trouble, and the other .50 cals will also tear you to shreds.

Head on attacks work best seeing that the nose is pure glass. Shooting at the wing roots and near the front of the plane also works well. Don't try to shoot in the wings though, the engines are hard to set aflame and the fuel tanks don't get lit up easily either.


I'm no expert, but it should be useful to a point.

My head, contradiction overload, *bzzzfffzzzzz* j/k

For attacking against it, with fast slash attacks being preferred, aim for the cockpit or wing tips outboard the #1 and 4 engines.  The wing is solid and sturdy from the engines inboard, but since it's such a big wing, the outer extremity of it is extensive and an easy target.  Even easier and more susceptible (but a smaller target to hit) is the glass greenhouse on the front that serves as the cockpit

[Hap]

Mongoose,

If you do write a Wiki article, if it be appropriate, include an "offline testing section" esp regarding take offs. Testing with differing loadouts and and at various alts is a perk saver for the new B29 pilot.

[Babalonian]

Mongoose,

If you do write a Wiki article, if it be appropriate, include an "offline testing section" esp regarding take offs. Testing with differing loadouts and and at various alts is a perk saver for the new B29 pilot.

Don't forget to mention on takeoffs it being the largest and heaviest homesick rock in the game.

[Mongoose]

Mongoose,

If you do write a Wiki article,

  I will probably copy and paste the best parts of what I get from this thread.  I'm just trying to fill in some of the gaps.

[Kodiak]

We have one B-29 pilot in the game that I know of.  ET37 flew B-29's just after the Korean war.  You might send him a PM to see if he can help you out.

[JimmyD3]

How come Auto Takeoff doesn't work very well? Large Base, long runway, Brakes on until I reach Full throttle, it still will not left off before the end of the runway. Oh 50 % fuel and 40 500#'s.

[Lusche]

Auto takeoff does work quite well. It's just that the AH airfields weren't designed with the B-29 in mind
You won't fare much better with a fully manual takeoff. So it's fine to use autotakeoff, just remember to retract the flaps immediately at spawning in. Depending on situation, you may drop one (or even two) notch(s) of flaps at the end of runway.  And use the WEP.
And finally, as mentioned before, if in doubt checfk that takeoff runway offline first. That's 5 minutes that can save you a few hundred perks.

[Babalonian]

I would clearly mention three big logical numbers for the aspiring AH B29 pilot in the wiki:

Length in AH of small/short runways:
Length in AH of large/long runways (med & lrg fields):
Real Life B-29 recommended/minimum runway length:
(And I think I remember some recommended/max takeoff weights listed somewhere...)

[fuzeman]

<snip>3x 20mm's on you will destroy you with no trouble, <snip>

fication from Clara.....

[Lusche]

fication from Clara.....

And now multiply that with the number of planes in a formation...

[skorpx1]

fication from Clara.....

Have you forgotten about formations...?