Boeing B-29 Superfortress Bockscar 2 USAF

This is a list of

Boeing B-29 Superfortress The Boeing B-29 Superfortress is an American four-engined propeller-driven heavy bomber, designed by Boeing and flown primarily by the United States during World War II and the Korean War. Named in allusion to its predecessor, the B-17 Fl ...

units consisting of nations, their air forces, and the unit assignments that used the B-29 during

World War II World War II or the Second World War, often abbreviated as WWII or WW2, was a world war that lasted from 1939 to 1945. It involved the vast majority of the world's countries—including all of the great powers—forming two opposin ...

Korean War , date = {{Ubl, 25 June 1950 – 27 July 1953 (''de facto'')({{Age in years, months, weeks and days, month1=6, day1=25, year1=1950, month2=7, day2=27, year2=1953), 25 June 1950 – present (''de jure'')({{Age in years, months, weeks a ...

, and post war periods, including variants and other historical information Delivery of the first YB-29 test aircraft (YB-29-BW 41-36954) to the USAAF was made in June 1943, being delivered to the 58th Bombardment Wing, 40th Bombardment Group. The first production B-29s began to roll off the production lines at Boeing-Wichita in September 1943, also going to the 58th BW. The last B-29 was delivered by Boeing-Wichita (B-29-100-BW, 45-21872) in September 1945. 21872 was converted to a WB-29; being destroyed in a crash on 25 September 1953 near Eielson AFB, Alaska, when assigned to the 58th Strategic Reconnaissance Squadron (Medium), Weather.

United States

United States Army Air Forces

Combat Groups

Army Air Forces B-29 groups and squadrons assigned to operations as part of the

Pacific War The Pacific War, sometimes called the Asia–Pacific War, was the theater of World War II that was fought in Asia, the Pacific Ocean, the Indian Ocean, and Oceania. It was geographically the largest theater of the war, including the vast ...

against the

Japanese Empire The also known as the Japanese Empire or Imperial Japan, was a historical nation-state and great power that existed from the Meiji Restoration in 1868 until the enactment of the post-World War II 1947 constitution and subsequent forma ...

, 1944–1945. Includes units assigned to the

XX Bomber Command The XX Bomber Command was a United States Army Air Forces bomber formation. Its last assignment was with Twentieth Air Force, based on Okinawa. It was inactivated on 16 July 1945. History The idea of basing Boeing B-29 Superfortresses in ...

in the

China-Burma-India Theater China Burma India Theater (CBI) was the United States military designation during World War II for the China and Southeast Asian or India–Burma (IBT) theaters. Operational command of Allied forces (including U.S. forces) in the CBI was offi ...

(April 1944 – February 1945), and to

XXI Bomber Command The XXI Bomber Command was a unit of the Twentieth Air Force in the Mariana Islands for strategic bombing during World War II. The command was established at Smoky Hill Army Air Field, Kansas on 1 March 1944. After a period of organization an ...

in the Pacific Theater of Operations (PTO) (March–August 1945). Also includes groups and squadrons deployed to

Okinawa is a prefecture of Japan. Okinawa Prefecture is the southernmost and westernmost prefecture of Japan, has a population of 1,457,162 (as of 2 February 2020) and a geographic area of 2,281 km2 (880 sq mi). Naha is the capital and largest city ...

assigned to

Eighth Air Force The Eighth Air Force (Air Forces Strategic) is a numbered air force (NAF) of the United States Air Force's Air Force Global Strike Command (AFGSC). It is headquartered at Barksdale Air Force Base, Louisiana. The command serves as Air Force ...

, in July/August 1945 but did not engage in combat operations. *

6th Bombardment Group Alec Trevelyan (006) is a fictional character and the main antagonist in the 1995 James Bond film '' GoldenEye'', the first film to feature actor Pierce Brosnan as Bond. Trevelyan is portrayed by actor Sean Bean. The likeness of Bean as Ale ...

, (B-29, B-29A, 1944–1947) : Reassigned from

Sixth Air Force Sixth is the ordinal form of the number six. * The Sixth Amendment, to the U.S. Constitution * A keg of beer, equal to 5 U.S. gallons or barrel * The fraction Music * Sixth interval (music)s: ** major sixth, a musical interval ** minor si ...

(ATO) : Redesignated Very Heavy BG, March 1944 : XXI BC; 313th Bombardment Wing : Circle R Tail Code; North Field, Tinian :

24th Bombardment Squadron Fourth or the fourth may refer to: * the ordinal form of the number 4 * ''Fourth'' (album), by Soft Machine, 1971 * Fourth (angle), an ancient astronomical subdivision * Fourth (music), a musical interval * ''The Fourth'' (1972 film), a Sovie ...

39th Bombardment Squadron The 9th Special Operations Squadron is part of the 27th Special Operations Wing (27 SOW) at Cannon Air Force Base, New Mexico. The squadron operates MC-130J Commando II aircraft in support of special operations. The 9th SOS specializes in the u ...

: 40th Bombardment Squadron : Inactivated in October 1948 *

9th Bombardment Group 9 (nine) is the natural number following and preceding . Evolution of the Arabic digit In the beginning, various Indians wrote a digit 9 similar in shape to the modern closing question mark without the bottom dot. The Kshatrapa, Andhra and ...

, (B-29, B-29A, 1944–1947) : Reassigned from

(ATO) : Redesignated Very Heavy BG, March 1944 : XXI BC; 313th Bombardment Wing : Circle X Tail Code; North Field, Tinian :

1st Bombardment Squadron 001, O01, or OO1 may refer to: *1 (number), a number, a numeral *001, fictional British agent, see 00 Agent *001, former emergency telephone number for the Norwegian fire brigade (until 1986) *AM-RB 001, the code-name for the Aston Martin Valkyrie ...

: 5th Bombardment Squadron :

99th Bombardment Squadron The 99th Infantry Division was formed in 1942 and deployed overseas in 1944. The "Checkerboard" or "Battle Babies" division landed at the French port of Le Havre and proceeded northeast to Belgium. During the heavy fighting in the Battle of the ...

: Inactivated in October 1948 * 16th Bombardment Group, (B-29B, 1944–1946) : Activated, April 1944 : XXI BC; 315th Bombardment Wing : Diamond B Tail Code; Northwest Field, Guam : 15th Bombardment Squadron : 16th Bombardment Squadron :

17th Bombardment Squadron 17 (seventeen) is the natural number following 16 and preceding 18. It is a prime number. Seventeen is the sum of the first four prime numbers. In mathematics 17 is the seventh prime number, which makes seventeen the fourth super-prime, as ...

: Inactivated in April 1946 * 19th Bombardment Group, (B-29, B-29A, 1944–1954) : Reassigned from

Fifth Air Force The Fifth Air Force (5 AF) is a numbered air force of the United States Air Force Pacific Air Forces (PACAF). It is headquartered at Yokota Air Base, Japan. It is the U.S. Air Force's oldest continuously serving Numbered Air Force. The organiza ...

(SWPA) : Redesignated Very Heavy BG, April 1944 : XXI BC; 314th Bombardment Wing : Square M Tail Code; North Field, Guam : 28th Bombardment Squadron :

30th Bombardment Squadron : ''See United States Air Force Thunderbirds for the squadron's successor unit'' The 30th Bombardment Squadron is a United States Air Force unit. On 19 September 1985 it was consolidated with the USAF Air Demonstration Squadron, also known as ...

: 93d Bombardment Squadron : Reassigned to:

Twentieth Air Force The Twentieth Air Force (Air Forces Strategic) (20th AF) is a numbered air force of the United States Air Force Global Strike Command (AFGSC). It is headquartered at Francis E. Warren Air Force Base, Wyoming. 20 AF's primary mission is Interco ...

(FEAF), May 1946 : Reassigned to:

19th Bombardment Wing The 19th Airlift Wing is a United States Air Force unit assigned to the Air Mobility Command's Eighteenth Air Force. It is stationed at Little Rock Air Force Base, Arkansas. The wing is also the host unit at Little Rock. The Wing provides the ...

(FEAF), August 1948 : Moved to: Andersen AFB, Guam, August 1948 : Moved to: Kadena AB, Okinawa, June 1950 : Combat in Korean War, 1950–1953 : Reassigned to:

Strategic Air Command Strategic Air Command (SAC) was both a United States Department of Defense Specified Command and a United States Air Force (USAF) Major Command responsible for command and control of the strategic bomber and intercontinental ballistic missile ...

in June 1954 * 29th Bombardment Group, (B-29, B-29A, 1944–1946) : Reassigned from

II Bomber Command The II Bomber Command is a disbanded United States Air Force unit. It was established in September 1941, shortly before the attack on Pearl Harbor to command heavy bomber units assigned to Second Air Force. Following the entry of the United St ...

(ZI) : Redesignated Very Heavy BG, April 1944 : XXI BC; 314th Bombardment Wing : Square O Tail Code; North Field, Guam : 6th Bombardment Squadron :

43d Bombardment Squadron The Poor Relief Act 1601 (43 Eliz 1 c 2) was an List of Acts of the Parliament of England, 1485–1601, Act of the Parliament of England. The Act for the Relief of the Poor 1601, popularly known as the Elizabethan Poor Law, "43rd Elizabeth" or t ...

: 52d Bombardment Squadron : Inactivated in May 1946 * 39th Bombardment Group, (B-29, B-29A, 1944–1945) : Reassigned from

(ZI) : Redesignated Very Heavy BG, April 1944 : XXI BC; 314th Bombardment Wing : Square P Tail Code; North Field, Guam : 60th Bombardment Squadron :

61st Bombardment Squadron The 61st Bombardment Squadron is an inactive United States Air Force unit. It was last assigned to the 70th Bombardment Wing at Little Rock Air Force Base, Arkansas, where it was inactivated on 25 June 1962. It was first organized as the 61s ...

62d Bombardment Squadron The 62d Bombardment Squadron is an inactive United States Air Force unit. It was last assigned to the 2d Operations Group at Barksdale Air Force Base, Louisiana on 18 January 1993. History World War II Organization and crew training The firs ...

: Inactivated in December 1945 *

40th Bombardment Group 4 (four) is a number, numeral and digit. It is the natural number following 3 and preceding 5. It is the smallest semiprime and composite number, and is considered unlucky in many East Asian cultures. In mathematics Four is the smallest c ...

, (B-29, B-29A, 1943–1946) : Reassigned from

(ATO) : Redesignated Very Heavy BG, November 1943 : Redesignated Very Heavy BG, April 1944 : XX BC; XXI BC; 58th Bombardment Wing : Chakulia, India, Hsingching, China (XX BC); West Field, Tinian (XXI BC) : Triangle S Tail Code : 25th Bombardment Squadron : 44th Bombardment Squadron : 45th Bombardment Squadron : Inactivated in October 1946 * 330th Bombardment Group (VH), (B-29, B-29A, 1944–1945) : Reassigned from

(ZI) : Redesignated Very Heavy BG, April 1944 : XXI BC; 314th Bombardment Wing : Square K Tail Code; North Field, Guam : 457th Bombardment Squadron :

458th Bombardment Squadron 458th may refer to: *458th Air Expeditionary Group, a provisional United States Air Force unit assigned to the United States Air Forces in Europe * 458th Airlift Squadron (458 AS), part of the 375th Airlift Wing at Scott Air Force Base, Illinois * ...

: 459th Bombardment Squadron : Inactivated in November 1945 *

331st Bombardment Group 331st may refer to: * 331st Air Expeditionary Group, inactive United States Air Force unit *331st Fighter-Interceptor Squadron, former unit of the United States Air Force * 331st Guards Airborne Regiment, formation of the Russian Airborne Troops, ...

, (B-29B, 1944–1946) : Reassigned from

(ZI) : Redesignated Very Heavy BG, July 1944 : XXI BC; 315th Bombardment Wing : Diamond L Tail Code; Northwest Field, Guam : 355th Bombardment Squadron : 356th Bombardment Squadron : 357th Bombardment Squadron : Inactivated in April 1946 * 333d Bombardment Group, (B-29, 1944–1946) : Reassigned from

(ZI) : Redesignated Very Heavy BG, July 1944 : Eighth Air Force; 316th Bombardment Wing : Kadena Field, Okinawa :

435th Bombardment Squadron The 435th Bombardment Squadron, also known as the "Kangaroo" Squadron, is an inactive United States Air Force unit. It was last assigned to the Eighth Air Force 333d Bombardment Group, based at Kadena Air Base, Okinawa. It was inactivated on 2 ...

: 460th Bombardment Squadron : 507th Bombardment Squadron : Inactivated in May 1946 *

346th Bombardment Group The 346th Bombardment Group is a former United States Army Air Forces unit. It was last assigned to the 316th Bombardment Wing at Kadena Airfield, Okinawa, where it was inactivated on 30 June 1946. The group was originally a heavy bomber train ...

, (B-29, 1944–1946) : Reassigned from

(ZI) : Redesignated Very Heavy BG, August 1944 : Eighth Air Force; 316th Bombardment Wing : Kadena Field, Okinawa :

461st Bombardment Squadron The 461st Bombardment Squadron is an inactive United States Air Force unit. Its last assignment was with 346th Bombardment Group at Kadena Airfield, Okinawa, where it was inactivated on 30 June 1946. From 1942 the squadron served as a replace ...

462d Bombardment Squadron 46 may refer to: * 46 (number) * ''46'' (album), a 1983 album by Kino * "Forty Six", a song by Karma to Burn from the album '' Appalachian Incantation'', 2010 * One of the years 46 BC, AD 46 AD 46 ( XLVI) was a common year starting on Saturday ...

463d Bombardment Squadron The 463d Bombardment Squadron is an inactive United States Air Force unit. Its last assignment was with 346th Bombardment Group at Kadena Airfield, Okinawa, where it was inactivated on 30 June 1946. From 1942 the squadron served as a replaceme ...

: Inactivated in June 1946 *

382d Bombardment Group The 382d Bombardment Group is a former United States Army Air Forces unit. It was last stationed at Camp Anza, California, where it was inactivated on 4 January 1946. The group was active from 1942 to 1944 as a heavy bomber training unit. It ...

, (B-29, 1944–1946) : Reassigned from

(ZI) : Redesignated Very Heavy BG, August 1944 : Eighth Air Force; 316th Bombardment Wing : Kadena Field, Okinawa : 420th Bombardment Squadron : 464th Bombardment Squadron :

872d Bombardment Squadron The 872nd Bombardment Squadron is the former name of the 872nd Air Expeditionary Squadron, a provisional unit of the United States Air Force. It is assigned to United States Air Forces Europe to activate or inactivate as needed. The squadron ...

: Inactivated in January 1946 * 383d Bombardment Group, (B-29, 1944–1946) : Reassigned from

(ZI) : Redesignated Very Heavy BG, August 1944 : Eighth Air Force; 316th Bombardment Wing : Kadena Field, Okinawa : 876th Bombardment Squadron : 880th Bombardment Squadron :

884th Bombardment Squadron The 884th Bombardment Squadron is a former United States Army Air Forces unit. It was an early Boeing B-29 Superfortress unit, but was inactivated in the spring of 1944 when the Army Air Forces reorganized its very heavy bomber units. It was r ...

: Inactivated in January 1946 * 444th Bombardment Group, (B-29, 1944–1946) : Reassigned from

(ZI) : Redesignated Very Heavy BG, August 1944 : XX BC; XXI BC; 58th Bombardment Wing : Dudkhuadi, India, Kwanghan, China (XX BC); West Field, Tinian (XXI BC) : Triangle N Tail Code :

676th Bombardment Squadron The 676th Bombardment Squadron is a former unit of the United States Army Air Forces, last assigned to the 444th Bombardment Group at Davis-Monthan Field, Arizona. During World War II, the squadron was part of the first Boeing B-29 Superfort ...

677th Bombardment Squadron The 677th Bombardment Squadron is a former United States Army Air Forces unit. It was last assigned to the 444th Bombardment Group at Davis-Monthan Field, Arizona. During World War II, the squadron (aviation), squadron was an Army Air Forces co ...

: 678th Bombardment Squadron :

679th Bombardment Squadron The 679th Bombardment Squadron is a disbanded unit of the United States Army Air Forces (AAF). It was last assigned to the 444th Bombardment Group at Dudhkundi Airfield, India where it was disbanded on 12 October 1944. During World War II, th ...

(1943–1944) : Inactivated in August 1946 *

462d Bombardment Group 46 may refer to: * 46 (number) * ''46'' (album), a 1983 album by Kino * "Forty Six", a song by Karma to Burn from the album '' Appalachian Incantation'', 2010 * One of the years 46 BC, AD 46 AD 46 ( XLVI) was a common year starting on Saturday ...

, (B-29, B-29A, 1943–1946) : Activated, July 1943 : Redesignated Very Heavy BG, November 1943 : XX BC; XXI BC; 58th Bombardment Wing : Piardpba, India, Kiunglai, China (XX BC); West Field, Tinian (XXI BC) : Triangle U Tail Code :

768th Bombardment Squadron The 768th Bombardment Squadron is an inactive United States Air Force unit. It was last assigned to the 462d Strategic Aerospace Wing at Larson Air Force Base, Washington, where it was inactivated on 25 June 1966. The squadron was first activa ...

769th Bombardment Squadron The 769th Bombardment Squadron is a former United States Army Air Forces unit. It was last assigned to the 462d Bombardment Group at MacDill Field, Florida, where it was inactivated on 31 March 1946. The squadron was first activated in 1943, ...

770th Bombardment Squadron The 770th Bombardment Squadron is a former United States Army Air Forces unit. It was last assigned to the 462d Bombardment Group at MacDill Field, Florida, where it was inactivated on 31 March 1946. The squadron was first activated in 1943, ...

771st Bombardment Squadron The 771st Bombardment Squadron is a former United States Army Air Forces unit. The squadron was activated in 1943, and became one of the earliest Boeing B-29 Superfortress units. It moved to the China Burma India Theater in April 1944 and part ...

(1943–1944) : Inactivated in March 1946 *

468th Bombardment Group The 468th Bombardment Group was a World War II United States Army Air Forces combat organization. The unit served primarily in the Pacific Ocean theater and China Burma India Theater of World War II as part of Twentieth Air Force. The 468th B ...

, (B-29, B-29A, 1943–1946) : Activated, August 1943 : Redesignated Very Heavy BG, November 1943 : XX BC; XXI BC; 58th Bombardment Wing : Kharagpur, India, Pengshan, China (XX BC); West Field, Tinian (XXI BC) : Triangle I Tail Code : 792d Bombardment Squadron : 793d Bombardment Squadron : 794th Bombardment Squadron : 795th Bombardment Squadron (1943–1944) : Inactivated in March 1946 * 497th Bombardment Group, (B-29, B-29A, 1943–1946) : Activated, November 1943 : XXI BC; 73rd Bombardment Wing : A Square Tail Code; Isley Field, Saipan :

869th Bombardment Squadron The 869th Bombardment Squadron is a former United States Army Air Forces unit. It was assigned to the 497th Bombardment Group, and was last stationed at MacDill Field, Florida where it was inactivated on 31 March 1946. The squadron (aviation), s ...

: 870th Bombardment Squadron :

871st Bombardment Squadron The 871st Bombardment Squadron is an inactive United States Air Force unit. During World War II it was assigned to the 497th Bombardment Group until it was inactivated on 31 March 1946. The squadron was activated in late 1943. After training ...

: Inactivated in March 1946 *

498th Bombardment Group 498th may refer to: *498th Bombardment Squadron, inactive United States Air Force unit *498th Fighter-Interceptor Squadron, inactive United States Air Force unit *498th Nuclear Systems Wing The 498th Nuclear Systems Wing was a wing of the United ...

, (B-29, B-29A, 1943–1946) : Activated, November 1943 : XXI BC; 73rd Bombardment Wing : T Square Tail Code; Isley Field, Saipan : 873d Bombardment Squadron : 874th Bombardment Squadron :

875th Bombardment Squadron The 875th Bombardment Squadron is a former United States Army Air Forces unit. The squadron was activated in late 1943 for service during World War II. After training in the United States with Boeing B-29 Superfortress bombers, the squadron m ...

: Inactivated in August 1946 *

499th Bombardment Group 499th may refer to: *499th Air Refueling Wing, aerial refueling unit located at Westover AFB, Massachusetts *499th Bombardment Squadron, inactive United States Air Force unit *499th Fighter-Bomber Squadron The 499th Fighter-Bomber Squadron is ...

, (B-29, 1943–1946) : Activated, November 1943 : XXI BC; 73rd Bombardment Wing : V Square Tail Code; Isley Field, Saipan : 877th Bombardment Squadron :

878th Bombardment Squadron The 878th Bombardment Squadron is a former United States Army Air Forces unit. It was activated in November 1943, equipped with Boeing B-29 Superfortress bombers, and assigned to the 499th Bombardment Group. After training in the United States ...

: 879th Bombardment Squadron : Inactivated in February 1946 * 500th Bombardment Group, (B-29, B-29A, 1943–1946) : Activated, November 1943 : XXI BC; 73rd Bombardment Wing : Z Square Tail Code; Isley Field, Saipan : 881st Bombardment Squadron :

882d Bombardment Squadron The 882d Bombardment Squadron is a former United States Army Air Forces unit. It was organized in November 1943 and, after training in the United States, deployed to the Pacific Ocean Theater of World War II, where it participated in the strat ...

883d Bombardment Squadron The 883d Bombardment Squadron is a former United States Army Air Forces unit. It was organized in November 1943 and, after training in the United States, deployed to the Pacific Ocean Theater of World War II, where it participated in the stra ...

: Inactivated in January 1946 *

501st Bombardment Group 5 (five) is a number, numeral (linguistics), numeral and numerical digit, digit. It is the natural number, and cardinal number, following 4 and preceding 6, and is a prime number. It has attained significance throughout history in part because typ ...

, (B-29B, 1944–1946) : Activated, May 1944 : XXI BC; 315th Bombardment Wing : Diamond Y Tail Code; Northwest Field, Guam :

21st Bombardment Squadron 021 is: * in Brazil, the telephone area code for the city of Rio de Janeiro and surrounding cities (Greater Rio de Janeiro) * in China, the telephone area code for the city of Shanghai. * in Indonesia, the area code for the city of Jakarta and ...

: 41st Bombardment Squadron : 485th Bombardment Squadron : Inactivated in June 1946 * 502d Bombardment Group, (B-29B, 1944–1946) : Activated, May 1944 : XXI BC; 315th Bombardment Wing : Diamond H Tail Code; Northwest Field, Guam : 402d Bombardment Squadron :

411th Bombardment Squadron 411th may refer to: * 411th Bombardment Group, inactive United States Air Force unit * 411th Bombardment Squadron, part of the 6th Air Mobility Wing at MacDill Air Force Base, Florida *411th Civil Affairs Battalion (United States) 411th Civil Af ...

430th Bombardment Squadron The 44th Reconnaissance Squadron (44 RS) is a unit of the United States Air Force's 432nd Wing, Air Combat Command and stationed at Creech Air Force Base, Nevada, where it operates unmanned aerial vehicles. The squadron is assigned to the 432n ...

: Inactivated in April 1946 *

504th Bombardment Group The 504th Bombardment Group (504th BG) was a World War II United States Army Air Forces combat organization. The unit served primarily in the Pacific Ocean theater of World War II as part of Twentieth Air Force. The 504th Bomb Group's aircraft ...

, (B-29, B-29A, 1944–1946) : Activated, March 1944 : XXI BC; 313th Bombardment Wing : Circle E Tail Code; North Field, Tinian : 398th Bombardment Squadron : 421st Bombardment Squadron : 680th Bombardment Squadron : Inactivated in June 1946 * 505th Bombardment Group, (B-29, B-29A, 1944–1946) : Activated, March 1944 : XXI BC; 313th Bombardment Wing : Circle W Tail Code; North Field, Tinian : 482d Bombardment Squadron : 483d Bombardment Squadron : 484th Bombardment Squadron : Inactivated in June 1946 *

509th Composite Group The 509th Composite Group (509 CG) was a unit of the United States Army Air Forces created during World War II and tasked with the operational deployment of nuclear weapons. It conducted the atomic bombings of Hiroshima and Nagasaki, Japan, in ...

, (B-29, 1944; Silverplate B-29, 1945–1947) : Activated, December 1944 : XXI BC; 315th Bombardment Wing : Various Tail Codes; North Field, Tinian : 393d Bombardment Squadron : Redesignated: 509th Bombardment Group, July 1946 : Became part of

; assigned to 509th Bombardment Wing in November 1947.

Combat Reconnaissance Squadrons

* 1st Photographic Reconnaissance Squadron, (F-13A, 1944–1947) * 3d Photographic Reconnaissance Squadron, (F-13A, 1944–1947)

Non-Combat Groups

Army Air Forces groups which were assigned to

Second Air Force The Second Air Force (2 AF; ''2d Air Force'' in 1942) is a USAF numbered air force responsible for conducting basic military and technical training for Air Force enlisted members and non-flying officers. In World War II the CONUS unit defended ...

for conversion B-29 training during the summer of 1945. These groups were returned to the United States from the

European Theater of Operations The European Theater of Operations, United States Army (ETOUSA) was a Theater of Operations responsible for directing United States Army operations throughout the European theatre of World War II, from 1942 to 1945. It commanded Army Ground For ...

(ETO) after the German Capitulation in May 1945, and were programmed to redeploy to the Pacific Theater of Operations (PTO) after their training was completed. However, the Japanese Capitulation and the end of combat in the PTO led to their inactivation after August 1945. * 98th Bombardment Group : Reassigned from

Twelfth Air Force The Twelfth Air Force (12 AF; Air Forces Southern, (AFSOUTH)) is a Numbered Air Force of the United States Air Force Air Combat Command (ACC). It is headquartered at Davis–Monthan Air Force Base, Arizona. The command is the air component to U ...

(MTO) : Redesignated Very Heavy BG, July 1945 : 343d Bombardment Squadron : 344th Bombardment Squadron : 345th Bombardment Squadron : Inactivated in November 1945 *

450th Bombardment Group The 450th Fighter-Day Group is an inactive United States Air Force unit. It was last assigned to the 450th Fighter-Day Wing of Tactical Air Command (TAC) at Foster AFB, Texas. It was inactivated on 11 December 1957. The 450th Bombardment Grou ...

: Reassigned from Fifteenth Air Force (MTO) : Redesignated Very Heavy BG, July 1945 : 720th Bombardment Squadron : 721st Bombardment Squadron : 722d Bombardment Squadron :

723d Bombardment Squadron 7 (seven) is the natural number following 6 and preceding 8. It is the only prime number preceding a cube. As an early prime number in the series of positive integers, the number seven has greatly symbolic associations in religion, mythology, ...

: Inactivated in October 1945 *

466th Bombardment Group The 466th Air Expeditionary Group of the United States Air Force provides support for airmen at stations across Afghanistan. This includes "joint expeditionary tasking" airmen, airmen whose units are assigned to a headquarters other than the one ...

: Reassigned from

(ETO) : Redesignated Very Heavy BG, August 1945 : 784th Bombardment Squadron :

785th Bombardment Squadron The 785th Bombardment Squadron is a former United States Army Air Forces unit. It was organized in August 1943 as a heavy bomber unit. After training in the United States with Consolidated B-24 Liberators, the 785th moved to England, where it ...

: 786th Bombardment Squadron : 787th Bombardment Squadron : Inactivated in October 1945 *

489th Bombardment Group The 489th Bomb Group is a unit of the United States Air Force. It is assigned to the 307th Bomb Wing, and is stationed at Dyess Air Force Base, Texas. The group is a reserve associate unit of the 7th Bomb Wing at Dyess. During World War II, t ...

: Reassigned from

(ETO) : Redesignated Very Heavy BG, March 1945 :

844th Bombardment Squadron The 844th Bombardment Squadron is an inactive United States Air Force unit. It was assigned to the 489th Bombardment Group, flying Consolidated B-24 Liberators. After training in the United States, it moved to England and engaged in the stra ...

: 845th Bombardment Squadron : 846th Bombardment Squadron :

847th Bombardment Squadron The 847th Bombardment Squadron is a former United States Army Air Forces unit that was originally activated as the 421st Bombardment Squadron. Its last assignment was with the 489th Bombardment Group at Great Bend Army Air Field, Kansas where ...

: Inactivated in October 1945 *

472d Bombardment Group The 582d Air Resupply and Communications Wing is an inactive United States Air Force wing. Its last duty assignment was at Great Falls Air Force Base, Montana. The first predecessor of the wing (military aviation unit), wing was the 472d Bomb ...

(2d AF Operational Training Unit)* : Activated in September 1943 : 808th Bombardment Squadron : 809th Bombardment Squadron :

810th Bombardment Squadron The 582d Air Resupply and Communications Wing is an inactive United States Air Force wing. Its last duty assignment was at Great Falls Air Force Base, Montana. The first predecessor of the wing was the 472d Bombardment Group, which trained ...

: 811th Bombardment Squadron : Inactivated in April 1944 * 32d Composite Wing* (

) : Activated in August 1948 (RB-29, 1948–1949) : 31st Strategic Reconnaissance Squadron : Inactivated in April 1949 * 5th Bombardment (later Reconnaissance) Group (

Thirteenth Air Force The Thirteenth Air Force (Air Forces Pacific) (13 AF) was a numbered air force of the United States Air Force Pacific Air Forces (PACAF). It was last headquartered at Hickam Air Force Base on the island of Oahu, Hawaii. 13 AF has never been stat ...

)* : Redesignated Very Heavy BG, Apr 1946 (B-29) : Redesignated Reconnaissance Group, Mar 1947 (F-13A, later RB-29) : 5th Reconnaissance Squadron : 23d Bombardment (later Reconnaissance) Squadron : 31st Bombardment (later Reconnaissance) Squadron : 38th Reconnaissance Squadron : 338th Reconnaissance Squadron : 394th Bombardment Squadron : Assigned to:

, May 1949 : Assigned to: 5th Strategic Reconnaissance Wing, July 1949 .* Note: The 472d Bombardment Group was a

Operational Training Unit for initial B-29 crew training established in 1943; the 5th Bombardment Group was redesignated and reequipped as a B-29 unit by

Far East Air Forces Pacific Air Forces (PACAF) is a Major Command (MAJCOM) of the United States Air Force and is also the air component command of the United States Indo-Pacific Command (USINDOPACOM). PACAF is headquartered at Joint Base Pearl Harbor–Hickam (fo ...

and assigned to

in the

Philippines The Philippines (; fil, Pilipinas, links=no), officially the Republic of the Philippines ( fil, Republika ng Pilipinas, links=no), * bik, Republika kan Filipinas * ceb, Republika sa Pilipinas * cbk, República de Filipinas * hil, Republ ...

in 1946 from aircraft and equipment of former

units which had inactivated. The 5th BG was a prewar bomb group assigned to

Hawaii Hawaii ( ; haw, Hawaii or ) is a state in the Western United States, located in the Pacific Ocean about from the U.S. mainland. It is the only U.S. state outside North America, the only state that is an archipelago, and the only stat ...

at the time of the

Pearl Harbor Attack The attack on Pearl HarborAlso known as the Battle of Pearl Harbor was a surprise military strike by the Imperial Japanese Navy Air Service upon the United States against the naval base at Pearl Harbor in Honolulu, Territory of Hawaii, j ...

; its B-17s largely destroyed on the ground at Hickam Field. The unit was reformed into a B-24 Liberator heavy bomb group after the attack and was assigned to Thirteenth AF during the war; the 32d Composite Wing flew RB-29s for Far East Air Forces in the late 1940s, primarily as photo-mapping aircraft over China, Formosa, Indochina and Korea.

Strategic Air Command (Groups)

Army Air Forces B-29 bomb groups assigned to

(SAC) after the command's establishment in March 1946. Includes groups that were returned to the United States from the European Theater and were programmed to redeploy to the Pacific Theater of Operations (PTO) after their B-29 conversion training was completed. These units were retained on active service after the Japanese Capitulation in August 1945 and were assigned to

Continental Air Forces Continental Air Forces (CAF) was a United States Army Air Forces major command, active 1944–1946. It was tasked with combat training of bomber and fighter personnel, and for Continental United States (CONUS) air defense after the Aircraft Wa ...

(CAF). In March 1946 were transferred to SAC upon redesignation of CAF to SAC. Many of these units and squadrons were under-manned and under-equipped due to the rapid demobilization of the armed forces in this period. In addition, frequent inactivations and activations were made, with older, prewar units being reactivated in place of younger, wartime units. Up until the end of the Korean War, SAC used tail markings that consisted of a combination of geometric shapes and letters. The shape would indicate the Numbered Air Force, with a triangle representing the

; a circle for Fifteenth Air Force and a square for

. This system was phased out in 1953. * 2d Bombardment Group, (B-29, 1947–1948) : Activated in July 1947 :

Chatam AFB Savannah/Hilton Head International Airport is a commercial and military-use airport in Savannah, Georgia, United States. Savannah/Hilton Head International provides travelers with access to Savannah, Georgia, and Hilton Head Island, South Ca ...

, Georgia : Tail Code: Empty Square :

20th Bombardment Squadron 020 is the national dialling code for London in the United Kingdom. All subscriber numbers within the area code consist of eight digits and it has capacity for approaching 100 million telephone numbers. The code is used at 170 telephone exch ...

: 49th Bombardment Squadron : 96th Bombardment Squadron : Re-equipped with

B-50 Superfortress The Boeing B-50 Superfortress is an American strategic bomber. A post–World War II revision of the Boeing B-29 Superfortress, it was fitted with more powerful Pratt & Whitney R-4360 radial engines, stronger structure, a taller tail fin, and ot ...

, July 1948 * 7th Bombardment Group, (B-29, 1946–1948) : Activated in October 1946 :

Carswell AFB Naval Air Station Joint Reserve Base Fort Worth (abbreviated NAS JRB Fort Worth) includes Carswell Field, a military airbase located west of the central business district of Fort Worth, in Tarrant County, Texas, United States. This military a ...

, Texas : Tail Code: Empty Triangle : 9th Bombardment Squadron : 436th Bombardment Squadron : 492d Bombardment Squadron : Re-equipped with

B-36 Peacemaker The Convair B-36 "Peacemaker" is a strategic bomber that was built by Convair and operated by the United States Air Force (USAF) from 1949 to 1959. The B-36 is the largest mass-produced piston-engined aircraft ever built. It had the longest win ...

, July 1948 * 22d Bombardment Group, (B-29, 1948–1952) : Reassigned from

(WPA) : Redesignated Very Heavy BG, June 1946 :

March AFB March Air Reserve Base (March ARB), previously known as March Air Force Base (March AFB) is located in Riverside County, California between the cities of Riverside, Moreno Valley, and Perris. It is the home to the Air Force Reserve Command's ...

, California : Tail Code: Circle-E : 2d Bombardment Squadron : 19th Bombardment Squadron : 33d Bombardment Squadron : Group assigned to

22d Bombardment Wing The 22d Air Refueling Wing is a United States Air Force unit assigned to the Air Mobility Command's Eighteenth Air Force. It is stationed at McConnell Air Force Base, Kansas and also functions as the host wing for McConnell. Its primary missio ...

, June 1952 * 28th Bombardment Group, (B-29, 1946–1950) : Activated in July 1946 from a/p/e of inactivated 449th Bombardment Group :

Ellsworth AFB Ellsworth Air Force Base (AFB) is a United States Air Force base located about northeast of Rapid City, South Dakota, just north of the town of Box Elder, South Dakota, Box Elder. The host unit at Ellsworth is the 28th Bomb Wing (28 BW). Assi ...

, South Dakota : Tail Code: Triangle-S :

77th Bombardment Squadron #REDIRECTSecret Agent 077 Secret Agent 077 is a fictional superspy, lead character in a trilogy of Eurospy films starring Ken Clark as Dick Malloy (or Maloy).p.274 Blake, Matt & Deal, David ''The Eurospy Guide'' 2004 Luminary Press However "077" ...

: 717th Bombardment Squadron : 718th Bombardment Squadron : Re-equipped with

RB-29 Superfortress The Boeing B-29 Superfortress is a WWII era long range, strategic heavy bomber that was produced in many experimental and production models. XB-29 : ''Section source: Baugher'' The XB-29, Boeing Model 345, was the first accepted prototype or e ...

, April 1950 : Re-equipped with

, July 1950 * 43d Bombardment Group, (B-29, 1946–1948) : Activated in October 1946 from a/p/e of inactivated 444th Bombardment Group : Davis-Monthan AFB, Arizona : Tail Code: Circle-K : 63d Bombardment Squadron : 64th Bombardment Squadron : 65th Bombardment Squadron : Re-equipped with

, July 1948 *

92d Bombardment Group 9 (nine) is the natural number following and preceding . Evolution of the Arabic digit In the beginning, various Indians wrote a digit 9 similar in shape to the modern closing question mark without the bottom dot. The Kshatrapa, Andhra and ...

, (B-29, 1946–1952) : Reassigned from

(ETO) : Redesignated Very Heavy BG, July 1946 :

Fairchild AFB Fairchild Air Force Base (AFB) is a United States Air Force base, located in the northwest United States in eastern Washington, approximately southwest of Spokane. The host unit at Fairchild is the 92nd Air Refueling Wing (92 ARW) assigned to ...

, Washington : Tail Code: Circle-W :

325th Bombardment Squadron 3 (three) is a number, numeral (linguistics), numeral and numerical digit, digit. It is the natural number following 2 and preceding 4, and is the smallest odd prime number and the only prime preceding a square number. It has religious or cu ...

: 326th Bombardment Squadron :

327th Bombardment Squadron The 327th Bombardment Squadron is an inactive United States Air Force unit. It was last assigned to the 4170th Strategic Wing, stationed at Larson Air Force Base, Washington. It was inactivated on 1 February 1963. History World War II Acti ...

: Group assigned to

92d Bombardment Wing 9 (nine) is the natural number following and preceding . Evolution of the Arabic digit In the Brahmi numerals, beginning, various Indians wrote a digit 9 similar in shape to the modern closing question mark without the bottom dot. The Kshat ...

, June 1952 * 93d Bombardment Group, (B-29, 1947–1949) : Reassigned from

(ETO) : Redesignated Very Heavy BG, July 1945 :

Castle AFB Castle Air Force Base (Castle AFB, 1941–1995) is a former United States Air Force Strategic Air Command base in California, located northeast of Atwater, northwest of Merced, and about south of Sacramento. The Central Valley base in unin ...

, California : Tail Code: Circle-M :

328th Bombardment Squadron 3 (three) is a number, numeral and digit. It is the natural number following 2 and preceding 4, and is the smallest odd prime number and the only prime preceding a square number. It has religious or cultural significance in many societie ...

: 329th Bombardment Squadron : 330th Bombardment Squadron : Re-equipped with

, July 1949 * 97th Bombardment Group, (B-29, 1946–1950) : Activated in August 1946 from a/p/e of inactivated

485th Bombardment Group 485th may refer to: * 485th Aero Construction Squadron, part of the 27th Special Operations Wing at Cannon Air Force Base, New Mexico * 485th Air Expeditionary Wing, provisional United States Air Force unit assigned to the Air Combat Command * 485t ...

Eielson AFB Eielson Air Force Base is a United States Air Force (USAF) base located approximately 26 miles (42 km) southeast of Fairbanks, Alaska and just southeast of Moose Creek, Alaska. It was established in 1943 as Mile 26 Satellite Field and redes ...

, Alaska; Smoky Hill AFB, Kansas; Biggs AFB, Texas : Tail Code: Triangle-O : 340th Bombardment Squadron :

341st Bombardment Squadron The 341st Bombardment Squadron is an inactive United States Air Force unit. It was last assigned to the 4038th Strategic Wing. It was last stationed at Dow Air Force Base, Maine, where it was inactivated on 1 February 1963. The squadron was f ...

342d Bombardment Squadron The 342d Bombardment Squadron is an inactive United States Air Force unit. It was last assigned to the 4137th Strategic Wing. It was last stationed at Robins Air Force Base, Georgia and was inactivated on 1 February 1963. During World War I ...

: Re-equipped with

, 1950 : Re-equipped with

B-47 Stratojet The Boeing B-47 Stratojet (Boeing company designation Model 450) is a retired American long-range, six-engined, turbojet-powered strategic bomber designed to fly at high subsonic speed and at high altitude to avoid enemy interceptor aircraft ...

, 1955 * 301st Bombardment Group, (B-29, 1946–1952) : Activated in August 1946 from a/p/e of inactivated 467th Bombardment Group : Smoky Hill AFB, Kansas : Tail Code: Square-A : 32d Bombardment Squadron : 352d Bombardment Squadron :

353d Bombardment Squadron The 353d Bombardment Squadron is an inactive United States Air Force unit. It last was assigned to the 301st Bombardment Wing, stationed at Lockbourne Air Force Base, Ohio. It was inactivated on 8 June 1964. During World War II, the 353d Bombard ...

: Group assigned to

301st Bombardment Wing The 301st Air Refueling Wing is an inactive unit of the United States Air Force being last assigned to the Strategic Air Command at Malmstrom Air Force Base, Montana, where it was inactivated on 1 June 1992. History : ''See the 301st Operations ...

, June 1952 * 307th Bombardment Group, (B-29, 1947–1952) : Activated in August 1946 from a/p/e of inactivated

MacDill AFB MacDill Air Force Base (MacDill AFB) is an active United States Air Force installation located 4 miles (6.4 km) south-southwest of downtown Tampa, Florida. The "host wing" for MacDill AFB is the 6th Air Refueling Wing (6 ARW), assi ...

, Florida; Yokota AB, Japan : Tail Code: Square-Y : 370th Bombardment Squadron : 371st Bombardment Squadron : 372d Bombardment Squadron : Group assigned to 307th Bombardment Wing, June 1952 * 448th Bombardment Group, (B-29, 1945–1946) : Reassigned from

(ETO) : Redesignated Very Heavy BG, August 1945 : Fort Worth Army Airfield, Texas : Tail Code: Triangle-N : 712th Bombardment Squadron : 713th Bombardment Squadron : 714th Bombardment Squadron : 715th Bombardment Squadron : Inactivated August 1946 * 449th Bombardment Group, (B-29, 1945–1946) : Reassigned from Fifteenth Air Force (MTO) : Redesignated Very Heavy BG, May 1945 : Fort Worth Army Airfield, Texas : 716th Bombardment Squadron : 717th Bombardment Squadron : 718th Bombardment Squadron : Inactivated August 1946, Aircraft Reassigned to 28th Bombardment Group * 458th Bombardment Group, (B-29, 1945–1946) : Reassigned from

(ETO) : Redesignated Very Heavy BG, August 1945 : March Field, California : 752d Bombardment Squadron : 753d Bombardment Squadron : 754th Bombardment Squadron : 755th Bombardment Squadron : Inactivated in July 1946 *

, (B-29, 1945–1946) : Reassigned from Fifteenth Air Force (MTO) : Redesignated Very Heavy BG, August 1945 : Smoky Hill Army Airfield, Kansas : 506th Bombardment Squadron : 828th Bombardment Squadron : 829th Bombardment Squadron : 830th Bombardment Squadron : Inactivated August 1946 * 509th Bombardment Group : See Combat Groups Section

SAC Reconnaissance Squadrons

* 9th Reconnaissance Squadron (Very Long Range), (F-13A, 1949) : Assigned to: 314th Composite Wing, 20 June 1946-20 October 1947 * 16th Photographic Squadron, (F-13A 1947) : Assigned to: 55th Reconnaissance Group, 1 June-16 December 1947 * 31st Strategic Reconnaissance Squadron (Very Long Range), (F-13A, 1947–1948) : Assigned to: 71st Reconnaissance Group * 72d Reconnaissance Squadron, 46th/72d Reconnaissance Squadron (Very Long Range, Photographic), (F-13A, 1946–1947) : Assigned to:

, 1 May 1946-13 October 1947 :: Attached entire time to: Yukon Sector, Alaskan Air Command

United States Air Force

Strategic Air Command (Wings)

The B-29 was the mainstay of

after

until the

. B-29 "Very Heavy" bomber units were redesignated "Medium" with the introduction of the

into the inventory in 1948, with some units transitioning to the B-36/RB-36 beginning in 1949. The

, an advanced version of the B-29 was also introduced in 1949. SAC deployed non nuclear-capable B-29 groups to

in 1950 to conduct strategic bombardment missions over the skies of North Korea, however the aircraft was made obsolete by the development of Soviet Union, Soviet jet-powered interceptors such as the MiG-15. The B-29 soldiered on for a more few years in the strategic bombardment role, but by 1955 was replaced by the

medium bomber. In 1950, conversions of B-29s to Boeing KB-29, KB-29P aerial tankers began to reach SAC squadrons. KB-29s were in service with SAC until being replaced by the KC-97 Stratofreighter (which was itself based on the B-29) by 1955. * 1st Fighter Wing, (B-29, 1949) :

, California : Assigned to Headquarters 1st FW while attached to

* 5th Strategic Reconnaissance Wing (B-29, 1949; RB-29, 1949–1951; KB-29 1949–1951) : Activated in July 1949 : Mountain Home AFB, Idaho : Tail Code: Circle-X : 23d Strategic Reconnaissance Squadron : 31st Strategic Reconnaissance Squadron : 72d Strategic Reconnaissance Squadron : Replaced by RB-36D Peacemaker in 1951 * 6th Bombardment Wing (B-29, 1951–1952) : Activated in January 1951 : Walker AFB, New Mexico : Tail Code: Empty Triangle :

: 40th Bombardment Squadron : 6th Air Refueling Squadron (KB-29, 1951–1952) : Replaced by B-36D Peacemaker in 1951 * 9th Bombardment Wing (B-29, 1949–1954; RB-29, 1949–1951) : Activated in May 1949 : Mountain Home AFB, Idaho : Tail Code: Circle-R :

: 5th Bombardment Squadron :

: 9th Air Refueling Squadron (KB-29, 1953) : Replaced by

in 1954 *

(B-29, 1949–1954) : Activated in July 1948 : Combat in Korean War, Jul–Oct 1950 :

, California : Tail Code: Circle-E : 2d Bombardment Squadron : 19th Bombardment Squadron : 33d Bombardment Squadron : Replaced by

in 1954 * 27th Strategic Fighter Wing : Bergstrom AFB, Texas : 27th Air Refueling Squadron (KB-29, 1953–1957) * 40th Bombardment Wing (B-29, 1953) : Activated in May 1952 : Shilling AFB, Kansas : Tail Code: Triangle-S : 25th Bombardment Squadron : 44th Bombardment Squadron : 45th Bombardment Squadron : Replaced by

in 1953 * 44th Bombardment Wing (TB-29, 1951; B-29, 1951–1953) : Activated in January 1951 : Lake Charles AFB, Louisiana : Tail Code: Triangle-S : 66th Bombardment Squadron : 67th Bombardment Squadron : 68th Bombardment Squadron : Replaced by

in 1953 * 55th Strategic Reconnaissance Wing, (B/RB-29, 1951) : Activated in June 1948 : Forbes AFB, Kansas : Tail Code: Square-V : 38th Strategic Reconnaissance Squadron : 338th Strategic Reconnaissance Squadron : 343d Strategic Reconnaissance Squadron : Replaced by RB-50 Superfortress in 1951 * 68th Bombardment Wing, (B-29, 1952–1953) : Activated in October 1951 : Lake Charles AFB, Louisiana : Tail Code: Unknown : 27th Bombardment Squadron : 51st Bombardment Squadron : 52d Bombardment Squadron : Replaced by

in 1953 * 90th Bombardment Wing, (B-29, 1951–1954; RB-29, 1951–1954; TB-29, 1951–1952) : Activated in January 1951 :

, Washington : Tail Code: Circle-Z : 319th Bombardment Squadron : 320th Bombardment Squadron : 321st Bombardment Squadron : Replaced by RB-47 Stratojet in 1954 * 91st Strategic Reconnaissance Wing, (B-29, 1948–1949; RB-29, 1948–1951; TB-29, 1948–1949; TRB-29, 1949) : Activated in October 1948 : McGuire AFB, New Jersey; Barksdale AFB, Louisiana, Lockbourne AFB, Ohio : Tail Code: Square-I : 322d Strategic Reconnaissance Squadron : 323d Strategic Reconnaissance Squadron : 324th Strategic Reconnaissance Squadron : 91st Air Refueling Squadron, (KB-29, 1950–1953) : Replaced by RB-50 Superfortress in 1951 *

, (B-29, 1951–1953) : Activated in November 1947 : Barksdale AFB, Louisiana : Tail Code: Square-A : 32d Bombardment Squadron : 352d Bombardment Squadron :

: 301st Air Refueling Squadron (KB-29, 1949–1953) : Replaced by

in 1953 * 303d Bombardment Wing, (B-29, 1951–1953) : Activated in September 1951 : Davis-Monthan AFB, Arizona : Tail Code: Square-A : 358th Bombardment Squadron : 359th Bombardment Squadron : 360th Bombardment Squadron : 9th Air Refueling Squadron (KB-29, 1952–1953) : Replaced by

in 1953 * 305th Bombardment Wing, (B-29, 1951–1953) : Activated in January 1951 :

, Florida : Tail Code: Unknown : 364th Bombardment Squadron : 365th Bombardment Squadron : 366th Bombardment Squadron : Replaced by

in 1952 * 310th Bombardment Wing, (B-29, 1952–1954) : Activated in March 1952 : Forbes AFB, Kansas; Shilling AFB, Kansas : Tail Code: Unknown : 379th Bombardment Squadron : 380th Bombardment Squadron : 381st Bombardment Squadron : Replaced by

in 1954 * 320th Bombardment Wing, (B-29, 1952–1953) : Activated in December 1952 :

, California : Tail Code: Circle-A : 441st Bombardment Squadron : 442d Bombardment Squadron : 443d Bombardment Squadron : 444th Bombardment Squadron : Replaced by

in 1953 * 376th Bombardment Wing, (B-29, 1951–1954) : Activated in May 1951 : Forbes AFB, Kansas; Barksdale AFB, Louisiana : Tail Code: Unknown : 512th Bombardment Squadron : 513th Bombardment Squadron : 514th Bombardment Squadron : Replaced by

in 1954 * 506th Strategic Fighter Wing : Dow AFB, Maine : 506th Air Refueling Squadron (KB-29, 1954–1955)

Tactical Air Command

After the Korean War and the phaseout of the B-29/KB-29 from SAC, KB-29s were acquired by Tactical Air Command to serve as dedicated aerial refueling tankers for Tactical Fighter aircraft to give TAC a worldwide deployment capability separate from SAC. However, it was found that the KB-29 was totally unsuitable for the refuelling of jet fighters because they were too slow. The KB-29s were replaced beginning in 1956 with faster KB-50s. * 420th Air Refueling Squadron, (KB-29M, 1954–1955) (USAFE) * 421st Air Refueling Squadron, (KB-29M, 1954–1955) (PACAF) * 427th Air Refueling Squadron, (KB-29M, 1956–1959) * 429th Air Refueling Squadron, (KB-29M, 1954–1958) * 431st Air Refueling Squadron, (KB-29M, 1957) * 622d Air Refueling Squadron, (KB-29M, 1955–1957)

Air Resupply And Communications Service

During the Cold War, the Military Air Transport Service the controlling command for Air Commando units which performed special operations during the 1950s, including during the Korean War. As part of the equipment used by the Air Resupply And Communications Service (ARCS) were B-29s modified for special operations missions. * 580th Air Resupply and Communications Wing, (B-29, 1951–1956) * 581st Air Resupply and Communications Wing, (B-29, 1951–1956) * 582nd Air Resupply and Communications Wing, (B-29, 1952–1956)

Air Weather Service

Air Weather Service (part of Military Air Transport Service) received their first B-29s in various versions (B-29, RB-29, TB-29, WB-29) in 1946 AWS initially used B-29s in support of the 1946 Operation Crossroads atomic bomb tests at Bikini Atoll. Weather reconnaissance duties required special variant of the B-29. Armament and related equipment was removed and in place of upper forward turret astrodome was installed. Additional radio and specialized meteorological equipment was installed and such refitted aircraft was redesignated WB-29. While the B-29's "public" mission was that of weather reconnaissance, the "covert" mission, that of atmospheric sampling for radiation debris, was perhaps the more critical task. WB-29s soldiered on through the mid-1950s, providing critical data on tropical storms, nuclear tests, and many other routine but important reconnaissance tasks. But the airplanes were weary, and by 1956 were replaced by a modification of seventy-eight B-50Ds to WB-50 configuration. * 53d Reconnaissance Squadron (Very Long Range, Weather) : Kindley AFB, Bermuda (B-29, 1946–1947. WB-29, 1951–1956) * 54th Reconnaissance Squadron (Very Long Range, Weather) : Andersen AFB, Guam (B-29, 1946–1947. WB-29, 1951–1956) * 55th Reconnaissance Squadron (Very Long Range, Weather) : Fairfield-Suisun AFB, (later McClellan AFB), California (B-29, 1946–1947. TB-29/WB-29, 1951–1955) * 56th Reconnaissance Squadron (Very Long Range, Weather) : Yokota AB, Japan (WB-29, 1951–1957) * 57th Reconnaissance Squadron (Very Long Range, Weather) : Hickam AFB, Hawaii Territory (WB-29, 1951–1956) * 58th Reconnaissance Squadron (Very Long Range, Weather) :

, Alaska Territory (WB-29, 1951–1956) * 59th Reconnaissance Squadron (Very Long Range, Weather) : Ladd AFB. Alaska Territory (B-29, 1946–1947. WB-29, 1955–1956) * 512th Reconnaissance Squadron (Very Long Range, Weather)* (B-29, 1949–1954 RB-29/WB-29, 1949–1951) * 513th Reconnaissance Squadron (Very Long Range, Weather)* (B-29, 1951–1954 RB-29/WB-29, 1950–1951) * 514th Reconnaissance Squadron (Very Long Range, Weather)* (B-29, 1951–1954 TB-29/RB-29/WB-29, 1947–1951) * 2078th Weather Reconnaissance Squadron, 1st Weather Reconnaissance Squadron (Special) (later 2078th Weather Reconnaissance Squadron)& (WB-29, 1948–1950) NOTE: *Under operational control of Far East Air Forces flying combat weather reconnaissance missions over North Korea during the

Weapons Systems Development and Testing

* Air Force Systems Command, Air Technical Service Command/Air Materiel Command/Air Research and Development Command, Edwards AFB, Muroc AAF/AFB (later Edwards AFB), California * Air Armament Center, Air Proving Ground Command, Eglin AFB, Florida B-29-96-BW serial number 45-21800 was used as the "mother" aircraft for launches of the Bell X-1 rocket-powered research aircraft at Edwards AFB. On October 14, 1947, Capt Charles E. "Chuck" Yeager was dropped in his X-1 from the B-29 and was credited as the first human to pilot an aircraft faster than the speed of sound. Several B-29s were modified for various experimental purposes under the designation EB-29. Perhaps the best known of these was the EB-29 used as the carrier aircraft for the McDonnell XF-85 Goblin parasite fighter in 1948. The rear bomb bay was modified to carry a special cradle from which the XF-85 could be launched and retrieved in flight. Other B-29s flown at Eglin/Muroc/Edwards AFB were XB-29E fire control test model; XG-29G (44-84043) which served as a flying test bed for J-35, J-47 and J-73 jet engines mounted in the bomb bay; the YB-29H used for special armament testing; YB-29J used for services testing of improved engine designs; QB-29 target drones. The CB-29K was an experimental transport version.

Air Defense Command

Beginning in 1954, the 4754th Radar Evaluation Squadron, Air Defense Command operated B-29s from various bases in the United States to provide ECM training and evaluation services to its radar site personnel. The B-29s contained an assortment of RADAR jamming devices to provide the required training of personnel. * 4754th Radar Evaluation Electronics Counter-Countermeasure Flight, Hamilton AFB, California * 4677th Radar Evaluation Electronics Counter-Countermeasure Flight, Hill AFB, Utah * 4713th Radar Evaluation Flight, Griffiss AFB, New York * 6023d Radar Evaluation Squadron, Naha AB, Okinawa (attached to Pacific Air Forces) The last B-29 (a TB-29 radar evaluation aircraft, B-29-15-MO serial number 42-65234) was retired from the USAF inventory at 2010 hours on June 21, 1960, when Major Clarence C. Rarick of the 6023d Radar Evaluation Squadron landed at Naha Air Base, Okinawa, bringing the era of B-29 Superfortress military service to an end.

United States Navy

D-558-2 Dropped from B-29 Mothership - GPN-2000-000251

The United States Navy received four B-29s on April 14, 1947 and redesignated as P2B. Two of these aircraft were in standard configuration (P2B-1S), two another were equipped with test radar and additional fuel tank in bomb bay (P2B-2S).Lloyd, ''B-29 Superfortress. Part 2'', p.68 * P2B-1S BuNo 84028 (B-29-95-BW 45-21789) * P2B-1S BuNo 84029 (B-29-95-BW 45-21787) * P2B-2S BuNo 84030 (B-29-95-BW 45-21791) * P2B-2S BuNo 84031 (B-29-90-BW 44-87766) Naval B-29s were used as test beds and as mother ships in various programs. One P2B-1S was extensively modified to carry the Douglas D-558-II Skyrocket supersonic rocket-powered research aircraft. The first Skyrocket launch took place on September 8, 1950. The Skyrocket exceeded Supersonic speed, Mach 2 for the first time on November 20, 1953 (piloted by Albert Scott Crossfield, Scott Crossfield). The last Skyrocket flight took place in December 1956. P2B-1S BuNo 84029 was later transferred to NACA for continuation of high-speed flight tests and was redesignated as NACA-137. It was eventually sold to a civilian owner, a museum in Oakland, California. This was the only example of a flyable B-29 ever being sold to a civilian operator. This B-29 was flown on rare occasions under the civil registration N91329. After many years of inactivity, it was sold to the Kermit Weeks Aviation Museum of Miami, Florida. It was transported there disassembled in 1987. It was registered with the Weeks Museum as N29KW.

Allied nations

United Kingdom

During the early 1950s, the Royal Air Force urgently needed interim aircraft for its bomber units, as a "stop gap" replacement for the Avro Lincoln, until British-designed and manufactured jets like the English Electric Canberra and, in the longer term, the so-called "V bombers", became operational. From the RAF's point of view the B-29, was a heavy bomber comparable to the Lincoln, albeit with distinct performance and capacity advantages and, as a type that had already been proven operationally, did not detract from the development of the British jets. A formal agreement with the USA was signed on January 27, 1950 and the USAF loaned the RAF seventy B-29 bombers which received the serials ''WF434''-''WF448'', ''WF490''-''WF-514'' and ''WF545''-''WF574''. Later another 18 were delivered under serials ''WW342''-''WW356'' and ''WZ966''-''WZ968''.Nowicki, ''B-29 Superfortress'', p.16 The aircraft received the service name Boeing Washington B.1 (B.1 from "Bomber Mark 1") with RAF Bomber Command from 1950 as a longer-range nuclear-capable bomber, pending the introduction of the English Electric Canberra in quantity. Most of the airframes were taken out of USAF storage and were virtually new, having been delivered at the end of the Pacific War, although a small number came from operational units. The first 4 aircraft were delivered to the Washington Conversion Unit at RAF Marham on March 22, 1950. All B-29s for the RAF were ferried by the crews of the 307th Bombardment Wing USAF. The first unit converted to Washingtons was No. 115 Squadron RAF which flown from USA in June 1950. Two RAF Washingtons took part in the Laurence Minot Strategic Air Command, SAC bombing competition in 1951 alongside USAF B-29s. Squadrons based at RAF Coningsby were converted to English Electric Canberra bombers in 1953. Squadrons from RAF Marham were converted a year later. Most Washingtons were returned to the United States, being flown by RAF crews to Dover AFB; then subsequently to the aircraft storage facility at Davis-Monthan AFB. A small number of Washingtons remained in the United Kingdom, being used by 192 Sq. for Electronic Intelligence operations until 1958; later being used as ground target airframes for RAF combat aircraft. ;Royal Air Force *RAF Marham : No. 35 Squadron RAF : No. 90 Squadron RAF : No. 115 Squadron RAF : No. 207 Squadron RAF *RAF Coningsby : No. 15 Squadron RAF : No. 44 Squadron RAF : No. 57 Squadron RAF (moved from RAF Waddington in April 1952) : No. 149 Squadron RAF *RAF Watton : No. 192 Squadron RAF operated Washingtons between April 1952 and February 1958.

Australia

Two ex-RAF Washingtons (''WW354'' and ''WW353'') (former USAAF 44-61963; 44-62049) were turned over by the RAF to the Royal Australian Air Force Aeronautical Research and Development Unit in late 1952 and conducted trials for the United Kingdom's Ministry of Supply. They were assigned the RAAF serials A76-1 and A76-2. Both aircraft were retired in 1956 and sold for scrap in 1957.A76 Boeing Washington
RAAF Museum. Accessed on 14 August 2007. ;Royal Australian Air Force *Aeronautical Research and Development Unit RAAF, Aeronautical Research and Development Unit

References

Notes

Bibliography

* Birdsall, Steve. ''B-29 Superfortress in Action (Aircraft in Action 31)''. Carrollton, Texas: Squadron/Signal Publications, Inc., 1977. . * Davis, Larry. ''B-29 Superfortress in Action (Aircraft in Action 165)''. Carrollton, Texas: Squadron/Signal Publications, 1997. . * Dorr, Robert F. ''B-29 Superfortress Units in World War Two (Combat Aircraft 33)''. Botley, Oxford, UK: Osprey Publishing, 2002. . * Fopp, Michael A. ''The Washington File''. Tonbridge, kent, UK: Air-Britain (Historians) Ltd., 1983. * Lloyd, Alwyn T. ''B-29 Superfortress. Part 1. Production Versions (Detail & Scale 10)''. Fallbrook, CA/London: Aero Publishers/Arms & Armour Press, Ltd., 1983. (USA). (UK). * Lloyd, Alwyn T. ''B-29 Superfortress. Part 2. Derivatives (Detail & Scale 25)''. Blue Ridge Summit, PA/London: TAB Books/Arms & Armour Press, Ltd., 1987. (USA). (UK). * Mayborn, Mitch. ''The Boeing B-29 Superfortress (aircraft in Profile 101)''. Windsor, Berkshire, UK: Profile Publications Ltd., 1971 (reprint). * Nowicki, Jacek. ''B-29 Superfortress (Monografie Lotnicze 13)'' (in Polish). Gdańsk, Poland: AJ-Press, 1994. . * Pimlott, John. 'B-29 Superfortress''. London: Bison Books Ltd., 1980. . * Rigmant, Vladimir. ''B-29, Tу-4 - стратегические близнецы - как это было (Авиация и космонавтика 17 (Крылья 4))''. Moscow, Russia, 1996. {{DEFAULTSORT:B-29 Superfortress Lists of military units and formations of World War II Lists of Boeing aircraft operators, B-29 Superfortress Boeing B-29 Superfortress, Operators