Historic flight: B‑29 Superfortress and B‑2 Spirit soar together
9:39 AM EDT, July 17, 2024
A recording featuring the strategic bombers B-29 Superfortress and B-2 Spirit has surfaced online. This is the first time these powerful American machines have flown together.
The B-29 Superfortress and B-2 Spirit are strategic bombers from different eras. The B-29 was produced between 1943 and 1946, while the B-2 Spirit has been coming off Northrop Grumman's production lines only since 1994. These legendary aircraft shared the skies for the first time on July 13, 2024, during Whiteman Air Force Base displays.
B-29 Superfortress and B-2 Spirit in the air
The photos and videos are now spreading widely on social media. Commenters highlight not only the uniqueness of the situation but also the significant differences between the B-29 Superfortress and B-2 Spirit, which are easy to see at first glance. Although the purposes of these machines are very similar, their designs and, consequently, their capabilities differ significantly.
The B-2 Spirit was built in a flying wing configuration. It is a strategic bomber with reduced detectability that utilizes stealth technology. Producing a single B-2 Spirit costs about $2 billion.
This aircraft measures 69 feet in length and has a wingspan of 171 feet. In flight-ready configuration, it weighs 335,000 pounds, of which 167,500 pounds is fuel, and it can carry 50,000 pounds of armaments in internal bays. These bays are designed to have both nuclear and conventional weapons.
The B-2 Spirit remains the newest strategic bomber used by the American military. However, that does not mean it will not have a successor. Work on its successor is already at a very advanced stage. This refers to the strategic bomber B-21 Raider, which has already completed its first flights.
Bomber used during World War II
The B-29 Superfortress, on the other hand, has a much more "classic" look. It was produced by Boeing and used by the USA, among others, during World War II and the Korean War. The USA used these machines during the bombings of Hiroshima (B-29 named "Enola Gay") and Nagasaki (B-29 named "Bockscar").
The B-29 Superfortress measures approximately 98 feet in length and has a wingspan of about 141 feet. Four Wright R-3350-23 engines power it.
