Following the close of hostilities in August 1945, the USAAF recognized a need for a more advanced reconnaissance platform. The new advances in radar technology would lend themselves well to the recon role. To this end, 54 RB-29K aircraft were ordered to follow the close of standard B-29 production in May of 1946. While still recognizable as part of the B-29 family, noticeable changes included the V-tail group and the tandem truck landing gear arrangement. This landing gear change of course reconfigured the fuselage bomb bays, but made the inner wing nacelles and nose wheel bay available for ordnance and/or equipment. In-flight refueling capability was another new feature made operational.
With the advent of the Korean War, elements of the 91st Strategic Reconnaissance Squadron were deployed to Itazuke Air Base in Japan to provide target mapping, weather reconnaissance, and post raid target evaluation. The RB's were very successful in this role, and the new AN/APQ-21 search and AN/APQ-26 targeting radars made life very hazardous for Communist night fighter pilots. RB-29 crews were credited with 21.5 kills without loss, earning the sobriquet of "D***ed Porcupine".
The RB-29's were also very active during the early Cold War years in monitoring Eastern Bloc and Soviet military activities. Again, the RB's were able to do their job with total impunity, especially so as they were able to incorporate increasingly effective ECM equipment. Less well known is their role of Hurricane Hunters using their AN/CPS-9 weather radar until more capable aircraft became available.
RB-29K's were still active in the early years of the Vietnam War in the weather recon and damage evaluation roles. On several missions, they also served as pathfinders, locating and illuminating targets for strike aircraft. But by this point in their career, they had reached the end of their useful lives, and following the crash and loss of two aircraft in theater, they were withdrawn and retired. Sadly, no aircraft remain preserved today, and except for a few old pictures, little is left to remind us of their pioneering role in air reconnaissance.
The old Jurassic Dinosaur from when the Earth's crust was still pretty hot
A fun old classic to hack around on
Still have another in the queue to inflict upon you
Best regards,
Kem
