Original Items: Only One Lot of 9 Available. An aircraft flight manual is a paper book or electronic information set containing information required to operate an aircraft of certain type or particular aircraft of that type (each AFM is tailored for a specific aircraft, though aircraft of the same type naturally have very similar AFMs). The information within an AFM is also referred to as Technical Airworthiness Data (TAWD). A typical flight manual will contain the following: operating limitations, Normal/Abnormal/Emergency operating procedures, performance data and loading information.

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 Flying Fortress, the Superfortress was designed for high-altitude strategic bombing, but also excelled in low-altitude night incendiary bombing, and in dropping naval mines to blockade Japan. B-29s dropped the atomic bombs on Hiroshima and Nagasaki, the only aircraft ever to drop nuclear weapons in combat.

One of the largest aircraft of World War II, the B-29 was designed with state-of-the-art technology, which included a pressurized cabin, dual-wheeled tricycle landing gear, and an analog computer-controlled fire-control system that allowed one gunner and a fire-control officer to direct four remote machine gun turrets. The $3 billion cost of design and production (equivalent to $45 billion today), far exceeding the $1.9 billion cost of the Manhattan Project, made the B-29 program the most expensive of the war. The B-29's advanced design allowed it to remain in service in various roles throughout the 1950s. The type was retired in the early 1960s, after 3,970 of them had been built. A few were also used as flying television transmitters by the Stratovision company. The Royal Air Force flew the B-29 as the Washington until 1954.

The B-29 was the progenitor of a series of Boeing-built bombers, transports, tankers, reconnaissance aircraft, and trainers. For example, the re-engined B-50 Superfortress became Lucky Lady II, the first aircraft to fly around the world non-stop, during a 94-hour flight in 1949. The Boeing C-97 Stratofreighter airlifter, which was first flown in 1944, was followed in 1947 by its commercial airliner variant, the Boeing Model 377 Stratocruiser. This bomber-to-airliner derivation was similar to the B-17/Model 307 evolution. In 1948, Boeing introduced the KB-29 tanker, followed in 1950 by the Model 377-derivative KC-97. A line of outsized-cargo variants of the Stratocruiser is the Guppy / Mini Guppy / Super Guppy, which remain in service with NASA and other operators. The Soviet Union produced 847 Tupolev Tu-4s, an unlicensed reverse-engineered copy of the B-29. Twenty B-29s remain as static displays, but only two, FIFI and Doc, still fly.

The Items In This Lot:
- “The B-29 Airplane Commander Training Manual For The Superfortress” Dated March 1945: The manual is in good condition and appears to be complete, but it is in a replacement binder and in document protectors.

Tech Sergeant Harry Orn does appear on the WWII 792nd Squadron, 468th Group rosters but we unfortunately cannot locate any service information, making this a wonderful research opportunity.

The 782nd Tactical Air Support Training Squadron is an inactive United States Air Force unit. The squadron's most distinguished predecessor is the 792nd Bombardment Squadron, which was organized in 1943 as one of the first Boeing B-29 Superfortress units, The squadron participated in the strategic bombing campaign against Japan, earning three Distinguished Unit Citations. It returned to the United States following V-J Day and briefly became one of the first units in Strategic Air Command before inactivating at the end of March 1946.

- “Pilot’s Flight Operating Instructions For Airplanes Army Models B-29 & B-29A” Dated 20 May 1945, Named to Lt. Hayes, 769th Bomber Squadron: The manual is in good condition and appears to be complete and is in the original binder. 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, and became one of the earliest Boeing B-29 Superfortress units. It moved to the China Burma India Theater in April 1944 and participated in the first attack on the Japanese Home Islands since the 1942 Doolittle Raid on 15 June 1944. It earned three Distinguished Unit Citations. The squadron moved to Tinian with the rest of the 58th Bombardment Wing in April 1945 and continued its participation in the strategic bombing campaign against Japan until V-J Day. In November 1945, it returned to the United States, where it was inactivated in April 1946.

- Training Manual: Standard Operating Procedures For B-29 & B-50 Gunners, Headquarters Strategic Air Command” Dated 1951: The manual is in good condition and appears to be complete but it is also in a replacement binder with all documents in sheet protectors. 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 other improvements. It was the last piston-engined bomber built by Boeing for the United States Air Force, and was further refined into Boeing's final such design, the B-54. Though not as well known as its direct predecessor, the B-50 was in USAF service for nearly 20 years.

Early war bombers such as the B-17 and B-24 required each gunner to be an organic ballistic computer. The more advanced B-29 featured a fire control system that automatically corrected for lead, bullet drop, and parallax between the gunner station and the remote turrets. However, the range and line-of-sight rates estimation still required gunner inputs. Setting a known target wingspan provided the arc length. Sizing the reticle to touch the target wingtips furnished the angle. Small angles approximation and trigonometry estimated the range to target. Lastly, the gunner tracked the target to provide line-sight-rates to the computer.

- “Flight And Operations Manual Boeing B-29” & “Engine Change Manual Boeing B-29”, Total of 2 Manuals: “The purpose of this manual is to provide rapid and thorough familiarization with the proper flight and operational procedures for the B-29 Heavy Bomber. It is a series of four manuals prepared for accelerated training of personnel assigned to the operation and maintenance of the B-29. These manuals should be carefully studied and observed by all personnel concerned with the handling of this airplane.

The complete series of manuals consists of the following:

Flight and Operational Instructions.
Familiarization and Maintenance Instructions.
Service and Inspection Instructions.
Engine Change Instructions.

The manuals must not be confused with the B-29 Technical Orders. They are intended to supplement rather than replace the Technical Orders inasmuch as they are more suitable for accelerated training.

This manual has been prepared in permanent binding rather than loose leaf form to make it more compact, easier to handle and of a size convenient to be carried in the picket. Revised reprints will be issued frequently to keep the information up to date.”

- “Standard Operating Procedures PILOT” Dated 15 June 1945: “The material contained herein is designed to facilitate pilot proficiency. Check lists, procedures, systems, and related information pertaining to the B-29 Airplane have been arranged for ready reference”.

- “B-29 Mechanics Field Service Date Book” Flying Fortress School, Named to Jack P. Tronquet Dated March 1944: This small pocket sized booklet would have been a crucial tool for an aircraft mechanic. The book goes into detail about the specs of the engine and aircraft itself, engine removal, accessories, propellers, oil and fuel systems and more.

- B-29 & B-29A Load Adjuster Tool with Case: Aircraft load adjusters help an aircraft loadmaster to calculate the aircraft’s center of gravity which determines cargo and passenger placement to ensure safe flight.

All items show that they were well used which is expected with these manuals and tools. Some pages may be missing from the books.

Comes more than ready for display or even use!