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Salvageable B-29 in China Lake?
Last night, I think I made a rather interesting discovery looking through China Lake on Google Maps. Originally, I was trying to look for just random planes sitting out in the desert but to my surprise, I found this squared off section with a couple of planes that I could somewhat recognize such as an F-14 but what really stuck out to me was that there were two remainders of B-29s. One has half of the fuselage missing with one intact wing and a third of the other wing missing while the other one has an intact fuselage with roughly a third of both wings missing (just after the engines) and intact horizontal stabilizers and tail (The tail is hard to tell but I could see a bit of the tail rising out of the engine.
Re: Salvageable B-29 in China Lake?
No F-14, that is an F-111. Can also see I think a Vigilante, E-6, an F-8 and a few others. I'm not convinced that is a B-29 either.
Re: Salvageable B-29 in China Lake?
It's not a B-29, it's a C-97 or KC-97.
The other one is a B-29, but it's in considerably poorer condition.
The other one is a B-29, but it's in considerably poorer condition.
Re: Salvageable B-29 in China Lake?
I suspect the B-29s are long gone. My money says it's a B-50.
Re: Salvageable B-29 in China Lake?
Ozair wrote:No F-14, that is an F-111. Can also see I think a Vigilante, E-6, an F-8 and a few others. I'm not convinced that is a B-29 either.
The F-14 is the one with the with the wings closed (I think)
Re: Salvageable B-29 in China Lake?
zanl188 wrote:I suspect the B-29s are long gone. My money says it's a B-50.
If it's a B-50, I'd jump with joy because I'd love to see a sixth surviving and only flying B-50.
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- RetiredWeasel
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Re: Salvageable B-29 in China Lake?
China lake was a big B-29 salvage area during the 60s to early 90s. Dozens of derelict[url][/url] B-29s were stowed there although they used some for target towing and other activities at the Naval Weapons Test Center. Most were eventually chopped up, but a few were saved and used as targets at the various ranges around China Lake.
The B-29 with the and aft fuselage chopped off, was called '"Here's Hopin" s/n 44-69729. You can find pictures of it and other info at: http://www.chinalakealumni.org/B-29/B29mo.htm
The recent completion of the restoration of the B-29 "Doc" was also parked there not far from "Here's Hoppin". It made it's first flight I believe just a few months ago since being taken out of the desert.
I have to agree with a previous poster that the northern most 4 engine aircraft does not quite look like a B-29 although there is an anomaly in the trailing edge of the wings image. Hard to tell. Here's a closer view:
http://www.google.com/maps/place/Naval+Air+Weapons+Station+-+China+Lake/@35.6774916,-117.6767169,133m/data=!3m1!1e3!4m5!3m4!1s0x80c1124b2c5e64d5:0xba9250134ea239e8!8m2!3d35.6890073!4d-117.6833066?hl=en
And Ozair is correct that is a F-111. However if you go here:http://www.google.com/maps/place/Naval+Air+Weapons+Station+-+China+Lake/@35.7319905,-117.572194,270m/data=!3m1!1e3!4m5!3m4!1s0x80c1124b2c5e64d5:0xba9250134ea239e8!8m2!3d35.6890073!4d-117.6833066?hl=en which is about 6 miles NE, you can count 9 F-14 airframes.
The B-29 with the and aft fuselage chopped off, was called '"Here's Hopin" s/n 44-69729. You can find pictures of it and other info at: http://www.chinalakealumni.org/B-29/B29mo.htm
The recent completion of the restoration of the B-29 "Doc" was also parked there not far from "Here's Hoppin". It made it's first flight I believe just a few months ago since being taken out of the desert.
I have to agree with a previous poster that the northern most 4 engine aircraft does not quite look like a B-29 although there is an anomaly in the trailing edge of the wings image. Hard to tell. Here's a closer view:
http://www.google.com/maps/place/Naval+Air+Weapons+Station+-+China+Lake/@35.6774916,-117.6767169,133m/data=!3m1!1e3!4m5!3m4!1s0x80c1124b2c5e64d5:0xba9250134ea239e8!8m2!3d35.6890073!4d-117.6833066?hl=en
And Ozair is correct that is a F-111. However if you go here:http://www.google.com/maps/place/Naval+Air+Weapons+Station+-+China+Lake/@35.7319905,-117.572194,270m/data=!3m1!1e3!4m5!3m4!1s0x80c1124b2c5e64d5:0xba9250134ea239e8!8m2!3d35.6890073!4d-117.6833066?hl=en which is about 6 miles NE, you can count 9 F-14 airframes.
Re: Salvageable B-29 in China Lake?
RetiredWeasel wrote:China lake was a big B-29 salvage area during the 60s to early 90s. Dozens of derelict[url][/url] B-29s were stowed there although they used some for target towing and other activities at the Naval Weapons Test Center. Most were eventually chopped up, but a few were saved and used as targets at the various ranges around China Lake.
The B-29 with the and aft fuselage chopped off, was called '"Here's Hopin" s/n 44-69729. You can find pictures of it and other info at: http://www.chinalakealumni.org/B-29/B29mo.htm
The recent completion of the restoration of the B-29 "Doc" was also parked there not far from "Here's Hoppin". It made it's first flight I believe just a few months ago since being taken out of the desert.
I have to agree with a previous poster that the northern most 4 engine aircraft does not quite look like a B-29 although there is an anomaly in the trailing edge of the wings image. Hard to tell. Here's a closer view:
http://www.google.com/maps/place/Naval+Air+Weapons+Station+-+China+Lake/@35.6774916,-117.6767169,133m/data=!3m1!1e3!4m5!3m4!1s0x80c1124b2c5e64d5:0xba9250134ea239e8!8m2!3d35.6890073!4d-117.6833066?hl=en
And Ozair is correct that is a F-111. However if you go here:http://www.google.com/maps/place/Naval+Air+Weapons+Station+-+China+Lake/@35.7319905,-117.572194,270m/data=!3m1!1e3!4m5!3m4!1s0x80c1124b2c5e64d5:0xba9250134ea239e8!8m2!3d35.6890073!4d-117.6833066?hl=en which is about 6 miles NE, you can count 9 F-14 airframes.
Well someone did say in the comments that there was a possible chance the 4 engine aircraft is a B-50 but the only reason I assumed it was B-29 was because of the nose on the cockpit which has a somewhat similar appearance to a B-29's but again, B-50's and B-29's are pretty much the same except for a few differences.
Re: Salvageable B-29 in China Lake?
Benjuhman wrote:The F-14 is the one with the with the wings closed (I think)
The fuselage is different between an F-14 and an F-111 but the real giveaway is the single vertical stab.
Re: Salvageable B-29 in China Lake?
Ozair wrote:Benjuhman wrote:The F-14 is the one with the with the wings closed (I think)
The fuselage is different between an F-14 and an F-111 but the real giveaway is the single vertical stab.
Oh. I wish I realized that earlier now that I think about it.
Re: Salvageable B-29 in China Lake?
As I said earlier, the more complete aircraft with the tail still attached is a C-97 or KC-97 - it is in-fact KC-97 Stratofreighter s/n 52-2669.
Not a B-29, not a B-50.
Not a B-29, not a B-50.
Re: Salvageable B-29 in China Lake?
moo wrote:As I said earlier, the more complete aircraft with the tail still attached is a C-97 or KC-97 - it is in-fact KC-97 Stratofreighter s/n 52-2669.
Not a B-29, not a B-50.
Crap. Wish I realized that earlier.
Re: Salvageable B-29 in China Lake?
I would suspect that anything salvageable on pretty much any B-29 (in any shape) at China Lake has already been picked clean by the FiFi and Doc crews ...
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- citationjet
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Re: Salvageable B-29 in China Lake?
According to those I know who worked on Doc here in Wichita, there are no more salvageable B-29s left in the world.
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