Just wondering if there’s a model avalible for this. If not, how similar is it to the many B-29 models out there?
Dana
The B-50 wasn’t that similar to the B-29. It had a much taller vertical stab, different
engines and nacelles, and different nose glass for the bombardier’s station. I believe
the armament was different, too but, I’m not totally sure of that.
I think MINICRAFT made some B-50 versions but, again, I could be wrong.
Good luck on your hunt
Ray
Make that ACADEMY…They have the RB-50G in 1/72nd
Well the B-50 is really a B-29D there are some upgrades from the regular B-29 to the B-50 but externally there is the taller tail, bigger engines R-4360’s (42 Cylinders)instead of the R-2800’s(18 Cylinders) and the later B-50’s had jet engines added to the wings for Take Off’s with a full load, also the forward plexiglass is slightly different from the 29 and the upper turret has a fairing on the after section but all the armament is still the same but the 20MM cannon in the tail position was removed so for the kits there was an aftermarket conversion kit but can’t remember who made it but it’s out of production now but you might be able to get one on E-Bay
The B-29 had Wright R-3350 18 cylinder radials while the B-50 had Pratt & Whitney R-4360 28 cylinder radials. Most B-50B and later models had 700 gallon external fuel tanks installed on the outer wing panels. The only B-50s that came with jet pods were the KB-50s , these were tanker versions and the jets were to raise their speed to better accomodate the TAC jet fighters they were refuelling. B-50s alos incorporated Curtiss Electric reversible pitch propellers while most B-29s had Hamilton Standard Hydromatic propellers. (The Silverplate B-29s of the 509th CG, the atomic bombers, had reversible pitch Curtiss Electrics as well as some later KB-29s)
As others have said the vertical empennage was taller at around 21.5’ instead of 16.5’. As for the nose glass it depends. The first B-50s carried the standard B-29 7 piece nose glass with an optically flat bombardiers window. Starting with the B-50B they incorporated the one piece blown plexiglass window with an optically flat bombardier window. The upper front turret had a streamlined fairing and on the B-50D and later models there was also a boom inflight refueling receptacle installed right in front of this turret.
Ive got a really cool pic of an RB-50E with gloss black undersurfaces that flew out of Yokota Japan during the Korean War… do a search its probably on the web somewhere too.
Academy did a 1:72 model of the RB-50G, I know, because I have one. They modelled that and the B-50D. I checked eBay and there is no sign of either kit there.
DaveB, that is exaclty what I want to model. The birds I want to do is from the 343rd Strategic Reconnaissance Squadron out of Japan. The sides and bottom of the aircraft were black while to top was either white or bare metal. The verticle stabilixer was also partially red. Looks very striking in that scheme.
So far, I’ve only found one like that: http://www.clubhyper.com/reference/rb50jh_1.htm
I’m sure most of you will be familiar with this story.
Dana
I just did a Google search. Lot’s of RB-50 stuff out there. As for the model,
http://www.discounttrainsonline.com/Academy-Models-Aircraft--scale-172-Boeing-RB-50G-Reconn/itemACD-2156.html
I do believe it’s available.
Ray
72cuda - you forget to mention how the B-29D became the B-50 - Seems that at the end of the war, congress mandated the the military would not be allowed to buy any upgraded models of existing equipment - so the Air Force changed the designation from B-29D (which they were not allowed to purchase) to the B-50 (which they could buy).
Are there and aftermarket conversion kits to make the Academy B-50 kit into a KB-50? My father was a flight engineer on KB-50’s and I really want to make one.
If you’re interested in the RB-50 and similar a/c try reading:
The Price of Vigilance
by Larry Tart & Robert Keefe