Stories
|
“The B-29 was the world’s protector. Seattle Boeing designed it. Wichita Boeing helped build it. The Army Air Corps flew it and the world was saved.” --Kermit K. Thompson Boeing Engineering Service Manager, 1936-1945 from 2001 interview for "Bombers on the Prairie: The B-29 in Kansas" documentary |
Please select a story collection or an individual story below to see the entire item.
Story Collections:
Individual Stories:
Lucas & Crew Show A B-29 To The President
Date of event: 20-23 February, 1944
Date written: Fall, 1989
Written by: Walter Lucas, E.W. "Scoop" Martin, Don Lund, Homer Bates, P.D. Shepard, Bill Mackey.
Additional contributions from Mrs. Eleanor R. Seagraves; Mr. William R. Emerson, Director, Franklin D. Roosevelt Library.
LUCAS & CREW SHOW A B-29 TO THE PRESIDENT
Editor's Introduction:
On February 20, 1944, Col. Walter Lucas and his crew plus two crew chiefs were dispatched to Washington, D.C. in B-29 #42-6303. They were to land at Bolling Field. As far as can be determined, no reason was given to the crew for making the flight. Bolling AFB at that time have four runways, the longest being 6,000 feet. Lucas landed the plane and was met by Gen. H.H. "Hap" Arnold. It was learned then that the purpose of the flight was to show the B-29 to President Roosevelt. It is believed that his was the first --and possibly the only -- time the President saw a B-29. (Considering that the B-29 project cost more than the atomic bomb project -- $3 billion to $2 billion this was a significant occasion.)
« Previous 1 2