B-29 Combat Missions: First-hand Accounts of Superfortress Operations over Japan and Korea
Publication Date: April 30, 2011
Publisher: Metro Books for Barnes and Noble Bookseller
Format: Hardcover, 160 pages
ISBN-13: 9781435125421
ISBN: 1435125428
$12.98 U.S.
B-29: Combat Missions takes the reader through every Superfortress crew position, bringing to life what it was like to fly—and fight—in the advanced bomber that was credited with bringing World War II to a conclusion earlier than predicted. First-hand accounts from crewmembers are coupled with archive and commissioned photos of items of memorabilia, illustrating the dramatic stories of B-29 combat crews in truly vivid detail.
There are around 75 first-person accounts from former Superfortress crewmembers. Each crew position has its own section: the aircraft commander and copilot, the bombardier, the navigator, the flight engineer, the radio operator, the Central Fire Control top, left, and right gunners, the radar operator and the tail gunner. Some 160 archive images, around 45 crew-position photos specially commissioned for this book, and more than 100 artifacts illustrate the remarkable life of this unique aircraft.
Written by Donald Nijboer and Steve Pace, with additional content from Dana Bell, and stunning original color photographs taken by Dan Patterson, B-29: Combat Missions brings together some of the best expertise on the subject. Donald Nijboer is a freelance writer who lives in Toronto, Canada. He is the author of several military aviation history books, and has co-authored with the renowned aircraft photographer Dan Patterson. He has also written articles for Flight Journal, Aviation History and Aeroplane Monthly. Steve Pace is the author of 28 books and hundreds of feature articles and short stories on aviation history. He is also contributing editor to Flight Journal magazine and a former contributing editor to Airpower and Wings magazines. He has been writing aviation history for more than 34 years. Foreword by Walter J. Boyne – Author/Historian, former director of the National Air and Space Museum, enshrined in the National Aviation Hall of Fame.