There would be no SWA and 737's without the leap in technology by the B-29. The B-29 was such a hugh leap in aircraft capability. In 1941 it took 7 days to go from Washington DC to Guam on a Pam Am Flying Boat. In the spring of 1945 Curtis LeMay was called to DC to be briefed on the Atomic Bomb. He flew in a B-29, one stop at Hawaii and then non-stop DC. Round trip less than three days. In 1944 the B-29 was being flown in combat still basically in a prototype stage of development. It caused Hap Arnold, its father, at least two heart attacks.
BTW the B-29 at $5B 1945 dollars was the most expensive project of WWII, cost per airplane over $1M each for the 3500 produced, the second most expensive project was Radar, and the Bomb came in third.
This site uses cookies to help personalise content, tailor your experience and to keep you logged in if you register.
By continuing to use this site, you are consenting to our use of cookies.