 {| |} the consolidated b-32 dominator (consolidated model 34) was a heavy bomber made for united states army air forces during world war ii, and had the distinction of being the last allied aircraft to be engaged in combat during world war ii. it was developed in parallel with the boeing b-29 superfortress as a fallback design should the superfortress prove unsuccessful.jones 1974, p. 106. it only reached units in the pacific during mid-1945, and subsequently only saw limited combat operations against japanese targets before the end of the war. most of the extant orders of the b-32 were cancelled shortly thereafter and only 118 b-32s of all types were built. approximately 100 of the 118 were flown direct to kingman army airfield for dismantling, scrapping and smelting, never flying with a commissioned unit. ==design and development== the engineering development of the b-29 had been underway since mid-1938 when, in june 1940, the united states army air corps requested a similar design from the consolidated aircraft company in case of development difficulties with the b-29. the model 33 on which consolidated based its proposal was similar to the b-24 liberator. like the b-24 it was originally designed with twin fins and a large davis-type wing, but with a longer, rounder fuselage and a rounded nose. the powerplants were to be four  wright r-3350s, the same as specified for b-29s. the aircraft was designed to be pressurized, and have remote-controlled retractable gun turrets with fourteen  machine guns. it was to have an estimated gross weight of . the first contract for two xb-32s was signed on 6 september 1940, the same day as the contract for the boeing prototype xb-29. the first xb-32-co, aaf s/n 41-141, was constructed next to the army air forces (aaf) base tarrant field airdrome at the aaf aircraft plant no. 4 just west of fort worth, texas along the south side of lake worth. the consolidated vultee bomber plant assembly line was six months behind schedule, making its first flight on 7 september 1942. due to problems with the pressurization system, the gun turrets and landing gear doors, these items were omitted on the first prototype. the aircraft had r-3350-13 engines inboa
Consolidated_aircraft Four-engined_tractor_aircraft High-wing_aircraft United_States_bomber_aircraft_1940a1949