Evening star., 1943-11-04
BY NELSON M, SHEPARD


Gen. Henry H. Arnold, chief of
the Army Air Forces, today eau
tiously revealed some of the revo-
jlutionizing capabilities of the Army S
third, newest and mightiest super
bomber, officially designated the
Big, which he said is about to 90
through its final teSts-in combat.
When it enters combat, today's
long range will become medium
range and today's heavy bombers
will consequently become light
bombers.' Gen Arnold said of this
behemoth of the skies.
No new combat aircraft of the
war has been kept so closely under
wraps as the new Boeing- built
bomber which is destined soon to
add its power to the smashing aerial
assaults on the Europe fortress and
against Jap stronghoids in the Pa
cific. The least that can be said
about the B-29 is that it is powered
to outfire, outrange and outcarry
any heavy bomber now flying.
Gen. Arnold goes even further in
his prediction that it revolutionizes
the role of heavy bombers in the
war.
OutmOdes LiberatOr.
Despite the superb combat rec
ords" of the B-24 Liberator, pio-
neered by Consolidated, and Boe-
mg's BIT Flying Fortress. the air
chief claimed that the new bomber
is "as far ahead of those two air.
craft as they are out in front of
prewar bomberS." That is saying
good deal, Air Force officials ad-
mitted.
Today's guarded announcement
divulges no secrets of the B-29 that
enemy agents would give their bot
tom dollar to know. It's perform
ance will not be discussed before it
enters combat" Gen. Arnold re-
minded.
This battleship of the air is ar
mored heavily with multiple guns
and power turrets.' he admitted. 1t
can fly at very high attitudes"
It's weight, bomb load and effec-
tive range are among the most
zealously guarded of its secrets.
However" Gen Arnold explained.
the B-29 will have a range sub
Stantlally greater than the maxi
mum effective range of todays long
est-range heavy bombers and it Will
carry quite sizable bomb loads for
that distance
Evolved in Secrecy.
The B-29, like the famous FLYING
Fortress, was developed by the en-
gineering genius of the Boeing Air
craft Co. at its Seattle wash
plant, i'll close cooperation with the
Army Air Forces and its materiel
command. 1t was evolved in secrecy
during the past several years.
Development of the new plane
which outmodeS the Libertor and
Fortress. officials said. demonstrates
the Army'S faith in the effectiveness
of heavy bombers. 1t demonstrates
also the relentless pioneering of our
own Army Air Forces in ships of
longer ranger, heavier armor and in
creased re-poWer, all of which af-
ford protection.
Gen. Arnold pointed out. however.
that the new super bomber Will
have its own individual part to play
in aerial combat and that while il
outmodeS other "heavies. the lat
ter are Indispensable for the work
that is still cut out for them.
1T should be made clear" he
warned, that production of the B.
It's and of the B-24S will not be
affected by the advent of the B-29.
Production of those two bombers is
being increased steadily.
Final Test Not Far Distant.
In the face Of the heaviest aerial
assaults in history. the Nazis are
concentrating their defense in build
ing more fighter craft at the Sacri-
flee of bomber production The Japs.
on the other hand. have shown lit
tie that is new since the Zero made
It's appearance at the outset OF the
war. New fOur-englne Jap bombers
have been encountered by our all
forces in the Pacific. but these are
largely used for reconnaissance.
American genius cannot develop
new fighter planes OF bomberS over
night. The FLYING Fortress has gone