Warplanes of the UK: Boeing Washington B.1

Boeing Washington B.1

(USAF Historical Research Agency Photo, 1951)

The Boeing Washington B.1 in the UK, was an American B-29 Superfortress four-engine heavy bomber flown by the RAF from March 1950 until early in 1954. It served as an interim heavy bomber until the arrival of the British first generation jet-powered English Electric Canberra medium bomber. The American post-war military assistance program loaned 87 B-29s to the RAF, enough to equip several squadrons.

At the time, the B.1 was a fast bomber, with a top speed of 575 km (357 mph) and a cruising speed of 354 kmh (220mph). It had a service ceiling of 9,708 m (31,850 ft) and a range of 5230 km (3,250miles). The Washington was powered by four Wright R-3350-23 Duplex Cyclone turbo-supercharged radial engines. It was faster than the Avro Lincoln and could fly higher and stay aloft longer than the British bomber.

When the B-29 was first introduced into the RAF in 1950, the first Canberra deliveries were starting to take place, and the V-bombers being built, the Avro Vulcan, Vickers Valiant and Handley-Page Victor were also in production.

Most of the Washingtons loaned to the RAF were returned to America after their retirement in1954. Three were kept in service and modified as Electronic Signals Intelligence (ELINT) aircraft along with a standard bomber flown by No. 192 Squadron RAF, until they were decommissioned in1958. They were replaced by the de Havilland Comet jet transport. Two were transferred to the Royal Australian Air Force (RAAF) in 1952, where they were attached to the Aircraft Research and Development Unit. They were flown on trials conducted on behalf of the British Ministry of Supply. These two aircraft were put in storage in 1956 and then scrapped in 1957 at which point, the V-bombers and Canberra were firmly in service with the RAF. (Wikipedia and Henry Kelsall)

(RuthAS Photo)

Boeing B-29A Washington B.1, ex-USAAF B-29A-50-BN (Serial No. 44-62231), taken on charge by the RAF on 15 Jan 1951 (Serial No. WE-502), coded WE-O, No. 90 Squadron RAF, based at RAF Marham, Displayed e 1952 Battle of Britain show at RAF Hooton Park, Cheshire, 20 Sep 1952. This aircraft was lost on 8 Jan 1953. The crew was performing a training sortie from RAF Marham. While cruising by night at an altitude of 19,000 feet, control of the airplane was apparently lost and it went into an irrecoverable dive. While plunging, the aircraft disintegrated and eventually crashed in an open field near Llanarmon-yn-Iâl, 3.5 miles east-southeast of Ruthin, Denbighshire. The debris was found in an area of more than five acres and all ten occupants had been killed. The crew was unable to send any sort of 'Mayday' message. (Halley, James (1999) Broken Wings – Post-War Royal Air Force Accidents Tunbridge Wells: Air-Britain (Historians) Ltd. p.139.)