b-29 Superfortress "Precious Cargo" ??? 44-27294 ??? (1 Viewer)

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SABURO

Airman
88
6
Jun 15, 2007
Hi every one,
I recently purchase the following Photograph for my "B-29 Snapshot collection" and this time I'm really ... lost.
The Nose Art depict a "tag" and it seems (to me) that it is written "Precious Cargo" and that the serial could be 44-27294... but due to the poor quality of the photograph I'm just gessing.
Does anyone ever heard of a B-29 called "Precious Cargo" or, and it's a possibility if my gess is wrong, a B-29 with such nose art ?
Many thanks in advance for you comment.
 

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Hmmm, I am 99.9% sure it's one of the B-29-35-MO range built by Martin in Omaha. The numbers I can see when enlarged are 4272x4. The x is the part that is unreadable. Looking at serial listings for the B-29, it would be one of 4 from the same lot (B-29-35-MO);
44-27264
44-27274
44-27284
44-27294

Looking at the Robert Mann book on the B-29,
44-27264 was listed as "Wild Goose" with the 301st BG, written off 11/21/1952 (damaged in landing accident at Barksdale)
44-27274 was listed with no name also with the 301st BG Written off and reclaimed at Mountain Home 7/18/1954
44-27284 was listed with no name with the 4141BU written off and reclaimed at Pyote 9/15/1953
44-27294 was listed with no name with the 9th BG, written off and reclaimed at Hill 8/19/1954

Interestingly, the name "Precious Cargo" is not listed in any of the B-29 listings that I have seen, so it is a bit of a mystery.
 
Just a thought, but with the nose art looking so 'fresh' and bold, is there a chance that this aircraft was used in a movie, with a fictitious name?
 
Thanks a lot to every one for your help.
 
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Could it be the B-29, that carried the nuclear bomb from the U.S.? Did the same B-29 do the job both times or (writing from memory here) did they ship them by boat?
 
Found this though....

B-29 SN 44-27294
Clarence Marble
C.S. Hoeppner
Louis Foley
A.R. Treleaven
A.E. Sary
David Edwards
D.G. Bueg
Ray Yates
Neal O`Neill

She's a 346th BG 461st Sq bird....
 
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Attached are two photos of Precious Cargo. I believe they were taken on Okinawa. Found them in an estate sale box of photos.
 

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