No B-29 in Korea

[Shortround6]

Inspired by another thread (Mosquito instead of B-17).

What if:
- There are no B-29s available for the Korean war
- US air strategists decide that "Mosquito" type raids are the best against any target in the theatre, including industry, infrastructure, cities, etc.

1. What aircraft is/are the best for the job (available already or that can be quickly brought into service):
a. June-October1950, until MiG-15s arrive?
b. November 1950 to the end of war?
2. What is the counter-strategy of the Soviets and Chinese?

It is turning into a most intriguing question.

The B-36 wasn't available in 1950 in operational numbers needing all sorts of fixies.

Even assuming the B-45 was made in bigger numbers that doesn't solve the logistics problems. The B-45 didn't have enough range to deploy across the Pacific and trying to sending the planes by ship requires taking wings off. It could be done but rather difficult.

The B-29 was used for a number of reasons. The SAC was using higher priority squadrons to guard the Russians. So you can't automatically use the best US planes in the inventory.

It was around 580-600 miles at the shortest to fly bases in Japan to the Korea/China border one way so the US/UN forces might have build more bomber bases inside Korea?

 

[FLYBOYJ]

Then just bring her back - you know you want too!
And look at that range...

View attachment 649774

I just caught up with this - Range? That data is for a reconnaissance version.

De Havilland Mosquito PR Mk 34

The PR Mk 34 was the final photo reconnaissance version of the Mosquito

www.historyofwar.org

The Mosquito would have been a welcomed asset in Korea but I doubt it would have been able to maintain serviceability due to the environment and operational pace.

Was the statement "Considered a B-17 replacement in WW2" part of the original article or a "what if" add on???

 

[FLYBOYJ]

Hi Dimlee.
Never a serious contender - but that scan above is a snapshot for 1953. By 1955 it was down to Burma (F.B.6), Yugoslavia (N.F.30), Israel (F.B.6 and B.9) and Sweden (N.F.19). Belgium and Israel had the T.3 trainer. "A few (B.35) remained with the RAF." No numbers given.
In Sky Guardians - by Michael Gething - he mentions six fighter squadrons (Nos 23, 25, 29, 141, 219 and 264) operating NF36s in front-line service until 1953. No numbers given.

With the exception of those operated by the RAF, I think you'll find those post war operators were "low utilization operators." I know the Israeli Mosquitos were used extensively up until the Suez conflict and were withdrawn shortly thereafter.

 

[Graeme]

I just caught up with this - Range? That data is for a reconnaissance version.
The Mosquito would have been a welcomed asset in Korea but I doubt it would have been able to maintain serviceability due to the environment and operational pace.
Was the statement "Considered a B-17 replacement in WW2" part of the original article or a "what if" add on???

Hi Joe.
It was just a humble attempt at humour - as Dimlee's thread appeared when the Mosquito/B-17 thread was running 'hot and fast.'
If the B-17, why not the B-29 as well.
Apologies for the confusion - no offence intended.

 

[FLYBOYJ]

Hi Joe.
It was just a humble attempt at humour - as Dimlee's thread appeared when the Mosquito/B-17 thread was running 'hot and fast.'
If the B-17, why not the B-29 as well.

Apologies for the confusion - no offence intended.

No apologies needed and no offence taken - I figured it might have been a clever alteration, I know a few people who would have ran with it! LOL!

 

[Dimlee]

I have indeed borrowed the idea from that thread. Still trying to read it to the end - mission impossible!

 

[BobB]

See Joe Baugher's web page,

B-29 in Korean War

For an overview of what the B-29 was doing.
Then try to decide what alternatives might present themselves.

Like the B-29s were flying from Japan and from Okinawa which would a be a long mission for A-26/B-26s.

If the B-29s were scraped and not available would have B-50s been available?
Would have been B-45 Tornados been built in bigger numbers?

It does look as though the B-29s, after a number initial troubles, did manage to hit just about all major targets just before the Chinese ramped up things in Nov of 1950.?

Under different circumstances, B-45 production might have been greater. An engineer who worked on B-29's at the Bell bomber plant in Georgia said that he stayed at work there after most people had been terminated post-VJ day because he was working on a proposal to build B-45's there. One wonders if it was just bureaucratic inertia and it took a while to realize that there wasn't going to be massive production needed of anything.