29 colors

I recall seeing photos of a couple painted red or orange, but I think they must have been Nuclear testing ac. I can't imagine flying one of those into a combat. Might as well paint a big target bullseye on the plane!!

AGSanchez

one in od/ng (IIRC) and Korean-era ones with a black belly are the only painted ones I can think of.

3 XB-29, 14 YB-29 and a few of the early production B-29 were olive drab over neutral gray. At a guess, it was stripped off any that went into combat.

A lot of the aircraft used on the fire raids against Japan received matt black undersides.

Otherwise, during WWII it was simply aluminum overcast.

Mark Schynert

I have a book (Fighting Aircraft of WW2 by Gunston) with a colour photo of two B-29s in OD/NG in formation. Caption says that "Two of the first production....OD on upper and side surfaces. All subsequent B-29s were delivered unpainted." Serial on the closest seems to be 136980.

Also have a B&W one of an"early production" OD/NG at Wichita, presumably in testing. Taken from the starboard front quarter. Has a "logo" on the nose under the co-pilot's cockpit. Seems to be a winged rodent with the legend "Flying Guinea Pig".

Have another bad B&W photo of 6 B-29s in China. Poor light but two of them seem to be OD/NG. Since these were being used in the transport role over the hump, could these be same two?

Ditto with EGMcCann on the Korean ones. Some had black bellies extending midway up the sides. Wings of Fame did a good series on the Korean air operations. Nice looking scheme. Some interesting coloured panels on others.

Cheers,

Doc H

china cargo sounds like a builder...

I've got decals for Monsoon Goon, ostensibly a OD B-29 with mission marks. Anyone else remember this? tia

The Keeper (of too much crap)

Assuming you're working with the one I sent you I'd have to say it almost ended up OD/NG. Maybe it would have been finished if I had.

Bill Banaszak, MFE

no..thinking about the 1/48 i hope to get. yours is still in pieces.

Several of the early B-29 were delivered to China in od/ng. I've seen pictures of Esso Express and Ding How. (42-6225) In the Squadron book, there is a picture of one in od/ng with three bladed props and natural metal engine nacels. (41-36954) Also pictures of a YB-29 in od/ng with an erco ball turret in the nose & twin 50s' in a bilsters on the fuselage sides below the canopy.

i forgot i have the squadron book. bought it at the afm. duh....