Boeing B-50D Superfortress "Lucky Lady II"
The B-29 Superfortress’ chronic engine fires led Boeing to consider replacing the Wright R-3350 Duplex Cyclone engines with newer and more powerful Pratt and Whitney R-4360 Wasp Majors. Simultaneously, in an effort to increase bombload and speed, Boeing switched to a lighter and stronger aluminum alloy. To compensate for the higher weights of the planned B-29D variant, the control surfaces were enlarged with a taller tail and larger flaps. The USAAF placed an order for 200 B-29Ds in July 1945, but World War II ended soon thereafter and the B-29D was threatened with outright cancellation.
In an effort to save the aircraft, Boeing changed the designation to B-50A, claiming it was a new design. It worked and production went forward, although the order was cut to 60 aircraft. As it was based on the proven B-29, testing went smoothly and the first B-50As went into service in 1948. With delays in the jet-powered B-47 Stratojet and B-52 Stratofortress, and recognizing that the B-36 Peacemaker could not carry the load of nuclear deterrent alone, the USAF ordered 222 B-50Ds, the main production variant. The B-50D differed from earlier versions by having a single-piece nose cone, underwing fuel tanks, and provision for inflight refueling.
These were sufficient enough to “hold the line” until the B-47 reached Strategic Air Command in 1955, by which time the B-50Ds were retired. The survivors were then converted into a variety of roles, including RB-50 strategic reconnaissance aircraft and KB-50 tankers, mostly the latter. The KB-50s would replace the KB-29 and supplement the KC-97 as aerial refuelers, and late-model, jet-augmented KB-50Js would briefly see service in the opening months of the Vietnam War. Following a spate of crashes in 1965, the B-50 fleet was found to have heavy corrosion of wing spars, and the type was immediately retired. 370 B-50s were produced, and five survive in museums today, including "Lucky Lady II," which circumnavigated the world nonstop in 1949--the first aircraft to do so...
...and this is her. 46-0010, "Lucky Lady II," was assigned to the 43rd Bomb Group at Carswell AFB, Texas when General Curtis LeMay notified the unit in early 1949 that they would be flying a nonstop circumnavigation of the world. While many others had flown around the world before by air, it was always with stops for fuel, but this would be different: the aircraft would be refueled in midair. Inflight refueling was still a primitive science, but LeMay wanted to try it--not just as a public relations stunt to show Americans what the newly-independent USAF could do, but also as a warning to the Soviet Union that SAC could hit them anywhere at anytime. Previous attempts by two other "Lucky Ladys"--both B-29s--either required landings or ended in crashes. This time, LeMay selected four B-50s for the attempt, hoping that at least one would make it.
"Lucky Lady II," with two crews aboard, took off from Carswell on 26 February 1949. The mission was not easy: bad weather dogged the aircraft, and aerial refueling at this point consisted of trailing a fuel hose from the tail of a KB-29 tanker and gathering it in with a reel from the tail of the B-50. Besides being inefficient, turbulence could snap the hose or the reel could break. Engine fires were an everpresent hazard--another aircraft, "Global Queen," had already been forced to land in the Azores; it had taken off a day ahead of "Lucky Lady II."
But the "Lucky Lady" was well-named: four days later, its exhausted crews landed the aircraft back at Carswell, having covered 23,452 miles in 96 hours. It was the first time someone had flown around the world nonstop, proving LeMay's theory. The crews were awarded the Mackay Trophy for 1949. Eight years later, three B-52s would break "Lucky Lady II's" record by completing the trip in 45 hours; in 1995, two B-1B Lancers would do it in 36 hours. (The first aircraft to circumnavigate nonstop without air refueling was Dick Rutan and Jeana Yeager's Voyager in 1986.)
"Lucky Lady's" luck nearly ran out shortly thereafter: it was involved in a horrific landing accident that practically destroyed the aircraft. Rather than scrap such a historic aircraft, the USAF was able to salvage the fuselage and, after using it as a touring recruiting exhibit, placed it on display at Norton AFB, California for awhile. It was then acquired by the famous movie stunt pilot Paul Mantz for his Movieland of the Air collection, and in 1968, was given to Planes of Fame in Chino for eventual restoration.
"Lucky Lady II" was another must-see for our May 2021 California trip, but while making my way around Planes of Fame, I didn't see it. I figured the museum probably had it in a hangar somewhere, and wrote off seeing it. I caught up with my friend Nate, who asked me, "Did you see Lucky Lady yet?" He took me to where it is--currently between some conex boxes; I had walked right past it--and a museum docent helpfully moved some things so I could get a shot. Certainly "Lucky Lady" has seen better days, only a fuselage that shows the effects of sitting in a California or Arizona sun for 70 years--but it's still here, and hopefully someday it will be complete again.
Boeing B-50D Superfortress "Lucky Lady II"
The B-29 Superfortress’ chronic engine fires led Boeing to consider replacing the Wright R-3350 Duplex Cyclone engines with newer and more powerful Pratt and Whitney R-4360 Wasp Majors. Simultaneously, in an effort to increase bombload and speed, Boeing switched to a lighter and stronger aluminum alloy. To compensate for the higher weights of the planned B-29D variant, the control surfaces were enlarged with a taller tail and larger flaps. The USAAF placed an order for 200 B-29Ds in July 1945, but World War II ended soon thereafter and the B-29D was threatened with outright cancellation.
In an effort to save the aircraft, Boeing changed the designation to B-50A, claiming it was a new design. It worked and production went forward, although the order was cut to 60 aircraft. As it was based on the proven B-29, testing went smoothly and the first B-50As went into service in 1948. With delays in the jet-powered B-47 Stratojet and B-52 Stratofortress, and recognizing that the B-36 Peacemaker could not carry the load of nuclear deterrent alone, the USAF ordered 222 B-50Ds, the main production variant. The B-50D differed from earlier versions by having a single-piece nose cone, underwing fuel tanks, and provision for inflight refueling.
These were sufficient enough to “hold the line” until the B-47 reached Strategic Air Command in 1955, by which time the B-50Ds were retired. The survivors were then converted into a variety of roles, including RB-50 strategic reconnaissance aircraft and KB-50 tankers, mostly the latter. The KB-50s would replace the KB-29 and supplement the KC-97 as aerial refuelers, and late-model, jet-augmented KB-50Js would briefly see service in the opening months of the Vietnam War. Following a spate of crashes in 1965, the B-50 fleet was found to have heavy corrosion of wing spars, and the type was immediately retired. 370 B-50s were produced, and five survive in museums today, including "Lucky Lady II," which circumnavigated the world nonstop in 1949--the first aircraft to do so...
...and this is her. 46-0010, "Lucky Lady II," was assigned to the 43rd Bomb Group at Carswell AFB, Texas when General Curtis LeMay notified the unit in early 1949 that they would be flying a nonstop circumnavigation of the world. While many others had flown around the world before by air, it was always with stops for fuel, but this would be different: the aircraft would be refueled in midair. Inflight refueling was still a primitive science, but LeMay wanted to try it--not just as a public relations stunt to show Americans what the newly-independent USAF could do, but also as a warning to the Soviet Union that SAC could hit them anywhere at anytime. Previous attempts by two other "Lucky Ladys"--both B-29s--either required landings or ended in crashes. This time, LeMay selected four B-50s for the attempt, hoping that at least one would make it.
"Lucky Lady II," with two crews aboard, took off from Carswell on 26 February 1949. The mission was not easy: bad weather dogged the aircraft, and aerial refueling at this point consisted of trailing a fuel hose from the tail of a KB-29 tanker and gathering it in with a reel from the tail of the B-50. Besides being inefficient, turbulence could snap the hose or the reel could break. Engine fires were an everpresent hazard--another aircraft, "Global Queen," had already been forced to land in the Azores; it had taken off a day ahead of "Lucky Lady II."
But the "Lucky Lady" was well-named: four days later, its exhausted crews landed the aircraft back at Carswell, having covered 23,452 miles in 96 hours. It was the first time someone had flown around the world nonstop, proving LeMay's theory. The crews were awarded the Mackay Trophy for 1949. Eight years later, three B-52s would break "Lucky Lady II's" record by completing the trip in 45 hours; in 1995, two B-1B Lancers would do it in 36 hours. (The first aircraft to circumnavigate nonstop without air refueling was Dick Rutan and Jeana Yeager's Voyager in 1986.)
"Lucky Lady's" luck nearly ran out shortly thereafter: it was involved in a horrific landing accident that practically destroyed the aircraft. Rather than scrap such a historic aircraft, the USAF was able to salvage the fuselage and, after using it as a touring recruiting exhibit, placed it on display at Norton AFB, California for awhile. It was then acquired by the famous movie stunt pilot Paul Mantz for his Movieland of the Air collection, and in 1968, was given to Planes of Fame in Chino for eventual restoration.
"Lucky Lady II" was another must-see for our May 2021 California trip, but while making my way around Planes of Fame, I didn't see it. I figured the museum probably had it in a hangar somewhere, and wrote off seeing it. I caught up with my friend Nate, who asked me, "Did you see Lucky Lady yet?" He took me to where it is--currently between some conex boxes; I had walked right past it--and a museum docent helpfully moved some things so I could get a shot. Certainly "Lucky Lady" has seen better days, only a fuselage that shows the effects of sitting in a California or Arizona sun for 70 years--but it's still here, and hopefully someday it will be complete again.