1944 Battle of Kansas

In the introduction I mention Stalingrad. Of course the Battle of Stalingrad was in 1942/43, not 1944. However, I believe it emphasizes the point made by Hap Arnold that the Battle of Kansas was as critical a "must win" as Stalingrad.

As retired USAF, I knew some of the this story, but not by half. Hap Arnold, for getting the B-29 out of the hangar, truly deserves to be remembered.

My grandfather worked for Boeing during the war and was on one of the crews that did the test flights on the B29. I used to spend time with him in Kansas for summer vacations in the 60s. He would tell stories of the challenges, getting the planes ready for delivery, and some of them were covered in this video. He retired from Boeing in 1969. History Guy, I love your videos. Keep up the good work.

It staggers the imagination to know that the B29 program budget dwarfed that of the entire Manhattan Project. Thanks Again Lance for yet another edifying THG. installment

I majored in Aeronautical Operations at San Jose State University in the 1980s. One of our propulsion professors, Mr. Ring, had been a B29 pilot during WW2. He was shot down near the end of the war over downtown Tokyo, and managed to bail out. He landed in the heart of the city and fractured his back upon landing in a street intersection. As he stood up, removing his parachute harness, he saw a horde of civilians with pitch forks, machete's, etc., coming down the street to capture and perhaps kill him. He started running, popping off shots from his 1911 .45 over his shoulder. Finally, he found some Japanese soldiers to surrender to. He spent the remainder of the war as a POW.

My grandfather was a tail gunner in the B-29's he was in Kansas and participate in the Battle of Kansas as a wrench turner. He then went with the 29's to the CBI fly's Hump missions and Bombing missions. He as flew out of Tinian West field. He had a flow 30 missions. he stayed in the Airforce till retiring. Which he help with refueling the first non stop round the world flight of the Lucky Lady II. He had a interesting military career.

As a Kansan this is a great video. I just live a few miles from the old boeing & drive through it very often. It's Spirit now. I often wonder about the life & intensity of it during WW2. Once in a while I have the privilege of "Doc" flying over my house. They have a very distinctive sound.

As a native of Salina KS, this was new to me. Great to see what a critical time in my hometown history laid out in a informative way.

My father worked in a grinding wheel factory. He said that from January 2, 1942, until mid-August they work twelve hours a day. Eight and a half months without a weekend, holiday, or any such thing. That was the workers war.

I got to see the newly restored B-29 "Doc" take it's first flight from McConnell AFB. A beautiful sight. I grew up in a little farming town between Wichita and Salina. We went on a field trip in grade school to the Smokey Hill bombing range. Got to see fighters come in and strafe targets. Kansas wasn't a bad place to grow up at all. 😊

Several of the factory scenes shown were of the Bell Bomber Plant in Marietta Georgia. A large number of the B-29 production came from there and at the time the main assembly building was the largest air condition space in the world. The plant is still in operation today by Lockheed Martin.

“Infantry wins battles, logistics wins wars.” Army General John J. Pershing. I'd add "production" as well. It is also required to add 850 Tu-4 (as copy of the B-29). B-29 was another level in terms of production and in conception is first serial big-body multiengine modern aircraft

One of my earliest memories is watching B-29s by the dozen, or more (my math skills weren't all that good at age 4) Fly out of Wichita to go to the war. I was born and raised (till age 11) about 30 miles east of Wichita, in a little burg called Leon.

11:37, you can see one these hangers, still standing at the Salina airport. If you go to Google maps, it is at the north end of the runway on the east side with its rusty white roof. The Kansas Army National Guard has a helicopter unit along the same Side of the runway. We still have one building that the General was in it is a little Base exchange along the flight line/ tarmac that pilots could make a quick run to get a Coke and a Hershey’s bar before taxiing to the runway. It stands empty and locked up, a silent witness to the Salina blitz.

My grandfather was a bombardier on a B-29 and first flew with the 498th out of Saipan. He left Saipan to participate in Project Alberta where he flew in a Silverplate B-29. I have his A-11 flight helmet and mask on display in my home office. He loved the B-29 and was very proud that he was able to serve on one.

My uncle was an engineer and flew over Japan in B-29’s. He wrote a book about his experiences, saying that the engines were particularly finicky.

Great video and thanks. My father was an MP during the war and would often be detailed as security at the plant from his station at Jefferson Barracks. He would say it was both the worse and best job he had in the service. Worse detail was guarding the perimeter at the end of the runway because "Parts would be falling off those those planes like hailstones as they flew overhead out to the West coast. Best because they were built and crewed by women and they were always up for a fun time on a Saturday night." ...he would also go on to say "Every two or three days, one would crash into a field a half mile from the runway but two hours later, the next one would just fly through the smoke of the burning wreck on it's journey West." In his opinion, more were lost in that field than shot down over Japan.

Good morning from Ft Worth TX History Guy and everyone watching. Have a fun and safe weekend.

As a aircraft mechanic w/ 40+ years experience, I will testify that airports & flight fields have the worst of local weather! It seems they are hotter, colder, windier, more snow and wetter than the local area! 😮

Proud MO resident, proud retired USAF, awesome story!