Boeing B-50 Superfortress
Boeing · United States · first flew 1947 · bomber
The B-50 was a substantially upgraded Superfortress with more powerful Pratt & Whitney R-4360 engines and a dramatically taller tail fin, representing a 75 per cent redesign despite its visual similarity to the B-29.
Recognition (WEFT)
| W — Wings | Mid-mounted, tapered |
|---|---|
| E — Engines | 4 × piston, wing-mounted |
| F — Fuselage | 30.2 m fuselage |
| T — Tail | Conventional |
WEFT is AircraftIQ's four-point recognition method — how it works.
Spot it by:
- Tail fin dramatically taller than the B-29 — the B-50's fin is 8.5 m high versus 5.5 m on the B-29, giving a distinctive towering profile
- R-4360 Wasp Major engines in larger-diameter cowlings with prominent air intakes — wider and rounder than the B-29's Wright R-3350 cowlings
- Fuel jettison pipes visible under outer wing tips; wing strengthened and fuel capacity increased, with a longer chord on the inboard section
The taller tail is the single most reliable identifier against the B-29 — the B-50's fin towers visibly above the fuselage line; engine cowlings are also noticeably larger in diameter.
Specifications
- The Boeing B-50 Superfortress has a length of 30.2 m (99 ft).
- It has a wingspan of 43.1 m (141 ft).
- Its maximum speed is 604 km/h (375 mph).
- Typical crew: 8.
Figures are for the representative variant described above; marks differ. See how AircraftIQ sources figures.
History
Entering SAC service in 1948, the B-50 bridged the gap between the piston-era B-29 and the all-jet B-47. Lucky Lady II, a B-50A, completed the first non-stop round-the-world flight in 1949, refuelling from KB-29 tankers. The type was quickly superseded by jets but served on as the KB-50 tanker into the 1960s.
Variants
The B-50A, B, and D were strategic bombers with incremental improvements; the KB-50 tanker conversion added hose drums under the wings and in the bomb bay, extending the type's service life significantly.
Where you'll see it
A small number of B-50 airframes survive in museums; the Air Force Museum at Wright-Patterson holds static examples, and the type is represented in collections across the American south and midwest.
Related aircraft
- Boeing 377 Stratocruiser
- Boeing B-47 Stratojet
- Boeing L-15 Scout
- Boeing KB-29
- Convair XB-46
- Ilyushin Il-22
- Martin XB-48
- North American B-45 Tornado
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