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ISBN 978-0-7864-4274-4
ix + 309 pages

Foreword; Acknowledgments; Introduction; Glossary; Bibliography; General Index; Aircraft Name Index; Serial Number Index

Appendices: Tracing the Evolution of a Mission; Operational Voice and Radio Codes, 1945; Etymology of Representative Aircraft Names

   In our review of Robert Mann's previous book, The B-29 Superfortress: A Comprehensive Registry of the Planes and Their Missions, we wrote "In short, this is not a book for light reading. It's a densely packed tome of data ripe for mining by anyone looking for detailed information about individual B-29s, air units equipped with B-29s, missions flown by B-29s, and targets hit by B-29s." Basically, we could say almost exactly the same thing about The B-29 Superfortress Chronology and leave it at that.
   But we won't.
   The new book is also a densely packed tome of data, organized in this case as a strict chronology. Chronology of what? A chronology of just about anything and everything Mann could locate regarding B-29 bombers during the period 1934 through 1960.

   Now and then, while doing research on the B-29, I became faced with the question of precisely where did this item fit in the (B-29) time context. The concept of doing a timeline of the B-29 slowly crept into my mind, and I decided to do something about it.
   The first question to be determined was just what was going to be time-lined? The answer was three basic categories of any entity: the birth and growth—historical and developmental; the life—identity, training or combat; the death—the place, time and manner of disposition.
   And so the timeline began. I culled histories, mission data, mission rosters, personal combat records, anything that related the B-29 to a date. And for the period through 1950, there was plenty of it. Of course, in some cases what was not said inflamed the imagination. A wonderful example is the brevity of the reason given for the airborne abort of a 499th Bomb Group airplane: "Cabin caught on fire." How? Where? Why?

   Mann seldom offers much in the way of context or explanation, but he provides an incredibly detailed listing of day-by-day events of all kinds, most notably movement and missions by individual aircraft, and in particular aircraft lost. His first item, dated 14 April 1934, states "Army General Staff approves 'Project A'—a feasibility study for a bomber that could fly 5,000 miles with a one ton bomb load." And his last entry, dated 21 June 1960, notes "[serial number] 42-65234. Last flight by last active duty B-29. Plane was a TB-29 engaged in radar evaluation work."
   Here's an example of a typical sequence of entries showing date, aircraft serial number, bomber wing and group, name of aircraft (if known), event, and—where applicable—mission number. In all cases, loss of a B-29 is flagged with an icon like >.

Oct. 14 1944 42-6319, 58BW/40BG, Himalaya Hussy. Bombs Takao NAS, Okayama, Formosa.
Oct. 14 1944 42-6322, 58BW/40BG, Bonnie Lee. Bombs Takao NAS, Okayama, Formosa.
Oct. 14 1944 42-6331, 58BW/40BG, Gone with the Wind. Bombs Takao NAS, Okayama, Formosa.
Oct. 14 1944 42-6342, 58BW/40BG, Sister Sue. Bombs Takao NAS, Okayama, Formosa.
Oct. 14 1944 42-6344, 58BW/40BG, Old Firing Butt/Princess Patsy. Bombs Takao NAS, Okayama, Formosa.
Oct. 14 1944 42-6348, 58BW/40BG, Bengal Lancer. Bombs Takao NAS, Okayama, Formosa.
Oct. 14 1944 42-6418, 58BW/40BG, Unnamed. Bombs Takao NAS, Okayama, Formosa.
Oct. 14 1944 42-24452, 58BW/40BG, Unnamed. Bombs Takao NAS, Okayama, Formosa.
Oct. 14 1944 42-24457, 58BW/40BG, Battlin' Beauty. Bombed tertiary target: Namao, Formosa.
Oct. 14 1944 42-24466, 58BW/40BG, The Able Fox. Bombs Takao NAS, Okayama, Formosa.
Oct. 14 1944 42-24503, 58BW/40BG, Nippon Nipper II. Bombs Takao NAS, Okayama, Formosa.
Oct. 14 1944 42-24508, 58BW/40BG, Ouija Bird. Bombs Takao NAS, Okayama, Formosa.
Oct. 14 1944 42-24522, 58BW/40BG, B-Sweet II. Bombed last resort target: Hengyang Airfield.
Oct. 14 1944 42-24541, 58BW/40BG, Bombin' Buggy II. Bombs Takao NAS, Okayama, Formosa.
Oct. 14 1944 42-24579, 58BW/40BG, Eddie Alien. Jettisoned bombs, XX BC Msn 10.
Oct. 14 1944 42-24582, 58BW/40BG, Little Clambert. Tail code Four Blue Stripes. Bombs Takao NAS, Okayama, Formosa.
Oct. 14 1944 42-24587, 58BW/40BG, San Antonio Rose. Bombs Takao NAS, Okayama, Formosa.
Oct. 14 1944 42-24589, 58BW/40BG, Calamity Jane. Tail code Four Red Stripes R. Bombs Takao NAS, Okayama, Formosa.
Oct. 14 1944 42-63363, 58BW/40BG, Marietta Misfit. Bombs Takao NAS, Okayama, Formosa.
Oct. 14 1944 42-63396, 58BW/40BG, Marietta Belle/Pretty Baby. Bombs Takao NAS, Okayama, Formosa.
Oct. 14 1944 S/n unknown, 58BW/40BG, Bombs Takao NAS, Okayama, Formosa.
Oct. 14 1944 42-6215, 58BW/444BG, Deacons Disciples. Bombs Takao NAS, Okayama, Formosa.
Oct. 14 1944 42-6225, 58BW/444BG, Ding How. Bombs Takao NAS, Okayama, Formosa.
Oct. 14 1944 42-6251, 58BW/444BG, Ole Battler. Bombs Takao NAS, Okayama, Formosa.
Oct. 14 1944 42-6262, 58BW/444BG, Round Trip Ticket. Bombs Takao NAS, Okayama, Formosa.
Oct. 14 1944 42-6267, 58BW/444BG, Winnie. Bombs Takao NAS, Okayama, Formosa.
Oct. 14 1944 >42-6280, 58BW/444BG, Unnamed. Missing from Takao NAS, Okayama, Formosa.
Oct. 14 1944 42-6292, 58BW/444BG, Black Jack. Bombs Takao NAS, Okayama, Formosa.
Oct. 14 1944 42-6300, 58BW/444BG, Round Robin Rosie. Bombs Takao NAS, Okayama, Formosa.
Oct. 14 1944 42-6307, 58BW/444BG. Blue Bonnet Belle. Bombs Takao NAS, Okayama, Formosa.

   On the other hand, some entries are a little broader.

May 10 1945 XXI BC Mission Number 162, Checkbook 16. Target: Kanoya Airfield, Kyushu (Target 1378). 313BW/505BG put up 12 planes, four bombed primary six bombed targets of opportunity. Time over target: 0855 to 0857. Altitude of attack: 14,900 to 20,000. Weather over target: 2/10. Direct hits on storage tanks. AA heavy, meager and inaccurate. Five B-29s damaged. Two B-29s landed at Iwo Jima. Average bomb load: 12,398 Ibs. Average fuel reserve: 751 gallons. No losses.

May 10 1945 XXI BC Mission Number 163, Indices 1. Target: Naval Fueling Station, Tokuyama (Target 73). 497BG and 498BG/73BW put up 33 and 34 planes respectively, 28 and 29 bombed primary. Time over target: 1052 to 1103. Altitude of attack: 18,000. Weather over target: CAVU. Twenty-eight E/A sighted, made 30 attacks, damaging one B-29. AA heavy, meager and inaccurate. Two B-29s non-effective. One B-29 landed at Iwo Jima. Average bomb load: 9,726 Ibs. Average fuel reserve: 950 gallons. No losses.

May 10 1945 XXI BC Mission Number 164, Rotative 1. Target: Naval Coal Yard/Briquette Plant, Tokuyama. 499BG and 500BG of 73BW put up 56 planes, all bombed primary. Time over target: 1107 to 1120. Altitude of attack: 18,700 to 21,080. Weather over target: 2/10. Five E/A sighted, no attacks. AA heavy, meager and inaccurate, damaged seven B-29s. Six B-29s non-effective. Four B-29s landed at Iwo Jima. Average bomb load: 10,395 Ibs. Average fuel reserve: 723 gallons. No losses.

May 10 1945 XXI BC Mission Number 165, Fainter 1. Target: Oil Refinery, Otake. All four groups of 314BW put up 132 planes, 112 bomb primary. 330BG put up 12 from 457BS, 12 from 458BS and nine from 459BG. 330BG attacked from 14,600 to 19,700 feet. Time over target 1048 to 1114 in clear weather. AA fire heavy but meager and inaccurate. Some formations received intense naval AA fire on withdrawal. Twenty- three 330BG planes suffered flak damage.

May 10 1945 XXI BC Mission Number 166, Anaphase 1. Target: Oshima Oil Storage, Oshima. 40BG, 444BG and 462BG of 58 BW put up 88 planes, 80 bombed primary. Time over target: 1105 to 1150. Altitude of attack: 16,850 to 18,700. Weather over target: 0/10. Twenty-nine E/A sighted, three made attacks. AA heavy, meager and inaccurate, damaged four B-29s. Six B-29s landed at Iwo Jima. Average bomb load: 10,607 Ibs. Average fuel reserve: 760 gallons. No losses.

May 10 1945 XXI BC Mission Number 167, Camlet 8. Target: Oita Airfield, Kyushu (Target 2521). 313BW/504BG puts up 20 planes, 17 bomb primary. Time over target: 0903 to 0927. Altitude of attack: 18,000 to 19,000. Weather over target: 0/10 to 2/10. No E/A sighted. AA Heavy, meager and inaccurate. One B-29 landed at Iwo Jima. Average bomb load: 11,875 Ibs. Average fuel reserve: 699 gallons. No losses.

May 10 1945 Super Dumbo, flown by aircraft of 314 Bomb Wing.

May 10 1945 XXI BC Mission Number 168, Cockcrow 5. Target: Saeki Airfield, Kyushu (Target 1306). 313BW/505BG puts up 11 planes, seven bomb primary. Time over target: 0931. Altitude of attack: 19,400. Weather over target: 2/10 to 6/10. Five E/A sighted, no attacks. AA heavy, meager and inaccurate. One B-29 landed at Iwo Jima. Average bomb load: 12,841 Ibs. Average fuel reserve: 516 gallons. No losses.

May 11 1945 XXI BC Mission Number 169, Bushing 5. Target: Nittagahara Airfield, Kyushu (Target 2521). 313BW/6BG puts up 11 planes, five bomb primary, six targets of opportunity. Time over target: 1653 to 1715. Altitude of attack: 15,400 to 22,400. Weather over target: 0/10 To 2/10. No E/A sighted, no attacks. AA heavy, meager and inaccurate. Two B-29s landed at Iwo Jima. Average bomb load: 11,440 Ibs. Average fuel reserve: 723 gallons. No losses.

   For these entries, Mann doesn't seem to have the same kind of aircraft-by-aircraft data available, and that's a point worth noting. As he indicates in his Introduction, these listings include all the material he's been able to cull from various sources, but that doesn't mean he's always been able to find and include every iota of data about every Superfortress. Thus, despite the quantity and quality of the material, it can't be considered comprehensive.
   The daily chronology (or "timeline," as Mann terms it) comprises over 200 pages, amounting to around 5800 entries. Fortunately, the author provides a general index, an index of aircraft names, and an index of serial numbers, so it's easy enough to determine, for example, that Princess Eileen (serial number 42-06323, of the 58th Bomb Wing and 444th Bomb Group) appears on page 33 and 38 while Princess Eileen II appears on nine pages.
   In addition to the chronology and indices, Mann includes a chapter on organizational structures and another on aircraft specifications. He also includes three appendices.
   The first, at about ten pages, describes a typical mission. The second, two pages, lists "operational voice and radio codes, 1945" such as Walnut (Central Field, Iwo Jima), Red Lips (Pagan Island), and Nelly's Nipple (Daio Saki Light). The third explains the derivation of some of the more interesting names painted on the noses of Superfortresses. For "Humpin Honey," for example, we're told: "The name [is a] double entendre. In the World War II time frame, 'humping' was a common phrase for sexual intercourse. So, 'Humpin Honey' could refer to a plane making many trips over the Hump, or...."
   Exactly like Mann's previous book on B-29s, The B-29 Superfortress Chronology will not rank high on anyone's list of the best light reading of the year. On the other hand, it's a staggering compendium of data, a great companion to The B-29 Superfortress: A Comprehensive Registry, and a terrific reference for anyone seriously interested in the big bombers. And that seems to be exactly what the author intended.
   Thanks to McFarland & Co, Inc for providing this review copy.
   Available from online booksellers, local bookshops, or directly from McFarland.

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Reviewed 4 October 2009
Copyright © 2009 by Bill Stone
May not be reproduced in any form without written permission of Stone & Stone