The B-29 was an absolutely insane technical achievement. But it's also completely crazy to think that as soon as it was in service the Me-262 had made it obsolete. Also the German development of guided surface to air missiles. The US immediately had to build a pressurized jet bomber that would operate in a considerably tougher environment.
The US had began working on what would wind up as the B-52 that would fly 6 years later in 1951.
By that point you'd think that everything would keep changing.
Yet here we are almost 75 years later and the B-52 is still a US combat aircraft that is expected to stay in service until the 2050s.
B-29 service ceiling was 9710 m.
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Boeing_B-29_Superfortress#Spec...
For the Me-262 the service ceiling: 11,450 m
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Messerschmitt_Me_262#Specifica...
The B-29 was an absolutely insane technical achievement. But it's also completely crazy to think that as soon as it was in service the Me-262 had made it obsolete. Also the German development of guided surface to air missiles. The US immediately had to build a pressurized jet bomber that would operate in a considerably tougher environment.
The US had began working on what would wind up as the B-52 that would fly 6 years later in 1951.
By that point you'd think that everything would keep changing.
Yet here we are almost 75 years later and the B-52 is still a US combat aircraft that is expected to stay in service until the 2050s.
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Boeing_B-52_Stratofortress
The pace of technological development is so crazy.