In the early quiet afternoon of March 11th 1944, while 20 group aircraft were on a mission to the Munster marshalling yards, a new silhouette appeared in the sky above Glatton.
Lester Fried: “I was at Glatton that day and all eyes were immediatly focused upon the long cigar-shaped body and B-17 type rudder. Yes, it was a B-29 Superfortress, the first I had ever seen! Even more exciting was the prospect of a closer view as the huge plane lowered its landing gear, circled once more and lined up on the 2,000 yards mail East/West runway to land. The quiet surroundings came alive as officers and men appeared from all part to look over this latest ‘Boeing Beauty’.
749th Squadron Operations was only about 1/2 mile from the control tower, giving all around a good view of the bomber’s smooth landing. I did not need a second shout to join some of the staff to jeep it out for a closer look when the ‘monster’ had taxied in and parked.
The dark olive-drab/neutral gray aircraft, No. 41-36963, with high jutting tail, was soon surrounded by admiring base personnel with whom the crew exchanged questions and answers. Several officers were interested to learn that pilot command rank meant promotion to Major: many were under the impression that it was part of a recruiting drive for experienced crews for the Pacific Theatre together with Stateside leave thrown in for conversion training.
Our group returned late in the afternoon and just before dusk the 4 Wright R-3350-21 engines with their giant 4-bladed props lifted the giant bomber off for its return to its home base, never to be seen at Glatton again.”
The B-29 Superfortress landing at Glatton was YB-29, Serial Number 41-36963, ‘HOBO QUEEN’. It flew from Wichita to Miami and took off under ‘SECRET’ orders and flew south over the Atlantic Ocean, where she then headed North to Gander, Newfoundland. Refueling there, she then took off and flew non-stop to Horsham, St. Faith, in England.
When ‘HOBO QUEEN’ departed England, piloted by Capt. Miles Thomas, she flew directly to the CBI, arriving at Kharagpur on April 6th 1944. She was the second B-29 aircraft to arrive. The ‘HOBO QUEEN’ was assigned to the 462nd Bomb Group and the only YB-29 to see action and was used as a tanker to transport fuel (delivering a record of over 4,000 gallons of gasoline) over the ‘hump’ to keep the wheels moving against the Japanese Empire.
The reason for the YB-29 to tour several airbases was to let the German intelligence believe that the B-29 would be the standard B-17 replacement. The YB-29 also landed at Knettishal Air Base and Horsham St Faith Air Base
YB-29 ‘HOBO QUEEN’ approaching Glatton
YB-29 ‘HOBO QUEEN’ almost touching down
YB-29 ‘HOBO QUEEN’ arriving at Glatton
Men came from all over the base to see this new superfortress
Men came from all over the base to see this new superfortress
The ‘HOBO QUEEN’ just after she landed at Glatton
The ‘HOBO QUEEN’ just after she landed at Glatton
YB-29 ‘HOBO QUEEN’ with a big crowd