B-29 Question

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I recently acquired a photo of a B-29 named "Georgia Peach." Does
anyone know what is the little camels painted below the pilot's window
on the B-29 signify? Obviously a mission accomplished, but from where
and by what group? I notice on TV that one of the B-29s that wound up
in Russia also had these camels.

[Kevin Brooks]

> wrote in message
...
> I recently acquired a photo of a B-29 named "Georgia Peach." Does
> anyone know what is the little camels painted below the pilot's window
> on the B-29 signify? Obviously a mission accomplished, but from where
> and by what group? I notice on TV that one of the B-29s that wound up
> in Russia also had these camels.

I believe it may refer to resupply missions flown "over the hump", when the
original B-29 force in theater (58th BW, IIRC) was trying to conduct
effective operations from bases in China. Due to shortages in transport
aircraft, B-29's were stripped of armament and pressed into temporary
service ferrying bombs and (IIRC again) fuel to the forward bases, to allow
the remainder of the force to execute offensive missions. The logistics
situation was pretty tough for those guys, and as soon as possible they were
relocated to the Mariannas (Tinian and/or Saipan).

Brooks

[C.D.Damron]

http://www.kennesaw.edu/history/Bell3photos.htm

There is a pic of the plane on this site.

> wrote in message
...
> I recently acquired a photo of a B-29 named "Georgia Peach." Does
> anyone know what is the little camels painted below the pilot's window
> on the B-29 signify? Obviously a mission accomplished, but from where
> and by what group? I notice on TV that one of the B-29s that wound up
> in Russia also had these camels.

[Steven P. McNicoll]

> wrote in message
...
>
> I recently acquired a photo of a B-29 named "Georgia Peach." Does
> anyone know what is the little camels painted below the pilot's window
> on the B-29 signify? Obviously a mission accomplished, but from where
> and by what group? I notice on TV that one of the B-29s that wound up
> in Russia also had these camels.
>

It signifies a flight over the Hump.

[Tex Houston]

> wrote in message
...
> I recently acquired a photo of a B-29 named "Georgia Peach." Does
> anyone know what is the little camels painted below the pilot's window
> on the B-29 signify? Obviously a mission accomplished, but from where
> and by what group? I notice on TV that one of the B-29s that wound up
> in Russia also had these camels.

I vaguely recall those as flights over the Hump from India to forward bases
in China to deliver gasoline to CBI forward operating bases. You drained
everything except your required return fuel. Not very efficient supply
procedure but war is not a profit making exercise. Best place to ask these
questions is probably the heavy bomber forums at
http://www.armyairforces.com/default.asp where you have experts on these
subjects.

Regards,

Tex Houston

[Cub Driver]

> what is the little camels painted below the pilot's window
>on the B-29 signify?

Yes, they mean flights over the Hump of the Himalayas. The Peach
presumably was part of Matterhorn, in which the 20th Wing was based at
Chengdu, China, and was tasked with hauling most of its ordnance and
fuel from China.

There's a plane at the SAC Museum in Omaha with the camel markings.
Forget the type of aircraft.

all the best -- Dan Ford
email:

see the Warbird's Forum at www.warbirdforum.com
and the Piper Cub Forum at www.pipercubforum.com

[Mark and Kim Smith]

Cub Driver wrote:

>>what is the little camels painted below the pilot's window
>>on the B-29 signify?
>>
>>
>
>Yes, they mean flights over the Hump of the Himalayas. The Peach
>presumably was part of Matterhorn, in which the 20th Wing was based at
>Chengdu, China, and was tasked with hauling most of its ordnance and
>fuel from China.
>
>There's a plane at the SAC Museum in Omaha with the camel markings.
>Forget the type of aircraft.
>

B29, Man O War.
http://www.warbirdsresourcegroup.org/registry/b29registry/b29-4484076.html

>
>all the best -- Dan Ford
>email:
>
>see the Warbird's Forum at www.warbirdforum.com
>and the Piper Cub Forum at www.pipercubforum.com
>
>

[Matt Wiser]

wrote:
>I recently acquired a photo of a B-29 named
>"Georgia Peach." Does
>anyone know what is the little camels painted
>below the pilot's window
>on the B-29 signify? Obviously a mission accomplished,
>but from where
>and by what group? I notice on TV that one
>of the B-29s that wound up
>in Russia also had these camels.
Those were missions flown over the Hump from India to China in 1944-45.


Posted via www.My-Newsgroups.com - web to news gateway for usenet access!

[John Keeney]

"Cub Driver" > wrote in message
...
>
> > what is the little camels painted below the pilot's window
> >on the B-29 signify?
>
> Yes, they mean flights over the Hump of the Himalayas. The Peach
> presumably was part of Matterhorn, in which the 20th Wing was based at
> Chengdu, China, and was tasked with hauling most of its ordnance and
> fuel from China.
>
> There's a plane at the SAC Museum in Omaha with the camel markings.
> Forget the type of aircraft.

I was there last summer but don't remember that plane.
Oh well, a lot of C-46s got Humps.

[sddso]

The Strategic Air and Space Museum (formerly the SAC Museum, now
combined with the Society of SAC) is no longer at either Omaha nor
Offutt AFB.

It relocated in 1998 to a site north of Interstate 80 Exit 426, near
Schramm State Park. For those unfamiliar with the map of Nebraska, that
is where I-80 crosses the Platte River, between Omaha and Lincoln.

http://www.strategicairandspace.com/General/general.htm
Strategic Air and Space Museum


The warbirdresourcegroup.org photo of Man - O - War does show it as
displayed inside SASM's new indoor facility.


Mark and Kim Smith wrote:

> Cub Driver wrote:
>
>>> what is the little camels painted below the pilot's window
>>> on the B-29 signify?
>>>
>>
>>
>> Yes, they mean flights over the Hump of the Himalayas. The Peach
>> presumably was part of Matterhorn, in which the 20th Wing was based at
>> Chengdu, China, and was tasked with hauling most of its ordnance and
>> fuel from China.
>>
>> There's a plane at the SAC Museum in Omaha with the camel markings.
>> Forget the type of aircraft.
>>
>
> B29, Man O War.
> http://www.warbirdsresourcegroup.org/registry/b29registry/b29-4484076.html
>
>>
>> all the best -- Dan Ford email:
>> see the Warbird's Forum at www.warbirdforum.com
>> and the Piper Cub Forum at www.pipercubforum.com
>>
>>
>

[Tex Houston]

"sddso" > wrote in message
...
> The Strategic Air and Space Museum (formerly the SAC Museum, now
> combined with the Society of SAC) is no longer at either Omaha nor
> Offutt AFB.
>
> It relocated in 1998 to a site north of Interstate 80 Exit 426, near
> Schramm State Park. For those unfamiliar with the map of Nebraska, that
> is where I-80 crosses the Platte River, between Omaha and Lincoln.
>
> http://www.strategicairandspace.com/General/general.htm
> Strategic Air and Space Museum
>
>
> The warbirdresourcegroup.org photo of Man - O - War does show it as
> displayed inside SASM's new indoor facility.

Closer to the Edward T. Mahoney State Park (all use the same exit) and
thereby lies a little know secret. The lodge at Mahoney serves a very good
buffet lunch and the entrance fee at the park added to the cost of the lunch
is still quite reasonable for the quality and there are no other places in
the nearby area to eat. The actual name of the nearest town is Ashland. I
went with a couple of WW-II vets whom I met at the museum.

Tex