How The B-29 Defended Its Crews From Enemy Interceptors

The tail gunner on the B-29 Superfortress played a critical role in defending the bomber against enemy aircraft. Positioned in the aft section, the gunner faced backward, responsible for protecting the rear of the aircraft and the formation from tail attacks. But how effective was this defensive position?

Advanced Control Systems

The B-29’s tail turret was equipped with some of the most advanced technology of its time. It had an arc travel of up to 30 degrees in all directions, allowing flexibility in targeting.

The guns were fitted with the General Electric Central Fire Control System, which included position sensors and gyroscopes. These sensors fed data into an analog computer that calculated a ballistic solution, taking into account range estimation, bullet drop, deflection of both the gunner and the target, wind correction, and parallax. This technology significantly enhanced the accuracy of the gunner’s fire, making the tail turret a formidable defensive feature.

Improved Firepower

Earlier B-29 models were initially armed with a 20mm center tail cannon, but this was later replaced due to its limited 125-round ammunition capacity.

Most later versions of the B-29 adopted a dual .50-caliber tail gun configuration, which provided greater flexibility and range. These .50-caliber guns offered an advantage of up to 500 yards over attacking enemy fighters, making them more effective against interceptors approaching from the rear.

Defensive Formations

B-29s typically flew in 12-plane formations during daylight high-altitude missions. In this formation, the aircraft’s tail was well protected by the combined firepower of 41 machine guns positioned at the low 6 o’clock level and 51 machine guns at the high direction.

The concentrated defensive fire from multiple bombers made it extremely difficult for enemy aircraft to get through unscathed.

Day vs. Night Missions

Japanese fighter attacks usually came from the front. According to a 1945 report, 49% of the 6,000 recorded attacks in April came from the nose of the B-29, while only 16% came from the tail.

However, during night missions, this trend reversed, with 60% of attacks coming from the rear. This shift made the tail gunner even more critical during nighttime operations.

70-to-1 Kill Ratio

A declassified 1945 analysis highlighted just how effective the B-29’s gunnery system was against rear attacks. The report concluded that the ratio of enemy aircraft losses to B-29 losses during tail attacks was an impressive 70 to 1, underscoring the effectiveness of the tail gunner’s position.