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B-29 Superfortress "The Great Artiste"
A total of 3,970 B-29 Superfortresses were built during production for World War II. Only a few have been preserved, restored, and are on static display; about 22 complete B-29 airframes are currently on display in the United States.
One B-29 survivor, "The Great Artiste", S/N 44-61671, is on display at Whiteman Air Force Base, Knob Noster, Missouri. It is a gatekeeper aircraft, located to the right of the Spirit Gate.
It is painted and marked as B-29 S/N 44-27353, assigned to the 393rd Bombardment Squadron of the 509th Composite Group in the Pacific Theater during 1945. The original Great Artiste was lost in an accident.
Whiteman AFB today is home to the 509th Bomb Group, which dropped the atomic bombs in Japan to end World War II. The 509th currently operates the U.S. Air Force's fleet of B-2 Spirit stealth bombers.
The Great Artiste is on secured Whiteman AFB property and not accessible to the public without access approval. Check with base security about photography access, credentials, and escort policies.
Whiteman Air Force Base, Spirit Gate, showing the B-29 Superfortress "The Great Artiste" gatekeeper (photo courtesy of Whiteman Air Force Base) |
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Complete Listing of Surviving B-29 Superfortress Aircraft
click to see a complete list of surviving B-29s, their names, serial numbers, and locations
Photographs of the Boeing B-29 Superfortress "The Great Artiste"
Right fuselage view of the B-29 Superfortress "The Great Artiste" at Whiteman Air Force Base, Missouri |
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Nose view of the B-29 Superfortress "The Great Artiste" at Whiteman AFB in Missouri |
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Close-up view of the nose art on the B-29 Superfortress "The Great Artiste" at Whiteman AFB |
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Cockpit view of the B-29 Superfortress "The Great Artiste" at Whiteman Air Force Base, Knob Noster, Missouri |
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Full fuselage view of the B-29 Superfortress "The Great Artiste" at the Spirit Gate, Whiteman AFB |
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Tail section of the B-29 Superfortress "The Great Artiste" restored and on display at Whiteman AFB |
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Sign at Whiteman Air Force base about the B-29 Superfortress "The Great Artiste" |
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Overall view of the B-29 Superfortress "The Great Artiste" display area at Whiteman AFB, Missouri |
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More about the B-29 Superfortress |
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