On Mon, 21 Jun 2004 11:00:12 -0700, Marc Reeve wrote:
David E. Powell wrote:
"Marc Reeve" wrote in message
. ..
Tank Fixer wrote:
Keith Willshaw attempted to say .....


Germany never managed to build a succesful heavy bomber,
the USA had 3 types in service and the B-36 under development

4 types in service
B17
B24
B29
B32 (one wing in the Pacific)

Wow. Had not known the B-32 ever made it into service. Interesting.

I heard somewhere that the last aircraft engagement of WW2 had B-32s
involved shooting back vs. fighters.

According to Joe Baugher's web page at

http://www.csd.uwo.ca/~pettypi/elevon/baugher_us/b032-01.html

this is true, on August 18, 1945:

"Following the dropping of the atomic bombs, in August of 1945, the unit [the 386th
Bombardment Squadron, the only AAF unit that flew the B-32] was ordered to move to
Okinawa.... Six more B-32s joined the squadron on Okinawa a few days later. Combat
operations continued in spite of the de-facto cease-fire that had been called
following the bombing of Nagasaki. During this time, the B-32s flew mainly
photographic reconnaissance missions, most of which were unopposed. However, on
August 17 a group of 4 B-32s flying over Tokyo were fired on by radar-directed
flak and were attacked by Japanese fighters. The American aircraft escaped with
only minor damage, claiming one confirmed fighter kill and two probables. During
a reconnaissance mission over Tokyo on August 18, 42-108532 and 42-108578 were
attacked by Japanese fighters. The American gunners claimed two kills and one
probable, but -108578 was badly shot up and one of her crew was killed with two
being injured. This was to prove to be the last combat action of World War 2."

Wonder if any are left?

I believe not. Article I read said that those in the field were scrapped
in place, while the flyable ones at the Consolidated plant were flown
straight to the boneyard, and the ones under construction were scrapped.

The same web page says one B-32 (42-108474) was set aside for display at the
Air Force museum, but was declared excess and scrapped at Davis-Monthan in
1949.

"Only bits and pieces of B-32s remain in existence today. A nose turret from
a B-32 is in storage at the Paul Garber Restoration Facility of the
Smithsonian Institution at Suitland, Maryland. Another B-32 nose turret is
on display in a Minnesota museum. A static test wing panel from a B-32 was
erected as a monument to aviation pioneer John J. Montgomery on a hill
near San Diego."


ljd