[ARC5] Soviet B-29

[Mike Morrow]

> So it appears that at least the first B-29's acquired by the Soviets were pretty
> early aircraft and their equipment fit may not have reflected those of later machines.
> All of the airplanes were ones that flew from China rather than Saipan and so were
> the first B-29's to see combat.

Still, the 1RSB-70 transmitter system described in my Tu-4 radio installation manual
includes the Soviet copy of the ATC (or T-47/ART-13) COL-47282 (or CU-26/ART-13) LF/MF
external tank coil for 500 to 1500 kHz operation.  It does not seem very likely that one
of those would have been aboard a B-29 of any era.  I have original pilot's manuals for
the B-29 and B-29A and nothing like that is described in the communications equipment
sections.  So where did the Soviets find one of those to copy?

That alone seems to be some evidence that the 1RSB-70 system was not copied from any
interned USAAF aircraft like a B-29.  I still believe it likely that the ATC was
obtained by the Soviets through some other process, perhaps even some above-board
process.

The same goes for the interphone system, which my 1950 Tu-4 radio manual shows is an
exact copy of the old RC-36.  Every thing I've come across indicates that B-29s used
the AN/AIC-2 interphone system.  Why would the Soviets use an ancient system while
supposedly copying other more complex B-29 avionics?

I could very well be wrong in my conclusions, but I'd like to see some firm evidence
for all the copying said to have occurred *only after* some B-29s were impounded.

Mike / KK5F