General Electric
B-29 Superfortress Central Fire Control Technical Manual TO 11-70AA-9
This artifact resides in our Private Collection, yet we welcome inquiries from restorers, museums, or serious enthusiasts. Please email us with the name of the artifact at Curator@AeroAntique.com.
The Central Station Fire Control System Handbook of Operation and Service Instructions, TO 11-70AA-9, dated Oct 1943 revised July 1948, describes the installation, operation, servicing, and maintenance of the remote-controlled gunnery system made by General Electric which was used solely on the WWII-era and post war era US Army Air Force Boeing B-29 Superfortress Bomber.
The B-29 bomber was the first production bomber aircraft to use a central fire control system. According to the manual, it's advantages were:
- It permits the most effective location of guns and gunners
- Loss of a sighting station does not mean loss of a turret's fire power
- The turrets impose less drag on the airplane
- Sighting accuracy is increased
- A gunner's personal comfort is increased
- Protection for the airplane against damage from its guns
- Remove location of important electric equipment means better protection for it and less maintenance
- Facilitates proper weight distribution
- Simplifies pressurization of the airplane
The system consisted of 5 turrets (Upper-forward, Lower-forward, Upper-rear, Lower-rear, and Tail) and 5 sighting stations (Nose, Upper, Right-blister, Left-blister, and Tail). The system allowed a single gunner to train, track, and fire multiple turrets on a single enemy target.
The manual is over 600 pages with multiple fold-out illustrations and diagrams, and is in exceptional condition given its age.