During World War 2, the production of the B-29 aircraft was one of the most complex and diverse manufacturing projects undertaken in the United States.
The project was executed through the coordination of thousands of subcontractors who supplied various components or assemblies to the four main production plants: Boeing operated these plants in Renton, Washington, and Wichita, Kansas, Glenn L. Martin in Omaha, Nebraska, and Bell in Marietta, Georgia.
In contrast, the B-24 aircraft relied on a significantly smaller number of subcontractors, with as many as 100 firms involved in its production, some of whom also utilized additional subcontractors.
The following is an incomplete list of the B-29 subcontractors during World War 2:
Name | Location | U.S. State | Product | Comments |
---|---|---|---|---|
Acme Chromium Plating Co. | New Haven | Connecticut | Studs for R-3350 engines | |
Acme Oil Burner Co. | Cedar Rapids | Indiana | Fuel Injector Valves | |
Acme Wire Company | New Haven | Connecticut | Magnetic wire & coil windings for ignition | |
AiResearch Manufacturing Co. | Phoenix | Arizona | Cabin pressure valves Exit flap control systems | |
Airplane Products Inc. | Joliet | Illinois | B-29s parts | |
American Can. Co. | Portland | Oregon | B-29 parts | |
American Screw Co. | Providence | Rhode Island | B-29 components | |
American Screw Prods. | Newark | New Jersey | R-3350 engine injectors Fuses | |
Andover Motors Co. | Elmira | New York | B-29 Aux. Motor | |
Apex Tool Co. | Bridgeport | Connecticut | B-29 parts | |
Atwood Vacuum Machine Co. | Rockford | Illinois | Ammunition bomb lugs | |
B.B Jensvold | Olympia | Washington | B-29 tunnels | |
Bailey Machine Co. | Plainville | Connecticut | Aluminum plugs, body lead, contacts & ferrule | |
Baldwin Co. | Cincinnati | Ohio | Wing tips Ailerons | |
Ballard Plastics Corp. | Seattle | Washington | Molded plastics items | |
Barco Mfg. Company | Chicago | Illinois | B-29 Parts, Flexible Joints | |
Bead Chain Mfg. Co. | Bridgeport | Connecticut | Radar parts | |
Bechtel-McCone Corp. | Birmingham | Alabama | Airplane modification | U.S. Government Modification Center No. 14 |
Bell Aircraft Corp. | Marietta | Georgia | Completed B-29 | U.S. Government Assembly Plant No. 6. Bell produced 663 B-29s in Marietta |
Bell Machine. Co. | Philadelphia | Pennsylvania | B-29s Pilot Control | |
Benk Machine Shop | St. Paul | Minnesota | Bomb Rack Parts | |
Berco Manufacturing Co. | Chicago | Illinois | Landing gears | |
Bethel Machine Co. | Danbury | Connecticut | R-3350 engine parts | |
Biekford & Carrier Company | Greenfield | Massachusetts | Control Valve, Gas Inj. | |
Blacher Bros. | Providence | Rhode Island | B-29 components | |
Boeing Airplane Co. | Wichita | Kansas | Completed B-29 | Boeing produced 1630 B-29s in Wichita |
Boeing Airplane Co., Boeing Aircraft Co. Division | Renton | Washington | Completed B-29 | Boeing produced 1119 B-29s in Renton |
Boeing Airplane Co., Boeing Aircraft Co. Division | Tacoma | Washington | Sub-assemblies | |
Boeing Airplane Co., Boeing Aircraft Co. Division Branch Plant #681 | Aberdeen | Washington | fuselage frame, wing rib assemblies | |
Boeing Airplane Co., Boeing Aircraft Co. Division Branch Plant #682 | Everett | Washington | B-29 parts | |
Boeing Airplane Co., Boeing Aircraft Co. Division Branch Plant #683 | Bellingham | Washington | B-29 parts | |
Boeing Airplane Co., Boeing Aircraft Co. Division Branch Plant #685 | Chehalis | Washington | B-29 parts | |
Boeing Airplane Co., Boeing Aircraft Co. Division Branch Plant #687 | Everett | Washington | B-29 parts | |
Boeing Airplane Co., Boeing Aircraft Co. Division Branch Plant #689 | Hoquiam | Washington | fuselage frame, wing rib assemblies | |
Boeing Airplane Co., Boeing Aircraft Co. Division Plant #2 | Seattle | Washington | Completed B-29 | |
Bowser & Co. , Ino of Wayne Pump Co. | Fort Wayne | Indiana | Drive assemblies | |
Bowser, Inc. | Fort Wayne | Indiana | B-29 parts | |
Bowser, Inc. | Chelsea | Michigan | Gears for B-29 | |
Bridgeport Safety Emery Wheel Co. | Bridgeport | Connecticut | Clutch facings | |
Bridgetport Thermostat Co. | Bridgeport | Connecticut | Assembly Oil Strainer R-3350 engine | |
Briggs Manufacturing Co. | Detroit | Michigan | Flaps Aft bomb doors Forward bomb doors Nose wheel doors Dorsal fins and stabilizers Empennage and outboard wing | |
Cahpman Machine Co. | Terryville | Connecticut | Auto screw products | |
Car-Max Mfg. Co. | Minneapolis | Minnesota | R-3350 engine parts | |
Castle Metal Products Co. | Stamford | Connecticut | Super Charge parts | |
Century Engineering Co. | Cedar Rapids | Indiana | Bomb fuses and B-29 parts | |
Cessna Aircraft Co. | Wichita | Kansas | Sub-assemblies | |
Cessna Aircraft Co., Engineering Co. Division | Wichita | Kansas | Sub-assemblies | |
Char-Lynn Co. | Minneapolis | Minnesota | Bomb sight parts | |
Chowning Regulator Corp. | Corning | New York | B-29 Aux. Motor | |
Chrysler Corp., Airtemp Division | Dayton | Ohio | AC Parts | |
Chrysler Corp., DeSoto Plant | Detroit | Michigan | Nose and center fuselage Engine cowlings Nose pressure cabins | |
Chrysler Corp., Dodge - Chicago Plant | Chicago | Illinois | R-3350 engines | |
Chrysler Corp., Highland Park Plant | Highland Park | Michigan | Nose and center fuselage | |
Chrysler Corp., Plymouth Plant | Detroit | Michigan | Nose and center fuselage | |
City Engineering Co. | Indianapolis | Indiana | B-29 parts | |
Clyde Porcelain Steel Corp. | Clyde | Ohio | Turret parts | |
Columbia Mech. & Eng. Corp. | Hamilton | California | Parts for B-29 Clutches | |
Columbus Specialty Co. | Columbus | Indiana | De-icing | |
Comstook & Co. | Norwalk | Connecticut | Canvas covers | |
Connecticut Manucfacturing Co. | Waterbury | Connecticut | Screw Mach. prod | |
Connecticut Telephone & Electric Co. | Meriden | Connecticut | Connector nuts | |
Constock & Co. | Norwalk | Connecticut | Covers, pads, cords & sleeves | |
Continental Airlines , Inc., Denver Modification Center | Denver | Colorado | Airplane modification | U.S. Government Modification Center No. 13 |
Cope Brothers, Inc. | Farmington | Connecticut | Component parts | |
Corbin Screw Corp. | New Britain | Connecticut | Padlocks, etc | |
Cornelius Co. | Minneapolis | Minnesota | Motor Compressors | |
Crosley Corporation Plant 2 | Cincinnati | Ohio | APB-4 Radar, SCH-694 Components | |
Curtis Wright Corp | Stamford | Connecticut | Propellers B-29 LVT Drive | |
Curtiss - Wright Corp. | Stamford | Connecticut | Pitch regulator for propeller | |
Curtiss - Wright Corp., Wright Aeronautical Corp. Division | Paterson | New Jersey | R-3350 engines | |
Curtiss - Wright Corp., Wright Aeronautical Corp. Division | Wood-Ridge | New Jersey | R-3350 engines | |
D. & N. Machine Co. | East Hartford | Connecticut | Machine parts | |
Decker Mfg. Co. | Rockford | Illinois | Screw machine parts | |
Doran Brothers Inc. | Danbury | Connecticut | Gyro assembly | |
E.W Carpenter Mfg. Co. | Bridgeport | Connecticut | B-29 parts | |
Eastern Engineering Co. | New Haven | Connecticut | Pumps | |
Electrolux Corp. | Stamford | Connecticut | Commutator dynamotor for airborne radar & inverters | |
Eoudreau Machine & Tool Co. | Bridgeport | Connecticut | B-29 parts | |
Exacta Mfg. Co. | New Haven | Connecticut | Couplings | |
Excel Tool & Engineering Co. | Evansville | Indiana | B-29 parts | |
Fibre Forms | Columbia City | Indiana | B-29 Silver Pleated Dashings | |
Fieldstone Tool & Mach. | Bronx | New York | Component of R-3550 | |
Firestone Tire & Rubber Co. | Ferndale | Washington | Self sealing fuel cells | |
Fisher Aircraft | Cleveland | Ohio | B-29 components | |
Fisher Body Co. #1 | Cleveland | Ohio | Nacelles & tank parts | |
Forest Industires | Tacoma | Michigan | Formed plastic parts | |
Frank Wheeler & Son | Meriden | Connecticut | Valve seat | |
Frey Mfg. Co. | Hartford | Connecticut | Steel ring | |
General Aircraft Equipment Corp. | Stamford | Connecticut | B-29 parts | |
General Armature Corp. | Lock Haven | Pennsylvania | Commutators | |
General Electric Co. | Schenectady | New York | Fire control sets | |
General Electric Co. | Bloomfield | New Jersey | Turret interrupters, Turret Synchronisers | |
General Electric Co. | Everett | Massachusetts | Turbo-super-charger | |
General Motors Corp., AC Spark Plug Division | Flint | Michigan | Automatic pilots , m-5 ( sperry) | Contract for 1,000 automatic pilots |
General Motors Corp., Fisher Body Division | Cleveland | Ohio | Outboard wings, horizontal stabilizers, fins and nacelles | U.S. Government Assembly Plant No. 7. It produced 13,772 B-29 engine nacelles plus 566 nose sections |
General Motors Corp., Fisher Body Division | Detroit | Michigan | Sub-assemblies | |
General Motors Corp., Fisher Body Division | Lansing | Michigan | Engine nacelles | |
General Motors Corp., Frigidaire Division | Dayton | Ohio | Hamilton propellers | $40 million deal to supply 6,600 Hamilton propellers |
General Railway Signal Co. | Rochester | New York | Fire control equipment ( remote control turrets ) | By end of war, it manufactured 2,100 remotely-controlled gun turrets. |
General Refineries Inc. | Minneapolis | Minnesota | B-29 Parts | |
Gerber Brothers | Seattle | Washington | Molded oxygen panel, astrocompass bracket, wing liner guide | |
Glenn Martin L. Co. | Middle River | Maryland | Nacelles Airplane power turrets | |
Glenn Martin L. Co. | Omaha | Nebraska | Completed B-29 | U.S. Government Assembly Plant No. 1 Martin produced 531 B-29s in Omaha |
Glenn Martin L. Co. | Omaha | Nebraska | Airplane modification | U.S. Government Modification Center No. 8 |
Globe Tool & Die Co. | Southbridge | Massachusetts | Auto. gan charge | |
Goodrich , B. F. , Co. | Grand Rapids | Michigan | De-icers Fuel cells | |
Goodyear Tire & Rubber Co., Goodyear Aircraft Corp. Division | Newark | Ohio | Motor mounts | |
Goodyear Tire & Rubber Co., Goodyear Aircraft Corp. Division | Akron | Ohio | Fuselage sections and empennage assemblies Leading edges for the wing elevators Stabilizers, vertical fins and center sections | Plant C |
Grinold Auto Parts, Inc. | Hartford | Connecticut | Bombsight sectors | |
H & M Corp. | Cambridge | Massachusetts | Gyroscope parts | |
H. C. Baum Co. | Plainville | Connecticut | Spring fuse | |
H. Wibling tool & Mfg. Co. | Danbury | Connecticut | Charger parts | |
Halliburton Oil Well Cementing Co. | Duncan | Oklahoma | B-29 Components | |
Hardware Specialties Mfg. Co. | Bridgeport | Connecticut | Machine parts | |
Hartford Mach. Tool, Inc. | Hartford | Connecticut | Trunnion bolts | |
Harvey Wells Electronics Co. | Southbridge | Massachusetts | Loop antenna, B-29 programs | |
Henry & Wright Mfg. Co. | Hartford | Connecticut | Screw door assemblies, Nut, drum & screw assem. | |
Hereshey Metal Products | Derby | Connecticut | B-29 parts | |
Holtzer Cabot Elec. Co. | Jam Plain | Massachusetts | Inverters | |
Hoosier Cardinal Corp. | Evansville | Indiana | Bomb racks & Turrets | |
Horthern L-Ray Co. | Minneapolis | Minnesota | B-29 parts | |
Hudson Motor Car Co. | Detroit | Michigan | Sub-assemblies Production of three huge fuselage sections (two of them pressurized) Outer wings and wing tips | It produced 802 B-29 rear fuselages, bulkheads, outer wing panels and wingtips |
Ideal Tool & Machine Co. | Great Bend | Pennsylvania | Jigs, Tools, Dies & Fixtures for B-29 parts | |
Indian Motocycle Co. Main Plant | Springfield | Massachusetts | Aircraft components | |
Indianapolis Tool & Die | Indianapolis | Indiana | Comps & Radar part | |
International Business Machines(IBM) Corp. | Endicott | New York | Sperry bomb sights s-1 Computers Turrets Fire control sights for remote control gun turrets | |
Interstate Mfg. Corp. | New Haven | Connecticut | Aircraft Instrument for B-29 | |
Iron Fireman Mfg. Co. | Portland | Oregon | Fuse, bomb parts | |
Ittenbach G. Company | Indianapolis | Indiana | Packing boxes for B-29 propellers | |
Ivanoff Machine Shop | Seattle | Washington | Tools, dies, fixtures, handling equip. | |
J. C. Barton | East Hampton | Connecticut | Incendiary bomb cavity steel molds | |
J.A. Otterbein Co. | Middletown | Connecticut | Components for B29s incendiary bombs | |
Johns-Hartford Tool Co. | Hartford | Connecticut | prop. Eng. studs | |
Johnson Mfg. Co. | Bridgeport | Connecticut | B-29 parts | |
Jones & Lamson Machine Co. | Springfield | Vermont | Gear assemblies | |
Kar Engineering Co. | Great Barrington | Massachusetts | Gun Turret Mechanism | |
Ken Products Co. | Evansville | Indiana | B-29 parts | |
Kenworth Motor Truck | Seattle | Washington | Sub-assembly work, wheel well assembly, navigators floor | |
Korry Manufacturing Co. | Seattle | Washington | Cabin & instrument lamps | |
Landers, Frary and Clark | New Britain | Connecticut | Motor coils | |
Lawson Machine & Tool Co. | Malden | Massachusetts | R-3350 engine parts | |
Lee Company | Hartford | Connecticut | Screw mach. prod & eng. studs | |
Libbey-Owens-Ford Glass Co. | Ottawa | Illinois | Canopies and cabin noses | |
Linotype Parts Co. | Weatherly | Pennsylvania | B-29 Propeller Spring Pack Retainers | |
Luminous Engineering Co. | Boston | Massachusetts | Instrument dials | |
Lyle Sign Co. | Minneapolis | Minnesota | Sub-assemblies | |
Lynch Brothers | Pine Meadow | Connecticut | Filter B-29 motors | |
Macallen Co. | South Boston | Massachusetts | Mica Parts | |
Mamco Manufacturing Co. | Seattle | Washington | Molded & cut phenolic parts, electrical panels, fair leads, etc | |
Manning Bowman Co. | Meriden | Connecticut | Vibrator parts & air speed tubes | |
Manson Mfg. Co. | Boston | Massachusetts | R-3350 engine studs | |
Max Ams Machine Co. | Bridgeport | Connecticut | B-29 parts | |
McClintock, O.B. Co. | Minneapolis | Minnesota | Cowl Flap Actuator | |
McDonnell Aircraft Corp. | Memphis | Tennessee | Sub-Assembly | |
McDonnell Aircraft Corp. | St. Louis | Missouri | Fuselage sections | |
Medoo Mfg. Co. | New York City | New York | Tuning units for Radio receivers | |
Mers Engineering Co. | Indianapolis | Indiana | B-29 parts | |
Metallurgical Serv. Co. | Indianapolis | Indiana | Salvage operation on fuel cells | |
Metropilis Bending Co. | Metropilis | Illinois | Wood parts | |
Minnetonka Machine Works | Minneapolis | Minnesota | Press Parts | |
Moore Drop Forging Co. | Springfield | Massachusetts | Hdwe. & Mountings | |
Moudings Inc. | Indianapolis | Indiana | B-29 parts | |
Murray Corp. of America | Ecorse | Michigan | Outer wings | |
Murray Corp. of America | Scranton | Pennsylvania | Wing, Wing Tip & Aileron Assembly | 500,000-square-foot plant |
National Bronce & Aluminum Co. | Springfield | Massachusetts | Castings | |
New england Caroide Tool Co. | Cambridge | Massachusetts | Carbide & Diamond tipped cutting tools | |
Northwest Chair Co. | Tacoma | Washington | Wood assemblies | |
Northwest Metal Products Co. | Kent | Washington | AN hose clamps | |
Norton Heon Co. | Denver | Colorado | Parts for B-29 | |
Nutmeg Tool Co. | Glastonbury | Connecticut | Prec. tools | |
O.B. McClintock Co. | Minneapolis | Minnesota | Cowl flap actuator | |
Olson Brothers | Plainville | Connecticut | B-29 parts | |
Pacific Car & Foundry | Renton | Washington | Inboard wing spars | |
Parkadale Army Air Field | Shreveport | Louisiana | Maintenance & repair of B-29 | |
Peaslee Metal Products | East Hartford | Connecticut | Centerless grinding studs | |
Perkin Elner Corp. | Stamford | Connecticut | Lenses | |
Pitney Bowes Postage Meter Co. | Stamford | Connecticut | B-29 Parts | |
Plastics Manufacturers, Inc. | Stamford | Connecticut | Gun grips | |
Plymouth Electric Co. | New Haven | Connecticut | Gyro compass parts | |
Pottstown Mfg. Company | Pottstown | Pennsylvania | B-29 parts | |
Precision Grinding, Inc. | Westbury, L. I. | New York | Parts for B-29 | |
Precision Product Co. | Waltham | Massachusetts | Hair Springs | |
Puget Sound Sheet Metal Plant #2 | Seattle | Washington | Aircraft fabrication for B-29s | |
Puget Sound Sheet Metal Plt. #2 | Seattle | Washington | Aft. body section, inboard ing leading edge sections, spare parts & sub-assemblies | |
R. Bemont & Son. | Meriden | Connecticut | Anemostat cap, mics, pts | |
Ravenna Metal Products Co. | Seattle | Washington | Drill bushings, special bolts, machined parts | |
Republic Aviation Corp. | Evansville | Indiana | Cowling | |
Reynolds Metals Co. | Springfield | Massachusetts | Castings | |
Rogers, Lunt & Bowlen Co. | Greenfield | Massachusetts | Gas Injection | |
Ruggles Lumber Co. | Kingston | Pennsylvania | Bomber Wing crates | |
Savage Metal Products Co. | Seattle | Washington | Small machine work, pins, bushings, etc | |
Scott-Atwater Mfg. Co. | Minneapolis | Minnesota | Sub-assemblies | |
Seeger Refrigerator Co. | St. Paul | Minnesota | Bomb racks | |
Seidelbuber Iron & Bronze | Seattle | Washington | Special service tools, ground handling equipo for B-29 | |
Sessions Clock Co. | Forestville | Connecticut | Exhaust manifold & press parts | |
Seth thomas Clock Co. | Thomaston | Connecticut | B-29 devicer | |
Singer Mfg. Co. | Elizabeth | New Jersey | Sighting Stations | |
Smith , A. O. , Corp | Milwaukee | Wisconsin | Landing gears | |
Solar Aircraft Co. | Des Moines | Iowa | Manifolds | |
Spring Services Co. | Scranton | Pennsylvania | Heat treating tank end connectors Wing Reinforcing brackets | |
Springfield Bronse & Aluminum Co. | Springfield | Massachusetts | Castings | |
Stearman Aviation, Inc. | Enid | Oklahoma | B-29 component land | |
Steel Products Co. | Danbury | Connecticut | B-29 parts | |
Stolle Corporation | Sidney | Ohio | Machining Assembly Devices | |
Storm Drop Forging Co. | Springfield | Massachusetts | Gas Injection Parts | |
Sulak Manufacturing Co. | Seattle | Washington | Aircraft parts | |
Textile Machine Works | Reading | Pennsylvania | Turret drives | |
The Chas. B. Scott Co. | Scranton | Pennsylvania | Machining Wing parts | |
The George S. Scott Mfg. Co. | Wellingford | Connecticut | Rockerbox cover gasket | |
The Todd Company | Rochester | New York | B-29 Parts | |
Thomaston Special Tool Co | Thomaston | Connecticut | Cam shafts, dust shields, shim washers | |
Thompson Bros. Pattern Works | Indianapolis | Indiana | Patterns | |
Thompson Candy Co. | Meriden | Connecticut | Heavy artillery device | |
Thorne-Brown Co. | Westport | Connecticut | Lamps | |
Tomlee Tool & Engineering Co. | Minneapolis | Minnesota | Carburator and fuel injection parts | |
Torrington Co. | Torrington | Connecticut | Needle bearings | |
Torrington Mfg. Co. | Torrington | Connecticut | Air impellers | |
Turner & Seymour | Torrington | Connecticut | Parts & Tools | |
U.S. Textile Machine Co. | Scranton | Pennsylvania | Machining B-29 Bomber parts | |
U.S. Time Corp. | Waterbury | Connecticut | Mark 1 fuse | |
United Aircraft Corp., Hamilton Standard Propeller Division | East Hartford | Connecticut | Propellers | |
Universal Machine Co. | New Britain | Connecticut | Pin stainless steel & plugs | |
Universal Pattern & Model | Hartford | Connecticut | Patterns | |
Van Veen Engineering Co. | Hartford | Connecticut | Machines for making nuts % screws | |
Veeder Root Inc. | Hartford | Connecticut | Round counters, Bendix remote control drive, etc | |
Vida Mfg. Co. | Clifton | New Jersey | Converter cores | |
Volco Copper & Brass Co. | Kenilworth | New Jersey | Wire | |
Voss Bros. Manufacturing Co. | Davenport | Iowa | ALt. & Detector Assys. B-29 | |
W.H. Nichols & Sons | Waltham | Massachusetts | Pumps | |
Warren Telechron Co. | Ashland | Massachusetts | Gear reduction units fof turrets control computer, Relay for aircraft control | |
Warren Telechron Co. | Lowell | Massachusetts | Relays | |
Washington Iron Works | Seattle | Washington | Wing flap tracks, large boring, mill machining | |
Welded Products Co. | Oklahoma City | Oklahoma | Equipment for production of B-29's | |
Wesel Mfg. Co. | Scranton | Pennsylvania | Machining B-29 Bomber Parts Jigs, tool & Fixture or B-29 BOmber parts for Murray Corp. | |
Wessor Mfg. Co. | Bridgeport | Connecticut | B-29 parts | |
Western Die Casting | Emeryville | California | Die Castings | |
Western Gear Works | Seattle | Washington | Gears and machine work | |
Western Gear Works | Vernon | California | Tail skid Actuators | |
Western Supplies Co. | St. Louis | Missouri | B-29 parts | |
Westfield Mfg. Co. | Westfield | Massachusetts | Needle Bearings | |
White Engineering Works Inc. | Stamford | Connecticut | B-29 parts | |
Wiley & Lett | Marion | Indiana | B-29 parts | |
William D. Gibson Co. | Chicago | Illinois | Precision & motor type springs | |
Wittie Manufacturing & Sales Co. | Chicago | Illinois | Ventilator fans | |
Yale & Towne Mfg. Co. | Stamford | Connecticut | Radio parts |
Further reading
- Manufacturing Marvel: The Story of the B-29’s Production
- Boeing B-29 Superfortress Facts: 11 things to know
Bibliography
- War Industrial facilities Authorized July 1940 – August 1945, Civilian Production Administration Industrial Statistics Division July 30, 1946
- Report of War Plants and Services in Urgency Rating Bands III Thru VII. 1945, Office of the Deputy Vice Chairman for Field Production Operations
- Boeing B-29 Superfortress Manual 1942-60 (all marks)(Owners’ Workshop Manual) by Chris Howlett