B-29 Superfortress

The B-29 Superfortress is a four-engine, propeller-driven, heavy bomber that was flown primarily by the United States during World War II and the Korean War.

Background
On July 21, 1948, one of these aircraft crashed into Lake Mead. 333 years later, the aircraft became an object of interest for the Boomers, who intend to raise it from the lake's bottom and restore to flyable condition, using parts from a museum B-29 that was kept at Nellis Air Force Base. Should the Courier assist in retrieving the B-29 for the Boomers, they will appear briefly during the Second Battle of Hoover Dam as air support.

Characteristics
The Boeing B-29 was a flying craft which was primarily designed to carry and drop extensive amounts of bombs and later converted to drop the first and only atomic bombs during an armed conflict. In addition to the offensive bombs, it contained 12 .50 caliber M2 defensive guns: Two turrets on top with 4 and 2 MGs, two turrets on the bottom with 2 MGs each, plus 2 MGs in the tail gun position. Earlier configurations included an additional 20mm cannon in the tail gun.

Appearances
B-29 Superfortress appears only in Fallout: New Vegas.

Behind the scenes

 * A B-29 really crashed into Lake Mead on July 21, 1948. This was an F-13/RB-29 reconnaissance variant (with no weapons), which lost three engines on impact, and the fourth burst into flames. The difference in the Fallout version of this event is one of the earliest points of divergence in the Fallout timeline.
 * The aircraft's defensive armament is excessive to any real-world B-29. Instead of one quad .50 cal turret and three double .50 cal turrets, all four turrets on the in-game models are equipped with four M2 BMGs, upping the armament from 10 to 18 guns total.
 * On August 6, 1945, a B-29 known as the Enola Gay was the first aircraft to ever drop a nuclear weapon. The B-29 continued service well into the Cold War, but was phased out by 1960 for newer bombers.
 * The "Circle A" tail code corresponds to the 106th Bombardment Wing, based at March Air Force Base from 1951-1952.