B-32 Dominator

Click the thumbnails to enlarge them

XB-32 Dominator 1st prototype

1st prototype XB-32 Dominator 41-141 taxiing

3rd prototype XB-32 41-18336 in flight

3rd prototype XB-32 41-18336 in flight

B-32 Dominator 42-108532 Hobo Queen II of the 386th BS, 312th BG

42-108532 "Hobo Queen II" of the 386th BS, 312th BG

A twin-tailed XB-32 on the ground

A twin-tailed XB-32 Dominator on the ground

B-32 42-108530 „Direct From Tokyo” from 312th BG

B-32 "Direct From Tokyo" of the 386th BS, 312th BG 1945

Consolidated B-32 42-108471 3

B-32 42-108471 3

B-32 42-108471 experimentally fitted with B-29A tailfin

B-32 42-108471 experimentally fitted with B-29A tailfin

B-32 42-108471 experimentally fitted with B-29A tailfin 2

B-32 42-108471 experimentally fitted with B-29A tailfin 2

Consolidated B-32 42-108471 2

B-32 42-108471, color photo

Consolidated B-32 42-108476 in flight

B-32 42-108476

Consolidated B-32 42-108522

B-32 42-108522

Consolidated B-32 42-108537

B-32 42-108537 Kingman AB

B-32 Dominator 42-108543 of the 312th Bomb Group refueling Yontan airfield Okinawa

B-32 42-108543 of the 312th Bomb Group refueling Yontan airfield Okinawa

B-32 Dominators assembly canceled at Ft. Worth November 1945

B-32 assembly canceled at Ft. Worth November 1945

B-32 Dominator 42-108471 in flight

B-32 Dominator 42-108471 in flight

B-32 Dominator 42-108471 in flight 2

B-32 Dominator 42-108471 in flight 2

B-32 Dominator 42-108471 in flight 3

B-32 Dominator 42-108471 in flight 3

B-32 Dominator 42-108471 in flight 4

B-32 Dominator 42-108471 in flight 4

B-32 Dominator 42-108472 in flight

B-32 Dominator 42-108472 in flight

B-32 Dominator 42-108476 in flight

B-32 Dominator 42-108476 in flight

B-32 Dominator 42-108532 Hobo Queen II on the ground

B-32 Dominator 42-108532 "Hobo Queen II" of the 386th BS, 312th BG, 5th AF

B-32 Dominator 42-108536 in flight during World War II

B-32 Dominator 42-108536 in flight during World War II

B-32 Dominator bomber at the airfield

B-32 Dominator bomber at the airfield

Consolidated B-32 Dominator front view

B-32 Dominator front view

B-32 Dominator in flight 1945

B-32 Dominator in flight 1945

Consolidated B-32A Dominator in the Philippines 312nd bomb group 1945

B-32 Dominator in the Philippines, 312nd bomb group 1945

B-32 of the 386th BS. 312th BG Clark Field 1945

B-32 of the 386th BS. 312th 312th Bombardment Group (Heavy) at Clark Field 1945

B-32-1-CF 42-108471 August 1945

B-32-1-CF Dominator serial 42-108471, August 1945

Consolidated B-32 42-108578 Taxiing Towards The Runway On Yontan Airstrip Before Take Off 25 August 1945

Consolidated B-32 42-108578 Taxiing Towards The Runway On Yontan Airstrip Before Take Off 25 August 1945

Consolidated B-32 Dominator

Consolidated B-32 Dominator

Consolidated B-32 Dominator in flight

Consolidated B-32 Dominator in flight

B-32 on the ground ground

Consolidated B-32 Dominator on the ground ground

Consolidated B-32 Dominator on the ground ground

Consolidated B-32 Dominator on the ground ground 2

B-32 42-108547

Consolidated B-32-25-CF Dominator s/n 42-108547 in flight

3rd prototype XB-32 41-18336

Consolidated XB-32 41-18336 in flight

Crew trainer TB-32-10-CF Dominator 42-108506

Crew trainer TB-32-10-CF Dominator 42-108506

B-32 Dominator 42-108529 The Lady Is Fresh

Dominator 42-108529 "The Lady Is Fresh" of the 312th BG, Clark Field, Luzon

B-32 42-108529 The Lady Is Fresh of the 312th Bomb Group 386th Bomb Squadron

Dominator 42-108529 "The Lady Is Fresh" of the 312th Bomb Group 386th Bomb Squadron, Clark Field

B-32 Dominator 42-108532 Hobo Queen II 386th BS, 312th Bomb Group

Dominator 42-108532 named "Hobo Queen II" of the 386th Bomb Squadron, 312th Bomb Group

Consolidated B-32 on Florida Blanca Airstrip, Luzon, Philippine Islands

Dominator 42-108532 On Florida Blanca Airstrip, Luzon, Philippine Islands, August 1945

B-32 bombers in flight

Pair of B-32 bombers in flight

TB-32 42-108511

TB-32 42-108511 and others lined up on the final assembly line

TB-32 42-108524 in flight

TB-32 42-108524 in flight with bomb doors open to drop bombs

Third XB-32 41-18336 in flight

Third XB-32 41-18336 in flight

XB-32 2nd prototype, turrets in extended position

XB-32 2nd prototype, turrets in extended position

XB-32 Dominator 2nd prototype

XB-32 Dominator 41-142, 2nd prototype in flight

XB-32 41-142 28 February 1944

XB-32 s/n 41-142 28 February 1944

XB-32 Dominator s/n 41-142

XB-32 s/n 41-142 in flight

Consolidated B-32 Dominator was a last heavy bomber made for USAAF during World War II. Conceived as a B-29 Superfortress insurance, entered production in January 1944. Specifications:

variant XB-32 (prototype) B-32A Dominator (Terminator) -  Consolidated model 34
crew 6-11 10
wingspan (m) 41,15 41,15
lenght (m) 25,30 25,02
height (m) 6,35 9,80
wing area (m2) 132,11 132,11
empty weight (kg) 29466 27125
normal take-off weight (kg) 45748 45000
max take-off weight (kg) 51075 55462
engines Wright R-3350-13,  Cyclone, radial, twin row 18 cylinders, air cooled, supercharged.2200 hp for take-off Wright R-3350-23A Cyclone, radial, twin row 18 cylinders, air cooled, supercharged2200 hp for take-off
fuel (l) 20668 (3629 kg bombs), 26640 (max)
max speed (km/h) 605 574 at 9144 m
cruising speed (km/h) 467
landing speed 154
service ceiling (m) 9357 9357
climb to 7500 / 38 m
range (km) 7160 6758 (max); 1287 with max bomb load
climb to
bombs (kg) 9072 9072
armament 14 x 12,7 mm, 1 x20 mm, 10 x 12,7 mm
production 2 115
Reference:
  • Dominator: The Story of the Consolidated B-32 Bomber By Stephen Harding & James I. Long - Pictorial Histories Pub Co 1984
  • John Wegg: General Dynamics Aircraft and their Predecessors, Putnam
  • Airplane commander trining manual for the B-32 Dominator - AAF manual 51-126-7, 1945
  • S. Army Air Forces In The Pacific - Aero Pictorials 2
  • The Illustrated Encyclopedia of Combat Aircraft of World War II - Bill Gunston
  • Cataclysm, General Hap Arnold and the Defeat of Japan - Herman S. Wolk, University of North Texas Press
  • Burning Japan - Air Force Bombing Strategy Change in the Pacific - Daniel T. Schwabe
  • Whirlwind The Air War Against Japan 1942-1945 - Barrett Tillman
  • Bombs Away! Representing the Air War over Europe and Japan - Wilfried Wilms, William Rasch
  • William Wolf - Consolidated B-32 Dominator, The Ultimate Look: From Drawing Board to Scrapyard; 2006
  • Benjamin A. Sinko - Echoes of the Dominator, The Tales and the Men Who Flew the B-32; 2007
  • Stephen Harding - Last to Die: A Defeated Empire, a Forgotten Mission, and the Last American Killed in World War II, 2015
  • Michael J. Clarignbould, Lawrence J Hickey: Rampage of the Roarin' 20's : The Illustrated History of the 312th Bombardment Group During WWII, Eagles Over the Pacific Series - Vol 3
  • Robert E. Bradley - Convair Advanced Designs: Secret Projects from San Diego 1923-1962; 2010
  • United States. Army Air Forces - Airplane Commander Training Manual For The Dominator
  • Donald Nijboer - Air Combat 1945: The Aircraft of World War II's Final Year, Stackpole Military Photo Series; 2015