Please note that the content of this book primarily consists of articles available from Wikipedia or other free sources online. The Boeing XB-44 Superfortress was a United States B-29 Superfortress bomber aircraft upgraded with Pratt & Whitney R-4360-33 Wasp Major radial engines of 3,000 horsepower (2,200 kW) takeoff rating, in place of the production engines rated at 2,200 hp (1,600 kW) takeoff rating. The program began in mid-1943, when Pratt & Whitney proposed to the United States Army Air Forces (USAAF) that the B-29 be modified with larger engines. In July 1944, a contract was signed and one B-29A-5-BN (s/n 42-93845) was made available to P & W for developmental work. Modification involved complete redesign of the four engine nacelles, including the addition of a large airscoop below each cowling. Because the aircraft was intended to be only a testbed for the engine installation, most of its defensive equipment was removed before testing.