Interesting that this aircraft (and all of its’ 18 sisters) were authorized and built solely for Navigator training. Congress, when they originally authorized the build, restricted them from any other use as they were afraid that they would get siphoned off into VIP transport activity. I know, I was a T-29 AC at Mather at the time and flew a lot of trips taking various “teams” to meetings with Boeing, United, and the Navy about how the aircraft could and would be used. Of course, Navigator training has faded and almost all of whatever remains of that school can certainly be done in simulators.
As an interesting aside, most of the original squadron operating those aircraft, the 454th FTS went on to become the core of Southwest Airlines. I was in the 455th and flew the T-29 until I was reassigned to the C-141 at KSUU in 74. Herb Kelleher saw a great opportunity in hiring the AF folks with full United Airlines training and lots of experience in the -200 and jumped on it as the guys came up to the ends of their AF commitments.