Abstract: Apparatus for drying a wet paper web during manufacture of the paper web. The apparatus allows the moisture profile of the web to be carefully controlled and adjusted. The apparatus includes a rotatable dryer drum and a hood partially encompassing the rotatable dryer drum. A plurality of elongated heater nozzle boxes are disposed in the hood interior and extend across the dryer drum in the cross-machine direction, the elongated heater nozzle boxes being arrayed side-by-side in the machine direction. A plurality of gas burners is located in each of the nozzle box interiors and arranged side-by-side along the length of the nozzle box interiors for producing hot combustion gases within the nozzle box interiors of the heater nozzle boxes.