Another B29 returns from the grave!!!

[femurphy77]

Woohoo! Seems like "Doc" had been relegated to bombing range target duty but now after 16 years and over 350,000 volunteer man-hours he's destined to return to the sky!! Sorry it's just the story but will post or link pics when I find them!

Restored Vintage World War II Bomber Certified to Fly - ABC News

Link with video: http://www.kansas.com/news/business/aviation/article78958292.html

 

[GodFearinGunTotin]

That's cool. I can't imagine spending the money it takes to own a single engine Cessna or something along those lines. I'll bet owning and flying that thing is one heck of a money pit. I'm glad they were able to bring it back to life.

 

[MuttX7]

That is pretty awesome they were able to bring the plane back to flight status and that is one beautiful plane.

 

[Leadeye]

Those R-3350s are pretty thirsty running 100ll.

 

[Alamo]

The Wichita plant manufactured 1,644 of the airplanes, which are best known as the bomber type used to drop atomic bombs on Hiroshima and Nagasaki in Japan, ending World War II in the Pacific.

So, if they get Doc in the air, that along with FiFi will make...two flying B29s...out of the original 1644. Wow.

 

[kalboy]

So, if they get Doc in the air, that along with FiFi will make...two flying B29s...out of the original 1644. Wow.

Total production at all plants was 3970. 1644 is only the number produced by Boeing at Wichita, FiFi was a Renton Washington made Boeing . Bell and Martin also produced B-29s, several hundred each.
This is a very cool achievement to get another B- 29 flying.

 

[Alamo]

Total production at all plants was 3970. 1644 is only the number produced by Boeing at Wichita, FiFi was a Renton Washington made Boeing . Bell and Martin also produced B-29s, several hundred each.
This is a very cool achievement to get another B- 29 flying.

I looked up the total aircraft production numbers one time, and IIRC, in WWII the USA produced as many aircraft as have been built since the end of WWII to present day. Shazam.

 

[Timjoebillybob]

That is one beautiful plane.

 

[1911ly]

This is too cool. I remember reading about this project some years back. Just amazing!

 

[yepthatsme]

Awesome plane. I love all of the old WWII planes and I love to see them restored. It broke my heart when the "Kee Bird" was lost after being partially restored. "Doc" kind of makes up for that loss. I did get a chance to walk (I use that term loosely) through an old B17 Flying Fortress. Those who are familiar with WWII planes will understand what I mean because it's difficult to "walk" through the old bombers.

Maybe Obama will use "DOC" to fly to Hiroshima and apologize to the Japanese for dropping the big one. (Sorry guys, I just had to go there.)

 

[1911ly]

Update: Yesterday's Historic Flight Of B-29 DOC, But Everything Didn't Go As Planned - World War Wings

 

[rob63]

My dad, top right, tail-gunner.

 

[Birds Away]

Very cool.

 

[HoughMade]

Just in time. https://www.indianagunowners.com/forums/general-political-discussion/417646-japans-new-fascism.html

 

[yepthatsme]

Man, that's a beautiful plane! It's great that they finally got her off the ground!

 

[RustyHornet]

Way cool! I saw FIFI fly last year. Incredible to watch...

 

[RapidRounds]

Man that is just too cool! What an amazing investment into such a historical piece of machinery. I absolutely love this type of stuff. Probably because my grandfather was a Communications Engineer and sat in the seat behind the Captain and the Co Pilot. If you have high interest in these things you should check out The 6th Bomb Group it is an amazing website put together by the men that served and surviving family members. It will tell you of Tinian Island, how it was taken for a strategic air field, topography, crews, planes, insignias and much more if your interested. My grandfather Arthur "Dutch" Cromer, his crew and his plane Snugglebunny are all on there.

 

[femurphy77]

Man that is just too cool! What an amazing investment into such a historical piece of machinery. I absolutely love this type of stuff. Probably because my grandfather was a Communications Engineer and sat in the seat behind the Captain and the Co Pilot. If you have high interest in these things you should check out The 6th Bomb Group it is an amazing website put together by the men that served and surviving family members. It will tell you of Tinian Island, how it was taken for a strategic air field, topography, crews, planes, insignias and much more if your interested. My grandfather Arthur "Dutch" Cromer, his crew and his plane Snugglebunny are all on there.

112 missions for Snugglebunny; very cool! Thanks for the lead!

The 6th Bomb Group

 

[indykid]

The next monumental restoration I would love to see would be a B-36. Don't know if one is even in reasonable condition to allow restoration. Seeing the one in the museum in Dayton is awe inspiring.