Page 20 - Sept18T

500-600 feet per minute. This is the setting he keeps as we turn north and continue to climb toward our as- signed altitude of 7,500 feet. Next stop: Eau Claire, Wisconsin.
Doc’s Story
Doc’s chronicle began in Decem- ber 1944 when it rolled off the Boeing Wichita assembly line (Serial No. 44- 69972) and was delivered to the U.S. Army Air Corps the following March. The giant bomber earned its namesake when it was assigned to the “Snow White” radar squadron, each B-29 named for one of the seven dwarfs. During WWII, radar squadrons were used to train the naviga- tor bombardiers on the latest radar equip- ment used for bombing and routing.
Over the next 11 years, Doc would serve in various non-combat roles before being retired to China Lake, California, to be used as a target for Navy missile test- ing and bombing practice. For 42 years, it sat in the Mojave Desert until Tony Mazzolini and a team of local volunteers were finally able to rescue the relative- ly unscathed warbird from its resting place in 1998.
Deplete of the necessary resourc- es to piece the giant airplane back to operational status in California, Tony Mazzolini soon contacted Doc’s birthplace, Boeing Wichita. Boeing execu- tive at the time, Jeff Turner, welcomed the opportunity to have the WWII hero return to its home. So the rescue team in China Lake, led by Tony, disassembled Doc and shipped to Wichita on seven flatbed trailers in 2000.
Over the next 16 years, thousands of aircraft parts and more than 350,000 vol- unteer hours were invested in bringing Doc back from the brink of destruction. Local mechanics, engineers, electricians and other technicians came together from neighboring manufacturing plants to piece the iconic aircraft together.
“You could not restore a B-29 anywhere else in the world. The reason for that is the people,” said Josh Wells, spokesperson for Doc’s Friends, the nonprofit organiza- tion managing the operation of B-29 Doc. “Without Wichita’s aviation workers and can-do attitude, this would not have been possible. Not to mention the dozens of lo- cal aviation companies who contributed custom parts solely for Doc.”
Doc’s Friends was formed in 2013 by Wichita business leaders to financially support and complete the final stretch of the B-29 Superfortress restoration. The group continues to manage events, fund- raising and communication efforts meant to ensure and protect Doc’s future. The latest endeavor is the construction of a permanent 32,000 sq. ft. hangar situated at Wichita’s Dwight D. Eisenhower National Airport (KICT). The hangar will not only provide a secure home and maintenance facility, but will also make the warbird significantly more accessible to the pub- lic. The $6.5 million project is expected to be complete this Fall.
“The hangar is not meant to be a mu- seum, but a living experience,” said Wells. “We want to honor the men and women who designed, built and flew the B-29 by allowing the public to be able to come in
and see, touch and feel the technology and engineering that went into this airplane.”
Doc’s Friends is currently raising ad- ditional funds to launch its STEM (Sci- ence, Technology, Engineering and Math- ematics) education project which will be delivered from inside the hangar. The group is working through a curriculum and plans to eventually host schools with the hope that the experience will spark future aviators and engineers.
Flying Museum
Last year, B-29 Doc completed its first air show tour with eight show appear- ances, including its much-anticipated EAA AirVenture debut. Joined by fel- low B-29, FIFI, the pair flew their first formation flight. It is believed theirs was the first formation flight of two B-29s in over 60 years.
“Everywhere we went, Doc attracted record crowds,” said Wells. “The most emotional of course are the WWII and Korean vets who actually witnessed these airplanes in combat. They’re often speechless upon seeing Doc. You can tell the memories are suddenly flooding back and they are 19 again. It is truly amazing to learn their stories, which is exactly why we restored the airplane and why Doc’s Friends exists.”
Upon meeting many veterans, specifi- cally WWII veterans, the Doc’s Friends team often sets up a camera/audio and al- lows them to talk however long they wish. The recordings are collected and added to a library so they can be preserved.
“I think this is something we owe that generation,” continued Wells. “What they did during those dark days is incredible. To capture their stories and the emo- tion behind them is really what we are all about.”
Doc’s Friends plans on attending as many as 12 air shows each year. With it being an all-volunteer organization, the airplane will typically only be away from Wichita three to four days at a time. The main hurdle, specifically when fly- ing to the east or west coast, is fuel cost. The group estimates a burn of $2,000 to $3,000 per hour in fuel and oil. Adding in maintenance, hangar rent, etc. and
My view from the bombardier seat while awaiting takeoff in Wichita.
18 • TWIN & TURBINE
September 2018
PHOTO BY AUTHOR