image: Doc’s Friends
Fans of the restored B-29 “Doc,” which flew last July after 16 years of effort by scores of volunteers in Wichita, have long yearned for the chance to see the airplane fly at EAA AirVenture, hopefully in formation with the only other flying B-29, the CAF’s FiFi. Doc’s Friends aren’t saying yet if that historic meet-up will happen, but they do plan to fly at Oshkosh, July 24-30. “One thing you can be sure of, it will be a sight to see,” spokesman Josh Wells told AVweb. To start the season, Doc’s Friends will host a public flight and open house at Yingling Aviation, in Wichita, April 22, then fly at the Defenders of Liberty show at Barksdale Air Force Base, in Louisiana, May 6-7, and at Wings Over Whiteman, at Whiteman Air Force Base, in Missouri, June 10-11.
“Our vision throughout the restoration project has been to share this historic warbird with the world by operating Doc as a flying museum to honor those who built, maintained and flew B-29s to protect America’s freedom at home and abroad,” said Jim Murphy, Doc’s Friends restoration program manager. “Taking Doc on tour in 2017 is just the first step in our overall mission. We want to educate current and future generations on the contributions made by the Greatest Generation during wartime.” In addition to the four tour stops announced on Tuesday, Doc’s Friends is negotiating with four other airshows that would add stops in Oklahoma, Colorado and Texas later in the year. More information on those potential tour stops will be released in the coming weeks, the group said.
