Good news for aviation history buffs

[Andy Perreault]

Saw this on my e-mail at work:

GROUP WORKS TO RESTORE B-29 TO FORMER GLORY: A B-29 Superfortress that sat for years as a bombing target at the China Lake Naval Weapons Center is now the VIP tenant at Boeing Wichita's Experimental Flight Hangar.
The plane, nicknamed "Doc" because of the Disney nose art it carried during its heyday, was built in Wichita in late 1944 and delivered to the Army Air Corps in 1945. In April of this year, Boeing agreed to let the B-29 come home and to oversee efforts to restore the plane to flying
status. More than 700 employees, retired plant workers and aviation enthusiasts are spending their lunch hours and staying after work to bring the bird back to glory.

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For more info, go to http://b-29. boeing.com
Andy

 

[DBuchheit]

A few years ago I got to do a walk through of "Fi Fi" the only flying (at the time) B29. It was at the Clark County, Indiana air show. It was a great show and was held for 3 or 4 years in a row, then suddenly, it was gone. Too bad, it was huge show, especially for where it was held. 90% warbirds and truely lots of them. Anyway, the walk through was a great experience in a great plane.

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2001. 5 Intense Blue 2500 QC, SLT, 5. 9L 24v Cummins, 4x2 Auto, 3. 54/LSD, 155 inch WB, Agate, Trailer Tow Group, Sliding Rear Window, Line-X over the rail, Leer Cab Height Topper.

 

[jperreault]

Back in 1946 I was based on Okinawa as an instrument technician on a P-47 base called Yontan. Then I was sent to Manila for a class in Link Trainers. While there, I hitched a ride to Clark Field to visit a buddy. He was a crew chief on a B-29, so one day I helped to count the screw threads on the aileron actuators to see if they were set right. The master sergent would go around and loosen clamps to see if the maintenance crew was "on the ball" and catch the faults.
Years later we visited the Paul E. Garber facility in Suitland, MD, just off the Beltway. This facility does all the refurbishing of aircraft for the Smithonian's National Air & Space Museum. The famous B-29, Enola Gay, was being refurbished there and we were asked to rub our hands on an area of the skin to test out various polishes and find which one was the best... so my wife and I did that. This place has fabulous shops and all types of aircraft were being worked on. Did you know that the Japanese had a plane designed to fly from a submarine to attack the U. S. ? It was there and some Japanese visitors came by and helped decipher some of the words on the plane!! The war ended before it was used. They have 160 aircraft on display including some rare ones... like the four jet engine Nazi bomber under developement when the war ended.
If you're ever at the Space Museum, be sure to apply for a guided tour of this fabulous facility... it's an aircraft lover's dream!

 

[jperreault]

I have doubts of any B-36s flying today. It's an awsome aircraft and I did see one leave Los Angeles Airport in 1964. It had a low drone sound and looked very slow climbing up... like a huge pencil. One is on display at the Air Force Museum in Dayton. It's even accompnaied by a parasite fighter, designed to stow in the B-36's bomb bay and protect it from enemy planes. Called the "Goblin", it can be seen at: http://www.
wptb. at. mil/museum/research/fighter/f85.htm
Perhaps the Confederate Air Force has a B-36 in flying condition, but it must be an expensive one to maintain.

 

[willyslover]

Andy. . ya know what's even better. . to see your Dad pounding the keys with you on this site. . #ad
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[Andy Perreault]

It's my way of helping him stay young, Gary! Here, Dad, This is the correct link: http://www.wpafb.af.mil/museum/air_power/ap38.htm
Andy


[This message has been edited by Andy Perreault (edited 05-10-2001). ]

 

[Andy Perreault]

And here's a picture of the B-36 (mistake corrected, I had previously written "B-39"):
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BTW, I saw a DC-3 take off 3 times today from SeaTac Airport. It said "Delta Air Lines" on it. I have no idea why it was going in and out of SeaTac every few hours, but it was sure neat to hear those radial engines.
Andy

[This message has been edited by Andy Perreault (edited 05-11-2001). ]