B29 at the races!

[syscom3]

When I first heard this, I couldnt believe it. But seeing is believing.

This must have been one neat thing to see.

(attached pictures came from this weblink)

CompuServe Search

 

[Hunter368]

Thats funny as hell

 

[the lancaster kicks ass]

i wonder how she did and that hangar talk forum's got a pretty good thread about it........

 

[FLYBOYJ]

Actually this tried before...

 

[DerAdlerIstGelandet]

Thats great!

How many B-29s are flying anyhow?

 

[the lancaster kicks ass]

today just the one, Fifi, the one in the picture above.........

 

[Matt308]

I thought that the one at the Boeing Field Museum of Flight was in flying condition. I'll check on that.

 

[Gnomey]

Pretty cool!

 

[Matt308]

Can't confirm anything other than restoration is underway at Boeing Field B-29. Certainly looks flyable.

 

[Micdrow]

Thats great!

How many B-29s are flying anyhow?

Actually there are none in world currently flying. While talking to some people of the commemertive airforce that flew Dimond Lil. They said Fifi was in major trouble. They found major corriosion on the main spare which put her down for a year. On the maiden flight after fixing the wing corrision she damaged 3 out of 4 engine's to the point they all have to be replaced. The commemerative airforce is currently active trying to raise enough money to replace all four engines but at 1 million a piece it may take a long time.

The B-29 that Boeing is restoring is named Doc. Last I heard it was suppose to be flyable by 2008 but since the War on Iraq Boeing needed the space and she was moved last I heard. So dont know how much progress is left on her.

Below is a link on Doc but doesnt seem to be updated for a long time.


Restoration of Doc Updates

Below is a link if you want to contribute money to help Fifi fly again

Keep Fifi Flying

Enjoy Micdrow

 

[evangilder]

Beat me to it, Micdrow. It really is a shame what's going on with Fifi. It' going to take some time, money and TLC to get her airworthy again. I should ask around the museum about Doc. One of our members at the museum helped out with Doc a while back and he knows some of the folks that were on the project. I can also ask a friend that works at Boeing here locally and find out if he knows anything.

 

[Matt308]

Micdrow/Evan,

Let me know. It has been a while since I went to the Boeing Museum. Doc used to be just north of the museum proper next to the AWACS, StarWars B767 Telescope testbed and the JSF 737 avionics testbed. A B-47 was also in the next bay, but I think that is now on the museum lawn. If they have moved Doc, then I stand corrected.

 

[evangilder]

They were doing the restoration in Wichita, Kansas. I don't know what the current status is, but will put out some feelers about it.

 

[DerAdlerIstGelandet]

Cool well I hope they get Fifi going again and cant wait til Doc is completed. It will be real nice to have these beautiful aircraft flying again.

 

[evangilder]

My buddy at Boeing is looking into what happened/is happening in Wichita with Doc. No word yet. I am guessing that it will probably be at least 2-3 years until the CAF can get Fifi airworthy again.

 

[Matt308]

It appears that the B-29 is in Boeing Bldg 2-40. This building is located along the Duwamish River next to Boeing Field, Seattle. Apparently the B-29 and a B-17 are both being refurbished in the old WWII manufacturing facility. Information that I have indicate that 9000hrs have been put into corrosion repair alone. While I cannot find indication of the B-29 being flyable, this woud indicate that it likely is not.

Boeing is providing use of the building until 2007. Boeing wants to tear the building down as it is unused. Boeing historians are seeking to acquire a portion of it to establish a museum of Building 2-40 and its colocation with the famous Plant 2 where more than 6,500 B-17s were produced.

For those unfamiliar with the plant, you might recall that Boeing (and the Renton city locale) were camouflaged under a overhead replica of a fake suburban area complete with houses, streets, cars, fake trees and shrubber and details all the way down to street signs and mailboxes. If you have never seen the city of Renton, you will have problems understanding the enormity of this ruse against the Japanese. Quite impressive.

Picture courtesy of Boeing archives.

 

[evangilder]

I don't think we can be talking about the same B-29. The one that my buddy helped out with was definitely at the Wichita plant. Maybe there are more than one that they are working on. Maybe the one in Washington is for a static display?

 

[Matt308]

Not sure. Wichita has Boeing facilities their too, but this B-29 was at the Boeing Field Museum grounds. I'm assuming for ultimate display. But I'm not aware of the Boeing Museum having flying pieces. Then again, why all the corrosion effort for an outside display. Seems like too much detail work to let her sit in the rain.

Good question.

 

[evangilder]

I don't know, but the last shot I saw of the one in Wichita, it had the wings on, so I don't know how it would have gotten to Washington unless it flew there. I think that would have been pretty well known. Sounds like there are 2 projects going on at the same time.

 

[DaveB.inVa]

Evan, you are correct. Doc is at Wichita. B-29 Doc Restoration Project