Doc’s Friends announced on Thursday the preliminary 2018 tour schedule they have arranged so far for their B-29 Superfortress known as Doc. While these are just the initial dates, the organization expects to add more to the list as they confirm appearances with various event planners across the country. While it is currently a short list, we must recognize that 2018 is only her second full year on the air show circuit, and that the logistics (and funding) required for touring a massive, complex aircraft like the B-29 involve enormous resources and careful management. The process must be as careful and deliberative as possible, to ensure a safe, successful and financially viable campaign. What is exciting to note is that Doc will return to EAA AirVenture Oshkosh 2018 following her debut last year, so the prospect of seeing two B-29s together at the same field, and perhaps even in the air together again, is something to really look forwards to.
- June 1-3, 2018: Mid Atlantic Air Museum World War II Weekend, Reading, PA
- July 23-29, 2018: EAA AirVenture, Oshkosh, WI
- Sept. 8-9, 2018: McConnell Air Force Base Open House, Wichita, KS
- Sept. 28-30, 2018: Tri-Annual Airfest, Great Bend, KS
- Oct. 13-14, 2018: Spirit of St. Louis Air Show and STEM Expo, St. Louis, MO
Additional tour stops will be announced in the coming weeks as negotiations with air shows are finalized.
Doc’s Friend’s press release continues…
The scheduled winter maintenance program that began for B-29 Doc in early October is nearly 60 percent complete and the maintenance team reports no major issues. In 2017, Doc’s Friends logged more than 45 flight hours on the historic B-29, including stops at five air shows in five states, covering 4,750 nautical miles.
Meanwhile, the Federal Aviation Administration and the Wichita Airport Authority Board of Directors have approved the final design concepts for the B-29 Doc Hangar and Education Center to be built at Wichita’s Eisenhower National Airport. Doc’s Friends broke ground on the $6.5 million, 32,000 sq. ft. facility in September, and major construction is expected to begin in January.
Fundraising continues for the remaining dollars for the project through commemorative brick sales and other donations. More information about the commemorative bricks can be found online at www.b-29doc.com/bricks.
Click the Image below to purchase Issue #70 of Warbird Digest and read the full story of ‘Doc.”
Richard Mallory Allnutt's aviation passion ignited at the 1974 Farnborough Airshow. Raised in 1970s Britain, he was immersed in WWII aviation lore. Moving to Washington DC, he frequented the Smithsonian’s National Air & Space Museum, meeting aviation legends.
After grad school, Richard worked for Lockheed-Martin but stayed devoted to aviation, volunteering at museums and honing his photography skills. In 2013, he became the founding editor of Warbirds News, now Vintage Aviation News. With around 800 articles written, he focuses on supporting grassroots aviation groups.
Richard values the connections made in the aviation community and is proud to help grow Vintage Aviation News.
You have to come out to The Phoenix area ! How about Luke AFB in March ?
How about Sacramento ca? McClellan air park or mather afb:)