Doc’s Friends Inc. has announced that two World War II aircraft, the B-29 DOC and the P-51 Gunfighter, will visit Wilmington International Airport from May 14 to 17 as part of the History Restored Tour. The organization operates the B-29 Doc Hangar, Education and Visitors Center at Eisenhower National Airport in Wichita, Kansas. DOC is one of 1,644 B-29 bombers built in Wichita during the war and remains one of only two still flying today. The P-51 Gunfighter is a D-model Mustang and among fewer than 150 that survive from the roughly 15,000 produced. Both aircraft will be open to the public during the Wilmington stop, with ground access, cockpit tours, and flight experiences planned across the four-day visit.
“Keeping World War II–era warbirds flying is about more than preserving aircraft—it’s about preserving legacies,” said B-29 DOC Aircraft Commander Sean Elliott. “When these historic planes take to the skies on tour, they transform history from something read in books into something people can see, hear, and feel, honoring the men and women whose courage defined a generation.” The Wilmington stop is part of a three-city tour in May. The aircraft are scheduled to appear in Knoxville, Tennessee, from May 7 to 10, followed by Wilmington, and then Allentown, Pennsylvania, from May 21 to 25.
“Aircraft like these are more than machines—they’re storytellers,” said P-51 Gunfighter Pilot Jon Hullsiek. “When a World War II warbird flies overhead, it carries with it the legacy of the pilots, crews, and communities who stood behind them. Keeping them flying and bringing them to cities across the country ensures that their sacrifice and service will never fade from memory.” The aircraft is expected to arrive in Wilmington on May 11. Public ground and cockpit access is scheduled for May 14 and 15, from 10 a.m. to 4 p.m. each day, at 2022 Control Tower Drive rather than the main airport terminal.
Flight experiences aboard the B-29 are planned for the mornings of May 16 and 17, followed by additional ground and cockpit tours in the afternoon. The P-51 will offer ride flights from May 15 through May 17 and will remain on display when not flying. Admission for ramp and cockpit tours is $10 per person or $20 per family, with tickets available at the gate. Ride flight tickets are available online at b29doc.com/rides for the B-29 and gunfighter.com/airplane-rides for the P-51. For more information and to support the B-29 Doc Hangar, Education and Visitors Center, click on this link: www.b29doc.com.
