Doc’s Friends Inc., operator of the B-29 Doc Hangar, Education and Visitors Center at Eisenhower National Airport in Wichita, Kansas, has announced that the B-29 DOC History Restored Tour will make a stop in Allentown, Pennsylvania, in May. The Boeing B-29 Superfortress DOC and the North American P-51 Mustang Gunfighter are scheduled to arrive at Lehigh Valley International Airport from May 21 to 25, where they will be open to the public for tours and ride experiences over Memorial Day weekend.
DOC is one of 1,644 B-29 bombers built in Wichita, Kansas, during World War II and is one of only two that remain airworthy today. The P-51 Gunfighter, a D-model Mustang, is also among a limited number of surviving aircraft of its type, with fewer than 150 still in existence. “The B-29 and the P-51 represent one of the most important partnerships of World War II—the bomber and its guardian,” said P-51 Gunfighter Pilot Jordan Brown. “While the B-29 carried the mission across vast distances, the P-51 ensured it could get there and back, proving that victory in the air depended not just on power, but on teamwork.”
Public ground and cockpit tours for both aircraft are scheduled to begin May 21. Visiting hours on May 21 and 22 will run from 10 a.m. to 4 p.m. Flight experience rides aboard DOC are scheduled for May 23 through 25 at 9 a.m. and 10:30 a.m., followed by ground and cockpit tours from noon to 4:30 p.m. each day. The P-51 Gunfighter will offer ride flights from May 22 through 25 and will be on static display when not flying.
“These warbirds are storytellers, and their present-day mission is to honor the legacies of the men and women who designed, built, flew, and maintained them during World War II,” said B-29 DOC Director of Maintenance Donnie Obreiter. “Keeping them flying and bringing them to cities across the country ensures that their sacrifice and service will never fade from memory.” Public access to the event will be through a gate near Hangar 11, located at 601 Hayden Circle in Allentown. Admission for ramp and cockpit tours is $10 per person or $20 per family, with tickets available at the gate. Ride flight tickets for both aircraft are available online at www.b29doc.com/rides for the B-29 DOC and www.gunfighter.com/airplane-rides for the P-51 Mustang Gunfighter. For more information and to support the B-29 Doc Hangar, Education and Visitors Center, click on this link: www.b29doc.com.
