Doc’s Friends Inc., Wichita, Kansas, has announced changes to the early portion of the 2026 B-29 DOC History Restored Tour schedule as maintenance work continues on the aircraft. Tour stops planned for May and early June have been moved to later in the season while work continues on two of DOC‘s four engines as part of its winter maintenance and inspection program.
“Two of DOC’s four engines have been undergoing extensive maintenance and inspection since December as part of our continued commitment to the safety and reliability of the aircraft,” said Josh Wells, B-29 DOC CEO. “One of the two engines was reinstalled on the aircraft in late April, but the second engine is still being repaired by our engine vendor and is not expected back on DOC’s airframe until late May. While we had hoped to begin our tour season in April, the extended timeline for the engines to return to Wichita has required additional maintenance and testing before the aircraft can safely return to flight operations. This has driven our decision to reschedule our May and early June tour stops.”
The revised schedule moves the Cleveland, Ohio, stop to September 10-13, with P-51 Gunfighter now expected to join that event. Allentown, Pennsylvania, has been rescheduled for September 17-20, followed by Wilmington, North Carolina, from September 24-27. The Knoxville, Tennessee, stop has been moved to October 29 through November 1. “Obviously, this is not a situation we were expecting, but maintaining DOC’s airworthiness is critical to preserving its legacy and ensuring it can continue flying for future generations,” Wells continued. “Engine maintenance of this scale requires time and precision, and our engine manufacturer is providing excellent service. We’re very proud of the hard work and dedication from our crew chiefs and maintenance teams as they work to finish DOC’s engine installations and wrap up the annual winter inspection program.”
The maintenance team still has work ahead once DOC‘s fourth engine returns to the hangar in Wichita. However, the crew chief team completed engine runs and maintenance checks on three of the four engines during the weekend of May 9. Despite the delayed start, several June stops remain on the schedule. DOC is currently planned to visit Rapid City, South Dakota, from June 8-10; Moses Lake, Washington, from June 11-15; Boise, Idaho, from June 18-21; and Wendover, Utah, from June 24-28. Additional tour stops for October and November are also expected to be announced soon. The full B-29 DOC tour schedule is available on the events page. Click HERE to visit. For more information and to support the B-29 DOC, click on this link: www.b29doc.com.
