A Once-in-a-Lifetime Flight Aboard the B-29, Doc

For a warbird enthusiast, pilot, and student of aviation history, the trip around Seattle in the restored aircraft pushes all the buttons.

Meg Godlewski

Wednesday, May 18, 2022 at 05:44 PM ET

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FLYING staff writer and technical editor Meg Godlewski aboard Doc. [Photo: Meg Godlewski]

Key Takeaways:

*Doc* is a rare, airworthy B-29 Superfortress, one of only two flying, meticulously restored over 16 years by the nonprofit Doc's Friends, Inc., through extensive volunteer efforts.
The aircraft conducts annual tours offering unique, albeit expensive, public flight experiences, with the revenue generated primarily covering its substantial operational costs like fuel, maintenance, and insurance.
The article details a personal flight experience aboard *Doc*, highlighting the complex, teamwork-oriented operation by an expert volunteer crew, the aircraft's experimental military design, and the profound historical significance felt by passengers.

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One of the best parts of being an aviation journalist is that it gives you access to some pretty unique and special aircraft—such as Doc, one of the last airworthy B-29s in the world. Recently, I had the opportunity to fly aboard this rare machine. I was part of a media flight staged out of the Museum of Flight in Seattle where Doc paid a house call. And I nearly had kittens when I made the call to the edit team to relay the news:

“Wolf gets to fly aboard Doc…”