There are just two airworthy Boeing B-29s left in the world, and this summer they will both be at EAA AirVenture in Oshkosh, Wisconsin.
Superfortresses Doc and FIFI are set to attend the annual fly-in July 21-27. Last year, the pair made the trek to Oshkosh and were surrounded by admirers who wanted to get up close to the giant bombers that helped end World War II.
“As AirVenture is the world’s largest annual gathering of warbirds, bringing these two iconic aircraft together is another of those ‘only at Oshkosh’ moments,” Rick Larsen, EAA’s vice president of communities and member programs, said in a statement. “These airplanes are big favorites wherever they appear separately, but together they will make the occasion even more unforgettable.”
According to the EAA, both aircraft will spend time on EAA’s Boeing Plaza. FIFI is owned and operated by the Commemorative Air Force’s B-29/B-24 Squadron of Dallas and will be on display July 21-23. Doc, which is owned by the nonprofit Doc’s Friends Inc., will be on display July 24-27.
When not on display, both aircraft will be offering flight experiences out of Appleton International Airport (KATW). Information for Doc is available here and FIFI here.
- READ MORE: B-29 ‘FIFI’ Takes to the Air Again
Largest U.S.-Built WWII Bomber
Designed in 1940, the B-29 was America’s most technologically advanced bomber as it featured pressurized crew compartments in the forward and aft sections. The B-29 was also the largest U.S. bomber built during the war with a wingspan of 141 feet, 3 inches and a length of 99 feet.
For comparison, the Boeing B-17 has a wingspan of 103 feet, 9 inches and a length of 74 feet, 4 inches.
Between 1943-46, a total of 3,970 B-29s were built. By 1944, the aircraft had become known as the Superfortress.
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