Today, the B-29 Doc Hangar and Education Center opened its door to the public at the Eisenhower National Airport in Wichita, Kansas (ICT), showcasing the historic Superfortress, one of only two that are maintained in flying condition. The Center will be open on Tuesdays and Thursdays from 9 a.m. to 2 p.m. and Saturdays from 9 a.m. to 1 p.m., unless the airplane is out on tour. Admission prices are $10 per person or $20 for a family of up to five people.
“When visitors enter the B-29 Doc Hangar and Education Center, they’ll get a one-of-a-kind experience that we hope will educate and inspire the next generation of aviation lovers, while we honor the Greatest Generation and connect all who visit Wichita’s rich aviation heritage,” said Doc’s Friends’ executive director and general manager, Josh Wells.
The Center features a gift shop with merchandise such as clothing, hats, mugs and more; a Hall of Honor dedicated to veterans with a connection to the airplane; educational exhibits about how the airplane was built, details about the R-3350 radial engine, and the incredible recovery and restoration effort that followed Doc’s time being parked in the Arizona desert.
For an extra $5 ($10 for family) you can tour the Superfortress’s cockpit and find out more about the extraordinary coordination that was required of the pilots flying the massive bomber in those days.
Doc’s maintenance team is also spooling up for the upcoming show season and plans to start running the engines later this week. The first flight for the year is planned for March 23, and the first opportunity to take part in the B-29 Doc Flight Experience, which spans 90 minutes and includes a 30-minute flight, is the weekend of April 13 and 14. While Doc’s complete event schedule has not been released, Doc’s Friends has committed to EAA’s AirVenture in Oshkosh, Wisconsin, and the Heavy Bomber Weekend in Madison, Wisconsin, both of which take place at the end of July.
