There are just two airworthy B-29s left in the world, and this summer, one of them will be at EAA AirVenture.
Doc returns to AirVenture 2022 as part of the U.S. Air Force’s 75th anniversary celebration. The B-29 will be there for air show appearances and static display on Boeing Plaza for the public to see.
“The rarity and the historical significance of the B-29 always make it a popular sight at Oshkosh,” said Rick Larsen, EAA’s vice president of communities and member programs. “Being able to see Doc both on the ground and in the air during AirVenture week will be a big addition to our commemoration of the U.S. Air Force’s 75th anniversary this summer.”
In addition, Doc’s Friends will be offering flight experiences aboard the aircraft during AirVenture week, based at Appleton International Airport (KATW). More information is available through the Doc’s Friends website
About the Aircraft
The design for the B-29, also known as the Superfortress, was created by the Boeing Company in 1940 to meet the specifications set forth by the U.S. Army Air Corps. Over time, the design was modified to support increased armament and a bomb load that was greater than what could be carried by the B-17.
When production ended in 1946, some 3,970 B-29s had been built. Some were converted into tankers after the war, while many more languished in scrap yards.
The airframe known as Doc is one of 1,644 B-29s built in Wichita, Kansas. The airframe was rescued from the Mojave Desert in 1987. Over the next 30 years, it was carefully restored. Today, Doc splits time between tours of the country and providing an educational backdrop at the Education and Visitors Center at Eisenhower National Airport (KICT) in Wichita.
In 2017, Doc was joined at AirVenture by Fifi, the Commemorative Air Force’s B-29. These last two airworthy Superfortresses flew in formation, making it the first time a pair of B-29s had flown in formation since the aircraft were used in active service.
