Warbird Information Exchange

...Considerable rework will need done to the engine nacelles to fit the new engines...

I'm an engineer working with all the retired old farts restoring Doc. I'm the odd guy out as everyone else has 30+ years on me. However, here's an update:

About 2 months ago, the board of Doc's Friends opted to replace all 4 engines with newer Wright 3350 hybrids-similar to what Fifi has now, rather than use the original engines. The first of the new engines was scheduled to show up Saturday, but that was put off a week (didn't hear why).

The airframe is largely together except for the outboard wings. The RH wing had severe corrosion on its chord spar, so a new one was made. I am currently holding up getting the wingtips on as I have to engineer some parts to reword a fitting due to some slight differences between the new chord and the old one. The LH wing is ready to go on, but we're wanting to do both wings in one weekend. Should be within a month, and then the airframe will be largely complete.

Considerable rework will need done to the engine nacelles to fit the new engines. We're bringing in a few new guys to help with that over the next couple of months.

Each day there is a team of 10 to often upwards of 30 retirees, some of whom built Doc 70 years ago, working on him for about 10 hours per day. Last weekend an open house was held. 3000 people came in to take a look, and some $1400 was collected. Great progress is finally being made, and with the financial backing of Doc's Friends, it won't be long before Fifi has a friend.

I'm an engineer working with all the retired old farts restoring Doc. I'm the odd guy out as everyone else has 30+ years on me. However, here's an update:

About 2 months ago, the board of Doc's Friends opted to replace all 4 engines with newer Wright 3350 hybrids-similar to what Fifi has now, rather than use the original engines. The first of the new engines was scheduled to show up Saturday, but that was put off a week (didn't hear why).

The airframe is largely together except for the outboard wings. The RH wing had severe corrosion on its chord spar, so a new one was made. I am currently holding up getting the wingtips on as I have to engineer some parts to reword a fitting due to some slight differences between the new chord and the old one. The LH wing is ready to go on, but we're wanting to do both wings in one weekend. Should be within a month, and then the airframe will be largely complete.

Considerable rework will need done to the engine nacelles to fit the new engines. We're bringing in a few new guys to help with that over the next couple of months.

Each day there is a team of 10 to often upwards of 30 retirees, some of whom built Doc 70 years ago, working on him for about 10 hours per day. Last weekend an open house was held. 3000 people came in to take a look, and some $1400 was collected. Great progress is finally being made, and with the financial backing of Doc's Friends, it won't be long before Fifi has a friend.

I'll keep giving you all updates as progress is made. Every day volunteers are putting in about 150 man hours on this restoration. Boeing has given us a very large hangar just for Doc that is contracted for 2 years, and word is it might be donated as a permanent home for him. There's a very can-do attitude about getting this bird in the air, and now that Doc has the financial backing and semi-permanent home he needs, this project is finally seeing the light at the end of the tunnel.

So where might one find this Facebook page I've been hearing so much about. I searched for Doc and B-29 and couldn't find anything.

So where might one find this Facebook page I've been hearing so much about. I searched for Doc and B-29 and couldn't find anything.