Mon Jul 18, 2005 7:41 am
COOL!
I hope that there are some good pictures as well posted somewhere. The webcam is very nice (I think it is a really good idea) but some high quality pictures would also be nice to view.
Tim
I hope that there are some good pictures as well posted somewhere. The webcam is very nice (I think it is a really good idea) but some high quality pictures would also be nice to view.
Tim
Mon Jul 18, 2005 9:02 am
Found the news link with video here:
http://www.timesdispatch.com/servlet/Sa ... 1783870527
regards,
t~
http://www.timesdispatch.com/servlet/Sa ... 1783870527
regards,
t~
Mon Jul 18, 2005 9:33 am
Volunteers and Boeing employees achieved a major milestone on the B-29 restoration project with the center wing installation Friday, July 15. The center wing installation, which took about three hours, is the culmination of more than five years of painstaking work by a dedicated group of volunteers.
It was the first time in more than five years that “Doc’s” center wing has sat proudly atop the 61-year-old Superfortress.
IDS-Wichita employees have been helping with the restoration process and have been heavily concentrating on the
center wing structure.
The team spent the last two months on an extensive overhaul of the center wing section which included replacing the wing skins.
“Our guys jumped in and worked very aggressively to keep a tight timeline despite some complications,” said Scott Bong, senior manager of operations for IDS-Wichita. “The first complication they found was the upper wing skin had to be replaced – and there were others. The job they did was just fantastic. I’m very proud of them.”
According to Bong, Boeing employees were able to take more than 2,000 pounds of weight from the wings in the process of the refurbishing.
“That’s an astounding amount of weight for a plane that size,” he said.
“Doc” has been at Boeing Wichita for the last five years since it arrived in May of 2000 for restoration. A volunteer group was formed to support its restoration.
The plane is owned by Tony Mazzolini of Cleveland, Ohio, a retired business executive and Air Force veteran, who found “Doc” in China Lake, Calif. Mazzolini partnered with The Boeing Company in 2000 to restore the aircraft to full flying status.
“This wing reattachment is such an important milestone,” Mazzolini said. “Our partnership with Boeing is magnificent.”
Now that the center wing span has been placed, workers and volunteers will begin the final phase of restoring Doc. They still need to raise money to refinish the engines, and restore instrumentation.
“We want to finish by the end of 2006 and begin flying in 2007,” Mazzolini said.
A permanent home is also being sought for the plane.
Doc was built in Wichita, along with 2,765 other B-29s at plants in Wichita, Kansas, (previously the Stearman Aircraft Co., bought by Boeing in 1929) and in Renton, Washington. The Bell Aircraft Co. built 668 of the giant bombers in Georgia, and the Glenn L. Martin Co. built 536 in Nebraska. Production ended in 1946.
B-29s were primarily used in the Pacific Theater during World War II. As many as 1,000 Superfortresses at a time bombed Tokyo, destroying large parts of the city. Finally, on Aug. 6, 1945, the B-29 Enola Gay dropped the world's first atomic bomb on Hiroshima. Three days later a second B-29, Bockscar, dropped another atomic bomb on Nagasaki. Shortly thereafter, Japan surrendered.
After the war, B-29s were adapted for several functions, including in-flight refueling, anti-submarine patrol, weather reconnaissance, and rescue duty. The B-29 saw military service again in Korea between 1950 and 1953, battling new adversaries: jet fighters and electronic weapons. The last B-29 in squadron use retired from service in September 1960.
It was the first time in more than five years that “Doc’s” center wing has sat proudly atop the 61-year-old Superfortress.
IDS-Wichita employees have been helping with the restoration process and have been heavily concentrating on the
center wing structure.
The team spent the last two months on an extensive overhaul of the center wing section which included replacing the wing skins.
“Our guys jumped in and worked very aggressively to keep a tight timeline despite some complications,” said Scott Bong, senior manager of operations for IDS-Wichita. “The first complication they found was the upper wing skin had to be replaced – and there were others. The job they did was just fantastic. I’m very proud of them.”
According to Bong, Boeing employees were able to take more than 2,000 pounds of weight from the wings in the process of the refurbishing.
“That’s an astounding amount of weight for a plane that size,” he said.
“Doc” has been at Boeing Wichita for the last five years since it arrived in May of 2000 for restoration. A volunteer group was formed to support its restoration.
The plane is owned by Tony Mazzolini of Cleveland, Ohio, a retired business executive and Air Force veteran, who found “Doc” in China Lake, Calif. Mazzolini partnered with The Boeing Company in 2000 to restore the aircraft to full flying status.
“This wing reattachment is such an important milestone,” Mazzolini said. “Our partnership with Boeing is magnificent.”
Now that the center wing span has been placed, workers and volunteers will begin the final phase of restoring Doc. They still need to raise money to refinish the engines, and restore instrumentation.
“We want to finish by the end of 2006 and begin flying in 2007,” Mazzolini said.
A permanent home is also being sought for the plane.
Doc was built in Wichita, along with 2,765 other B-29s at plants in Wichita, Kansas, (previously the Stearman Aircraft Co., bought by Boeing in 1929) and in Renton, Washington. The Bell Aircraft Co. built 668 of the giant bombers in Georgia, and the Glenn L. Martin Co. built 536 in Nebraska. Production ended in 1946.
B-29s were primarily used in the Pacific Theater during World War II. As many as 1,000 Superfortresses at a time bombed Tokyo, destroying large parts of the city. Finally, on Aug. 6, 1945, the B-29 Enola Gay dropped the world's first atomic bomb on Hiroshima. Three days later a second B-29, Bockscar, dropped another atomic bomb on Nagasaki. Shortly thereafter, Japan surrendered.
After the war, B-29s were adapted for several functions, including in-flight refueling, anti-submarine patrol, weather reconnaissance, and rescue duty. The B-29 saw military service again in Korea between 1950 and 1953, battling new adversaries: jet fighters and electronic weapons. The last B-29 in squadron use retired from service in September 1960.
Mon Jul 18, 2005 10:08 am
hmm, all cams still show a wingless 'doc' for me and my pc. 
regards,
t~
regards,
t~
Mon Jul 18, 2005 11:13 am
Now if "Fertile Myrtle" ever makes it back to flying status, three flying B-29s would be something to see.
Mon Jul 18, 2005 11:14 am
Now if "Fertile Myrtle" ever makes it back to flying status, three flying B-29s would be something to see.
Mon Jul 18, 2005 12:53 pm
Check cam 2 and 3 - you'll see the wings in place!
Wow, I wish I had the $$ to donate the engine funds.
Tom P.
Wow, I wish I had the $$ to donate the engine funds.
Tom P.
Mon Jul 18, 2005 5:52 pm
B-29 Super Fort wrote:Now if "Fertile Myrtle" ever makes it back to flying status, three flying B-29s would be something to see.
That would be fantastic, but the way Kermit has been doing things I can't imagine that ever happening.
John
Mon Jul 18, 2005 6:33 pm
I understand he has significantly cut back his aircraft expenditures as of late and put some items up for sale.JohnH wrote:That would be fantastic, but the way Kermit has been doing things I can't imagine that ever happening.
Fertile Mrytle
Mon Jul 18, 2005 8:38 pm
I understand he has significantly cut back his aircraft expenditures as of late and put some items up for sale.
I wonder if his B-29 will eventually be put up for sale then?
Mon Jul 18, 2005 10:21 pm
Mentioning the Martin Bomber Building in Nebraska, I actually was assigned to the 55th SRW - 55th Supply Squadron that was in the Martin Bomber building ( and still is a warehouse ) at Offutt AFB, Omaha, Nebraska. It was once known as simply Building "D" but then redesignated the Martin Bomber Building.
The Enola Gay was built right on the same floor that I worked on while stationed there from 1989-1998 in the Air Force. ( Spooky, I get chills thinking about it)
I received one of the "famous" wood bricks that was used on the floor of the manufacturing plant to I beleive help reduce costs and to reduce static?
Anyway, I thought I would share that, since they mentioned Omaha.
The Enola Gay was built right on the same floor that I worked on while stationed there from 1989-1998 in the Air Force. ( Spooky, I get chills thinking about it)
I received one of the "famous" wood bricks that was used on the floor of the manufacturing plant to I beleive help reduce costs and to reduce static?
Anyway, I thought I would share that, since they mentioned Omaha.
Tue Jul 19, 2005 3:51 am
This -one of several- shot by yours truly, during my August 2001 visit to the Boeing plant in Wichita, and to the Doc's restoration works:
Saludos,
Tulio
Saludos,
Tulio
Tue Jul 19, 2005 5:11 am
bdk wrote:I understand he has significantly cut back his aircraft expenditures as of late and put some items up for sale.
Do you know which planes are going to leave Polk City?
T J
Tue Jul 19, 2005 5:31 am
bdk wrote:I understand he has significantly cut back his aircraft expenditures as of late and put some items up for sale.JohnH wrote:That would be fantastic, but the way Kermit has been doing things I can't imagine that ever happening.
I've heard that and more.
John