Re: FiFi is in the air!
Thu Aug 05, 2010 4:34 pm
Completely awesome! Way to go all involved. What a gorgeous bird. I would have waited one more day!
Again awesome stuff.
Again awesome stuff.
Re: FiFi is in the air!
Thu Aug 05, 2010 4:53 pm
What a great event, makes a rather boring day seem so much better. Congrats to all involved, may the flights be smooth and the Squawks be few. You have to know Gary is smiling.
Re: FiFi is in the air!
Thu Aug 05, 2010 5:10 pm
Awesome job guys!
Re: FiFi is in the air!
Thu Aug 05, 2010 6:09 pm
FANTASTIC!!!!! 
From the entire VFM staff and crew, warmest congratulations to the B-24/B-29 Squadron and everyone who pitched in to get FIFI back in the air where she belongs! What a great achievement!
I'll definitely come out and see her when she's at her new home in Addison!
From the entire VFM staff and crew, warmest congratulations to the B-24/B-29 Squadron and everyone who pitched in to get FIFI back in the air where she belongs! What a great achievement!
I'll definitely come out and see her when she's at her new home in Addison!
Re: FiFi is in the air!
Thu Aug 05, 2010 6:41 pm
hercules130 wrote:Completely awesome! Way to go all involved. What a gorgeous bird. I would have waited one more day!
Again awesome stuff.
Agreed, congrats to the CAF and all involved in this effort!
It would have been appropriately poetic, imho, to wait another day as well, but I also remember reading about the huge diplomatic stink back in the 70s or 80s when the CAF cooked off a simulated mushroom cloud while General Tibbets was overhead in FiFi and at the controls. A repeat of that would only serve to overshadow the great accomplishment that getting her back into her natural element is.
Re: FiFi is in the air!
Thu Aug 05, 2010 6:58 pm
Who was flying chase in what? Also who were the flight crew?
Re: FiFi is in the air!
Thu Aug 05, 2010 7:46 pm
Obergrafeter wrote:Who was flying chase in what? Also who were the flight crew?
Nelson in Howards Sea Fury with that new rudder.......
Re: FiFi is in the air!
Thu Aug 05, 2010 8:26 pm
Obergrafeter wrote:Who was flying chase in what? Also who were the flight crew?
Nelson in the seafury (with a photo guy on board)
Aircraft Commander Charlie Tilghman
SIC Paul Stojkov
FE John Schaur
back-end (sorry don't know who was where) Dave Miller, Don Obreitor, and Rick Garvis
There was a prop specialist onboard as well
Should be in the air tomorrow morning after they finish double checking everything.
Re: FiFi is in the air!
Thu Aug 05, 2010 9:43 pm
I haven't been on in a long time, but I heard the news, and I had to offer a heartfelt congrats to everyone for all their hard work!
-B
-B
Re: FiFi is in the air!
Thu Aug 05, 2010 9:49 pm
hercules130 wrote:I would have waited one more day!
How does the international date line figure into this? After all December 8 was the day the Pearl Harbor attack took place according to the Japanese...
Just thinking...
Mark
Re: FiFi is in the air!
Thu Aug 05, 2010 10:26 pm
Just want to raise a glass and say Dam Great Job! I cant wait to see her fly in again up here in the northeast area.
Re: FiFi is in the air!
Thu Aug 05, 2010 10:58 pm
The CAF press release, from the CAF "On The Fly" special edition sent to members:
CAF B-29 FIFI Takes First Flight
MIDLAND, TEXAS (Aug. 5, 2010). –The Commemorative Air Force (CAF) is proud to announce the return to flight for FIFI, “the Queen of the Fleet.” The world’s only flyable Boeing B-29 Superfortress returned to the skies early Thursday morning for its first flight since 2004.
“It is an emotional day at the CAF for our volunteer-members and staff,” said CAF President Stephan Brown. “There were more than a few tears of joy shed by those who have worked over these past few years to see FIFI fly again. Today is a new beginning for this historic warbird. Thanks to the dedication of our members and the support of Jim Cavanaugh, the B-29 can once again return to telling the stories of the men and women who sacrificed their lives for our freedom.”
Following more than four years of work, FIFI returned to the skies just before 9 a.m. on Thursday morning for a beautiful 39-minute flight. Back on the ground, the crew exited the B-29 with massive smiles and unimaginable excitement.
“She ran like a top,” said CAF Colonel, and one of the pilots for the B-29, Paul Stojkov. “It’s a very special day. A lot of us have been waiting for this for four and a half years. We have to thank everyone involved for their help in getting her to this point.”
“I’m speechless,” said CAF B-29 Crew Chief Dave Miller. “I can’t express in words my appreciation for the opportunity to work with FIFI and for the help of everyone involved in working to get her back in the air. Thank you to the entire CAF family.”
“I am deeply pleased to see FIFI fly again after such a long wait,” said CAF General Staff member, Neils Agather. “Today’s flight is a product of the dedication of many people, Gary Austin, Dave Miller and many more volunteers. We must also thank Jim Cavanaugh for his support. My parents, Vic and Fifi, would be proud.”
The CAF Airpower Museum will open its doors at 7 a.m. on Sat. Aug. 7, for visitors who would like to get a front row seat for FIFI’s pre-flight preparations and flight. Visitors to the museum will be ushered to the main hangar for an up-close view of the crew preparing this massive bomber for flight. Once FIFI begins to head for the runways, visitors will be escorted to a prime viewing area, to witness the B-29’s crew training.
“Saturday is the perfect opportunity for our community to come out to the CAF and see FIFI fly,” said CAF President Stephan Brown. “Throughout the morning, the B-29 crew will be completing the required crew training that includes ‘touch and gos’ at Midland International Airport, it will be quite a show.”
The CAF Airpower Museum is located at 9600 Wright Drive near Midland International Airport. Admission to the museum is $10 for adults ages 18-64, $9 for teenagers ages 13-17 and seniors age 65 and older, $7 for children ages 6-12, and children age 5 and under receive free admission. The CAF would like to encourage visitors to take Interstate 20 or Highway 80 (Business Interstate 20) to FM 1788. This route will avoid additional traffic congestion for Rock the Desert also being held in the area.
The B-29 was originally fitted with the Wright R-3350-57AM engine, which had a less-than-desirable reputation since its inception. True to this reputation, FIFI has experienced numerous problems with her engines in the 30-plus years she has been flying with the CAF. Following the discovery of metal shavings in the engine oil, the B-29/B-24 Squadron held a lengthy series of meetings with CAF personnel and experts in the field of aircraft restoration, and the decision was made to not fly the plane again until it could be fitted with engines that are a custom built combination of the R-3350-95W and R-3350-26WD engines. The refit required reworking the engine mounts and some of the engine cowling, making it a lengthy undertaking.
When the Commemorative Air Force (then Confederate Air Force) began searching for a B-29 for its collection of historical military aircraft, World War II had been over for 21 years. The Superfortresses that helped end it had long since yielded to new generations of jet-powered strategic bombers and vanished. According to the U. S. Air Force, no B-29s remained in inventory, even at storage or disposal depots. But the CAF colonels had faith, and it paid off.
In 1971, a pilot reported sighting a number of what might have been B-29s in the California desert near China Lake. The CAF learned the aircraft were indeed Superfortresses that had been parked at a Navy weapons center for 17 years. They had been used for gunnery targets and abused by heat, sand and vandals. After much negotiation, paperwork and a painstaking process of elimination to find the best survivor, the CAF added B-29 SN44-62070 to its fleet. That was just the beginning of the task. The complete restoration to CAF standards of airworthiness was a long and expensive project involving more than three years of fund-raising and hard work. Late in 1974, the CAF's B-29 was christened FIFI and joined the other World War II fighters and bombers to preserve the memories and teach lessons of mankind's greatest war.
For more pictures and video of the take-off, please click here:http://commemorativeairforce.org/?page=cms/event&eventID=79
CAF B-29 FIFI Takes First Flight
MIDLAND, TEXAS (Aug. 5, 2010). –The Commemorative Air Force (CAF) is proud to announce the return to flight for FIFI, “the Queen of the Fleet.” The world’s only flyable Boeing B-29 Superfortress returned to the skies early Thursday morning for its first flight since 2004.
“It is an emotional day at the CAF for our volunteer-members and staff,” said CAF President Stephan Brown. “There were more than a few tears of joy shed by those who have worked over these past few years to see FIFI fly again. Today is a new beginning for this historic warbird. Thanks to the dedication of our members and the support of Jim Cavanaugh, the B-29 can once again return to telling the stories of the men and women who sacrificed their lives for our freedom.”
Following more than four years of work, FIFI returned to the skies just before 9 a.m. on Thursday morning for a beautiful 39-minute flight. Back on the ground, the crew exited the B-29 with massive smiles and unimaginable excitement.
“She ran like a top,” said CAF Colonel, and one of the pilots for the B-29, Paul Stojkov. “It’s a very special day. A lot of us have been waiting for this for four and a half years. We have to thank everyone involved for their help in getting her to this point.”
“I’m speechless,” said CAF B-29 Crew Chief Dave Miller. “I can’t express in words my appreciation for the opportunity to work with FIFI and for the help of everyone involved in working to get her back in the air. Thank you to the entire CAF family.”
“I am deeply pleased to see FIFI fly again after such a long wait,” said CAF General Staff member, Neils Agather. “Today’s flight is a product of the dedication of many people, Gary Austin, Dave Miller and many more volunteers. We must also thank Jim Cavanaugh for his support. My parents, Vic and Fifi, would be proud.”
The CAF Airpower Museum will open its doors at 7 a.m. on Sat. Aug. 7, for visitors who would like to get a front row seat for FIFI’s pre-flight preparations and flight. Visitors to the museum will be ushered to the main hangar for an up-close view of the crew preparing this massive bomber for flight. Once FIFI begins to head for the runways, visitors will be escorted to a prime viewing area, to witness the B-29’s crew training.
“Saturday is the perfect opportunity for our community to come out to the CAF and see FIFI fly,” said CAF President Stephan Brown. “Throughout the morning, the B-29 crew will be completing the required crew training that includes ‘touch and gos’ at Midland International Airport, it will be quite a show.”
The CAF Airpower Museum is located at 9600 Wright Drive near Midland International Airport. Admission to the museum is $10 for adults ages 18-64, $9 for teenagers ages 13-17 and seniors age 65 and older, $7 for children ages 6-12, and children age 5 and under receive free admission. The CAF would like to encourage visitors to take Interstate 20 or Highway 80 (Business Interstate 20) to FM 1788. This route will avoid additional traffic congestion for Rock the Desert also being held in the area.
The B-29 was originally fitted with the Wright R-3350-57AM engine, which had a less-than-desirable reputation since its inception. True to this reputation, FIFI has experienced numerous problems with her engines in the 30-plus years she has been flying with the CAF. Following the discovery of metal shavings in the engine oil, the B-29/B-24 Squadron held a lengthy series of meetings with CAF personnel and experts in the field of aircraft restoration, and the decision was made to not fly the plane again until it could be fitted with engines that are a custom built combination of the R-3350-95W and R-3350-26WD engines. The refit required reworking the engine mounts and some of the engine cowling, making it a lengthy undertaking.
When the Commemorative Air Force (then Confederate Air Force) began searching for a B-29 for its collection of historical military aircraft, World War II had been over for 21 years. The Superfortresses that helped end it had long since yielded to new generations of jet-powered strategic bombers and vanished. According to the U. S. Air Force, no B-29s remained in inventory, even at storage or disposal depots. But the CAF colonels had faith, and it paid off.
In 1971, a pilot reported sighting a number of what might have been B-29s in the California desert near China Lake. The CAF learned the aircraft were indeed Superfortresses that had been parked at a Navy weapons center for 17 years. They had been used for gunnery targets and abused by heat, sand and vandals. After much negotiation, paperwork and a painstaking process of elimination to find the best survivor, the CAF added B-29 SN44-62070 to its fleet. That was just the beginning of the task. The complete restoration to CAF standards of airworthiness was a long and expensive project involving more than three years of fund-raising and hard work. Late in 1974, the CAF's B-29 was christened FIFI and joined the other World War II fighters and bombers to preserve the memories and teach lessons of mankind's greatest war.
For more pictures and video of the take-off, please click here:http://commemorativeairforce.org/?page=cms/event&eventID=79
Re: FiFi is in the air!
Thu Aug 05, 2010 11:24 pm
Outstanding and congratulations to everyone who was so dedicated to put this warbird back in the air where she belongs. Let's not forget that the real reason for "FiFi" and every other warbird flown by the CAF is to tell the story of those who are no longer here and what sacrifices that many people of many nations made to make this a better world. A toast to them and to Gary, without whose foresight, we might not be celebrating this moment.
Re: FiFi is in the air!
Fri Aug 06, 2010 7:06 am
Fantastic news!
Re: FiFi is in the air!
Fri Aug 06, 2010 7:27 am
Excellent news. Congrats to all who made it happen!