Official B-29 Doc Restoration Thread

[phil65]

Thanks for the update.

Too bad about Oshkosh, next year...

Phil

[wizzells]

Good to see an update from them.
Doesn't sound like OSH is gonna happen this year, but it'll give me a good excuse (as if I needed one) to go next year!

[ryguy135]

From the Kansas Aviation Museum website:

With the restoration complete and first stages of the highly anticipated B-29 certification flight testing right around the corner, Doc's Friends and The Kansas Aviation Museum (KAM) are teaming together to provide The Air Capital the ultimate vantage point to watch history being made once again.
"From the roar of the four 3350-95W turbo compound engines being fired up, taxi testing all the way to wheels up," Daniel W. Bateman, executive director of KAM says "the views from the aviation museum second floor patio and the upper control tower build in 1941 will be outstanding." Due to security and logistics issues, the grounds of the Kansas Aviation Museum will be the best vantage point for the testing phases of "Doc." Doc's Friends and the Kansas Aviation Museum have partnered to get the word out about these milestones to flight. "Since we have very similar missions, it only makes sense that we would work together on the project," said Bateman.
Richard Moore, KAM board president and Doc restoration volunteer will be heading up the "Doc Watch" with direct weekly progress reports from T.J. Norman, Doc's project manager. These updates are very important so that Doc's Friends and KAM can give the viewing public and media at least 24 hour notice to make plans to get to the museum before each stage of flight testing, Moore says.
Seventy years ago on March 23, 1945, a B-29, one of 1,644 manufactured in Wichita during World War II, rolled off the assembly line at Boeing and was delivered to the U.S. Army Air Forces. On March 23, 2015, that same aircraft "Doc" was rolled out and "delivered" again, in commemoration of its restoration and progress back toward flying condition.
Please visit www.kansasaviationmuseum.org or contact Daniel W. Bateman at 316-683-9242 for "Doc Watch" milestone updates starting in early July, 2015.

[Zac Yates]

What a cool idea! Good on the Museum and the Doc team for such an initiative. I just hope the test flight crew don't feel too much more pressure from the folk watching.

[ryguy135]

FYI that museum really has come a long way in the last few years. We got a membership just because my kids (1 and 3) love the kids area and I love the planes. Saturday they had all the planes open like they do once a year and my 3 year old was telling my dad (a 25 year engineer on the 737) all about it. We got to crawl in the B-52 and KC-135 which was pretty amazing as well.

[B-29 Watcher]

Welcome back ryguy! It has ben a while. Will you be posting the museum's updates?
Well it is good to here from you, we really need any info so keep it coming.

[ryguy135]

I don't know anything you guys don't at this point. My son had some health problems over the winter and structure work pretty much was wrapped up so I haven't been by to see Doc and the crew except for a couple times this year.

For museum updates, they are supposed to be posted both on the Facebooj Page and the KAM website. Looking there would be your best bet. Cheers!

[maxum96]

The latest information and pictures from Doc's Facebook page. Looks like engine start is close at hand.


https://www.facebook.com/DocsFriends?fref=ts

[APG85]

Video of Doc getting fuel...

https://youtu.be/4NFyNwXXr4E

[menards]

What a cool idea! Good on the Museum and the Doc team for such an initiative. I just hope the test flight crew don't feel too much more pressure from the folk watching.

Simply put. Everything will be uber-checked and tested upteen times before any flight happens. The chosen flight crew will be an uber experienced FIFI crew... Its not going to be a nail-biting high pressure flight test when it happens. it will be a standard 20 min hop with everything in working order. If the slightest thing is off, they will scrub it. Doc isnt the Kee Bird. And im sure Docs friends arent intent on losing their gem.... everything about there movements have been slow, methedical and deliberate up until this point. I expect nothing different moving forward.

[B-29 Watcher]

New update

PHOTOS: Restoration crew has been busy installing fire bottles, exhaust, leading edge, and working on the fire shied


https://www.facebook.com/DocsFriends

Getting closer.

[menards]

The B-29 is the theme airplane at thunder over Michigan.....guessing thats where it makes its debut...

[WIXerGreg]

The B-29 is the theme airplane at thunder over Michigan.....guessing thats where it makes its debut...

I was hoping that she'd be there when I bought my tickets last year and I had a feeling Doc's potential to be there may have been part of the theme decision, but I'm afraid we're too close to the show now with first engine runs not happening yet let alone the hours that will surely need to be flown off before leaving their home airport area.

[Rob W]

Any updates as to when the first engine run and/or flight may be expected to take place? With Oshkosh past and Thunder Over Michigan seeming to be less and less of a reality with each passing day does anyone have any idea as to the timeline for "Doc's" return to the sky?

Cheers,
Rob

[wizzells]

Careful...you don't want to ask too many questions about when it will be ready. They tend to get a little bit cranky about it.

Don't get me wrong, I am extremely excited and look forward very much to seeing this project completed.
However, the attitude that I've gotten when I've inquired is, "it'll be ready when it's ready."
Ok, fair enough, I can respect that. I just don't expect any kind of update on the progress on any kind of regular basis, which to me is a bummer. I view it as a GREAT opportunity to build excitement by showing the progress regularly.

Just my opinion.