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Posted: 1/10/2015 11:47:16 AM EDT
B-29 "Doc” to fly again! The historic B-29 Superfortress known as "Doc,” will stay warm inside a Boeing Wichita hangar until next spring — when it is expected to make its first flight. Volunteers restoring the bomber had thought it would fly by the end of 2014. "We had some delays putting in the fuel system, and that was our biggest hold-up,” said Jim Murphy, the program manager for the restoration project. "Now, we’ve got it all done, and we could go outside anytime. But the temperature is really our hold-up now.”  The auxiliary power unit, right, and fuel tank in "Doc," a Boeing B-29 bomber, have been part of the restoration of the 70-year-old plane. Now, weather is a factor because the outside temperature must be above 50 degrees to warm the oil enough to lubricate the engines properly for taxi testing and flight. "We don’t have portable oil heaters,” Murphy said. The plan is to roll the airplane outside in March, fuel it and run the engines. |
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Posted: 1/10/2015 11:55:57 AM EDT
[#1]
That will be awesome to have a second flying B-29!
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Posted: 1/10/2015 12:00:21 PM EDT
[#2]
So where's the Confederate Air Force in all this (I refuse to call them by the politically correct version they prefer now)?
I can totally see that beast parked out at Falcon Field in Mesa alongside the B-17, Sentimental Journey, offering $400/ 20 minute rides! 
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Posted: 1/10/2015 12:31:50 PM EDT
[#3]
This is some of the best news I have heard in months!! I am ecstatic!!
Best of luck guys! |
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Posted: 1/10/2015 12:40:18 PM EDT
[#4]
The cost of maintenance and operation of that bird is astronomic. Everyone wants one but no one can afford to operate it. Fifi is the jewel of the CAF crown but she drinks money. I wish they would get Doc, but where would the money come from?
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Posted: 1/10/2015 12:42:11 PM EDT
[#5]
First news story there was from 2007. Doc is warm.
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Posted: 1/10/2015 12:44:42 PM EDT
[#6]
Quote HistoryQuoted: That will be awesome to have a second flying B-29! Yes it would be
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Posted: 1/10/2015 12:44:54 PM EDT
[#7]
Quote HistoryQuoted: So where's the Confederate Air Force in all this (I refuse to call them by the politically correct version they prefer now)? I can totally see that beast parked out at Falcon Field in Mesa alongside the B-17, Sentimental Journey, offering $400/ 20 minute rides! ... do it
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Posted: 1/10/2015 12:47:00 PM EDT
[#8]
I can't imagine the money it costs to even a keep a fully restored one airworthy. 
Hope it works out. |
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Posted: 1/10/2015 12:47:32 PM EDT
[#9]
I think it'll be okay in the snow for a little while. Just say'n.
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Posted: 1/10/2015 12:53:50 PM EDT
[#10]
Quote HistoryQuoted: I can't imagine the money it costs to even a keep a fully restored one airworthy. Hope it works out. IIRC North of $1000 per flight hour
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Posted: 1/10/2015 1:16:56 PM EDT
[#11]
Quote HistoryQuoted:
IIRC North of $1000 per flight hour Quote HistoryQuoted:
Quoted:
I can't imagine the money it costs to even a keep a fully restored one airworthy.
Hope it works out. IIRC North of $1000 per flight hour If CAF charges $425 for a waist gunner ride and $800 for the nose turret (from their website) can you imagine what they'd charge for a ride in this monster? I can definitely see it approaching $1000 for each 20 minute flight, per person. And I'll bet the B-29 can tote twice as many paying passengers as Sentumental Journey! |
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Posted: 1/10/2015 1:22:08 PM EDT
[#12]
The article is 8 years old.....
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Posted: 1/10/2015 1:58:41 PM EDT
[#13]
Quote HistoryQuoted:
The article is 8 years old..... The first link is, but the 2nd is a few weeks old. Amazing how much work it takes to fly her today, yet back in the mid 40's we had thousands of them. |
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Posted: 1/10/2015 2:12:44 PM EDT
[#14]
Quote HistoryQuoted:
IIRC North of $1000 per flight hour Quote HistoryQuoted:
Quoted:
I can't imagine the money it costs to even a keep a fully restored one airworthy.
Hope it works out. IIRC North of $1000 per flight hour Quote from the second article OP posted, "The B-29 will burn 500 gallons of fuel and 2.5 gallons of oil an hour and cost close to $10,000 an hour to fly, he said." That seems more realistic. $1K per flight hour for a B-29 would be an absolute bargain. I would be curious to know what the maintenance per flight hour ratio is for a 29. I imagine it's quite substantial... |
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Posted: 1/10/2015 2:16:04 PM EDT
[#15]
Quote HistoryQuoted:
The first link is, but the 2nd is a few weeks old. Amazing how much work it takes to fly her today, yet back in the mid 40's we had thousands of them. Quote HistoryQuoted:
Quoted:
The article is 8 years old..... The first link is, but the 2nd is a few weeks old. Amazing how much work it takes to fly her today, yet back in the mid 40's we had thousands of them. Economies of scale |
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Posted: 1/10/2015 2:25:15 PM EDT
[#16]
This is awesome news I hope I get to see it
The last time FIFI came around I went to see it and they were flying away an hour early as we got there 
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Posted: 1/10/2015 2:26:32 PM EDT
[#17]
Quote HistoryQuoted:
The first link is, but the 2nd is a few weeks old. Amazing how much work it takes to fly her today, yet back in the mid 40's we had thousands of them. Quote HistoryQuoted:
Quoted:
The article is 8 years old..... The first link is, but the 2nd is a few weeks old. Amazing how much work it takes to fly her today, yet back in the mid 40's we had thousands of them. Didnt notice any 2nd link this morning when I saw it was old and googled info to read more on her.... |
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Posted: 1/10/2015 2:35:03 PM EDT
[#18]
I flew in a B-17, Texas Raiders, earlier this year. I would so be down for a $1000 flight in a B-29.
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Posted: 1/10/2015 2:50:51 PM EDT
[#19]
Quote HistoryQuoted: Quote from the second article OP posted, "The B-29 will burn 500 gallons of fuel and 2.5 gallons of oil an hour and cost close to $10,000 an hour to fly, he said." That seems more realistic. $1K per flight hour for a B-29 would be an absolute bargain. I would be curious to know what the maintenance per flight hour ratio is for a 29. I imagine it's quite substantial... Quote HistoryQuoted: Quoted: Quoted: I can't imagine the money it costs to even a keep a fully restored one airworthy. Hope it works out. IIRC North of $1000 per flight hour Quote from the second article OP posted, "The B-29 will burn 500 gallons of fuel and 2.5 gallons of oil an hour and cost close to $10,000 an hour to fly, he said." That seems more realistic. $1K per flight hour for a B-29 would be an absolute bargain. I would be curious to know what the maintenance per flight hour ratio is for a 29. I imagine it's quite substantial... Ok so I was off by a 0, that's what I get for relying on memory.
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Posted: 1/10/2015 10:57:18 PM EDT
[#20]
Quote HistoryQuoted: First news story there was from 2007. Doc is warm. Damn, it sure is.
When it came to me it was dated as Jan 9th 2015.  |
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Posted: 1/10/2015 11:00:29 PM EDT
[#21]
I'm glad to see another B-29 getting close to airworthy. From the pictures I've always thought a Doc was a prettier aircraft than FiFi due to the fact that it still has its original polished metal finish. They painted over all of FiFi with a silver lacquer.
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Posted: 1/10/2015 11:02:34 PM EDT
[#22]
Quote HistoryQuoted:
The first link is, but the 2nd is a few weeks old. Amazing how much work it takes to fly her today, yet back in the mid 40's we had thousands of them. Quote HistoryQuoted:
Quoted:
The article is 8 years old..... The first link is, but the 2nd is a few weeks old. Amazing how much work it takes to fly her today, yet back in the mid 40's we had thousands of them. It took a bunch of work to get them and keep them flying back then too. |
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