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B-29 Doc.... yeah baby

That is awesome OP. I think a B-29 flew over DC a few years ago. There was a huge, HUGE confederate air force showing with everything from itty bitty to huge.
 
Tooheysmax said:
Does your wife know you spent 3k for an hour of historical fun. Don’t get me wrong I would if I could. That is a once in a lifetime adventure still cheaper then a sub tour to the titanic.
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Yes. Not only knows, but encourages stuff like this over material stuff. I save where I want so we can spend where we want. The phone I am typing on is 6 or 7 years old and I will drive to the cheaper gas stations for .10 everytime, but this was a rare opportunity and was worth it to me to see my sons excitement.

The thought of 11 man crew all under 30 years old flying in the dark across the pacific is a sobering thought. I spent a majority of todays flight moving from station to staion imagining what each man felt, heard, smelt, thought, etc. That is the stuff the current generation is doesn't understand or know about and I made a point to talk to my son about the sacrifices those men made so that we can live the way we do. We also read up on the history of Doc and the B29. My hope it that it is something he will always remember and can be a reminder that freedom is not free.. rant off
 
It's no wonder the early jet engines were such a godsend.
  • Substantially more thrust than a gigantic piston engine
  • Far fewer moving parts / smaller / lighter
  • Can run on kerosene, rather than super exotic ultra-high octane fuels
 
Ya to the fuel. Since the OP is a B-29 used against the Japanese, let it be noted that one of their later, better fighters the Nakajima Ki-84 picked up about 25 mph at altitude when tested after the war with US avgas in place of the Japanese low octane. Think about that.
 
Really big plane for the day, they had some crazy range, like 5k miles. In 45 they sent 300 to bomb Tokyo, burnt 1/2 the city and killed ~100k in one night.
 
Mvanhelden said:
Badass! Never been close to a B-29, but years ago I got to fly in a B-17 when they used to do the air show at the Fortuna, Ca airstrip.
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I did the B17 and B24 tour years ago at the McKinleyville airport. Wanted so bad to go up in the B17 but no money then for that.
 
Splib said:
Ya to the fuel. Since the OP is a B-29 used against the Japanese, let it be noted that one of their later, better fighters the Nakajima Ki-84 picked up about 25 mph at altitude when tested after the war with US avgas in place of the Japanese low octane. Think about that.
Click to expand...
That's one thing you don't hear about much but the US armed forces really did their homework after WWII in interviewing the Axis forces commanders and testing their equipment to see what we did right and what we did wrong.
 
That's awesome! I got to tour fifi a few years ago, wished ai could have paid for a flight. The old birds are amazing. Got to see swamp ghost at pearl a couple years ago. Gave me chills just imagining what those brave souls endured.
 
There was a B-29 at the Oakland airport in early restoration back in the late ‘70’s. I don’t remember any markings, but that bird was amazing to crawl around in :smokin:
 
My Dad, cousin, and I took a flight on Doc back in June of 2022. Its spendy but 100% worth every dollar. Put yourself in the shoes of the guys that flew those things to war 80 years ago. It's an experience you cant replicate or find anywhere else.

Here is my cousin and I next to Doc
218556631_10158529198470698_600937764735680846_n.jpg
 
That’s awesome !

I have been inside this B-29
That’s been displayed at Georgia Veterans State Park
My father worked for the state park service and was good friends with the park manager , who was a history nerd and showed off the planes anytime he could . He’d drag out a ladder and we’d climb inside and he’d tell us all about the planes .



I think the only remaining one left that was an outfitted when new as a photo recon plane instead of a bomber .

I think it may be the only B-29 that’s still mostly complete ?

Still owned by the USAF

Been on loan to the state park since shortly after the war ended

No idea how it got transported to the park
Might be something in the local paper about it

www.cordeledispatch.com

A Crisp County landmark may soon disappear - Cordele Dispatch

Getting your Trinity Audio player ready... By Neil B. McGahee Managing Editor The iconic B-29 “Superfortress” bomber that has guarded the main entrance to Georgia Veterans State Park for 73 years may soon be only a memory. At the February meeting of the Crisp County Board of Commissioners...
www.cordeledispatch.com

Article about the crew reunions

WB\FCAuth\BS28-IB

lanbob.com

There’s talk of it getting restored and flyable again but I doubt that will ever happen

It was spooky just being inside the thing .
I think in the flight log , of all the missions it went on , it only returned from one mission will all four engines operating .
Every other time , something went wrong with at least one engine .
 
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