"Doc" Almost Ready For Display

The Boeing B-29 Superfortress "Doc" will be moved to an outdoor display next month at the Kansas Aviation Museum in Wichita, KS.

Volunteers, many of them retired Boeing workers who helped build 1,644 of the Superfortresses for WWII duty, have been working since 2000 at the Boeing Integrated Defense Systems to renovate the plane. It will be moved to the museum at the end of January.

The United States Aviation Museum owns the plane, and partnered with Boeing in the restoration. The ultimate plan is to restore the plane -- once part of a nine-plane squadron named for characters from the Walt Disney classic "Snow White" -- to flying condition.

"This plane participated in the growth of the Wichita community. It just seems natural that the Air Capital of the World, with its many and varied aviation-related industries, which have also helped contribute to the restoration program, would be the natural home base for the aircraft," said USAM Chief Executive Tony Mazzolini.

The Kansas Aviation Museum plans a fundraising campaign to complete restoration of its main building, and build a 40,000 square-foot hangar addition for its B-29 and other vintage aircraft. The space could also be used for future restoration projects.

FMI: www.b-29doc.com