Doc’s Friends, the non-profit group sponsoring the airworthy restoration of the Boeing B-29 Superfortress known as Doc begins a 30 day Kickstarter Campaign today in order to raise additional capital to help support the aircraft’s final push to flight. After a mammoth effort spanning two decades, the aircraft is so close to her maiden, post-restoration flight, having run her engines for the first time on September 18th (see the video below).
While Doc is so close to spreading her wings again, she needs a ‘little’ extra help to get past the finish line, when she will become the world’s second flying B-29. The Kickstarter Campaign hopes to raise an additional $137,500 to reach this end, which is not an inconsiderable sum, but when one considers how much effort has been lavished on the silver lady so far, it pales in comparison. We at WarbirdsNews will certainly be contributing, and we hope many of you will too.
The Kansas Cosmosphere and Space Center, in a generous show of solidarity with Doc’s Friends arranged a few days ago for Apollo 13 crew members Jim Lovell and Fred Haise, along with SR-71 Blackbird veteran Buz Carpenter, to share their impressions about the vital effects that efforts such as Doc’s restoration can have on preserving and sharing our common history.
“It’s always important to get people to volunteer and help fund the restoration of these projects because it’s a way of people contributing to the younger generation,” said Apollo 13 astronaut Jim Lovell. Fellow Apollo 13 astronaut Fred Haise added “… if you do not get these kind of projects done, history will frankly disappear, except on paper.”
“I would encourage all of you…to support at whatever level you can support, airplanes such as Doc that have such a wonderful legacy, and keep it alive,” said former SR-71 pilot Buz Carpenter.
You can see more of their comments when you visit the Doc’s Friend’s Kickstarter page, as well as a break down of exactly where the money from the campaign will go, and what you will receive for your contribution.
We urge you to visit and contribute. Please click HERE to see Doc’s Kickstarter Campaign and find out more!
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About Doc’s Friends
Doc’s Friends is a 501(c)(3) nonprofit board managing the restoration of the Boeing B-29 Superfortress known as Doc. The group was formed in 2013 and is led by retired Spirit AeroSystems CEO, Jeff Turner, along with other Wichita business leaders; Charlie Chandler; Jack Pelton; Steve Clark; Lynn Nichols; Brad Gorsuch; Vic McMullen; Jim Murphy; Ron Ryan; Tim Buchanan; Jeff Peier; Esq.; and Tom Bertels. Doc’s Friends is committed to returning this World War II warbird to the air to honor previous generations, educate current and future generations, and connect the world to the rich heritage of aviation. You can find more information about Doc’s Friends at www.b-29doc.com.
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Richard Mallory Allnutt's aviation passion ignited at the 1974 Farnborough Airshow. Raised in 1970s Britain, he was immersed in WWII aviation lore. Moving to Washington DC, he frequented the Smithsonian’s National Air & Space Museum, meeting aviation legends.
After grad school, Richard worked for Lockheed-Martin but stayed devoted to aviation, volunteering at museums and honing his photography skills. In 2013, he became the founding editor of Warbirds News, now Vintage Aviation News. With around 800 articles written, he focuses on supporting grassroots aviation groups.
Richard values the connections made in the aviation community and is proud to help grow Vintage Aviation News.
this is a great thing for wichita everyone had family building 29’s in the forties will be trying to see her fly tomarrow on facebook