DZAUTO

Crank up the volume and enjoy the music!

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=rmIqQ53G3LE

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=O_pcSXjwRUw

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=y7lf9peNZ-E

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=XmeMk0wmsrM

Tom Parsons

Frankie the Fink

Wow...gave me a flashback to my old Navy depot flight line days.
Impressive.

MrPbody

Awww yes. and even sung in the key of B

is that Cpt Jack sitting on the taxi way? one of my most memorable experiences was a special "ride" with the Cpt.

Thanks for sharing,
Russ

DZAUTO

FIFI (and some others) are in OKC This week, and since I am a CAF member, I was permitted to get right up under the B29 (as can be seen) to do the videos. All spectators were required to be behind the fence.

(SOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOO many videos like this are ruined, in my opinion, because some idiot editor thinks that a bunch of music is needed to drown out the REAL "music")

Tom Parsons

isac

a B29 Superfortress...d_mn , you don't see one of those every day ,It can't be many left.
It's a very impressive aircraft and I almost smell the exhaust through my computer when #3 started up

Tossin

Only one left flying - there's another that has been undergoing a lengthy restoration, but they're short on funds (I think), and I think someone on the west coast has a third in parts that could be made flyable, given the right amount of money.

Links: B-29 undergoing restoration: http://www.b-29doc.com/
B-29 for sale (Kermit Weeks is selling it) http://www.aerotrader.net/b29.html

JohnZ

Simply.......magnificent!

DZAUTO

That is EXACTLY CORRECT!
FIFI is the ONLY FLYING B29 in the world.
Several years ago, one was being recovered from the cold wastelands of Iceland, but JUST BEFORE it started its takeoff roll, it caught on fire and burned to the ground (er, ice).
DOC (as in one of the Seven Dwarfs with Snow White) was pulled out of the boneyard several years ago, disassebled, and trucked to Boeing in Wichita. A MAJOR restoration was begun, the gentleman (with the money) behind the effort passed away, and now it sits, virtually abandoned at the north end of McConnel AFB, out in the weather, with a VERY shakey future.
Thus, FIFI is the ONLY flying B29-----------------and probably will be for a loooooooong time to come!
Sad, there were once thousands, now there is only one!


And of all the thousands of WWII planes built, there is only a small handful of some of them flying, and some no longer exist at all.
Our WWII veterans are rapidly disappearing and the equipment that they used for defending our freedom is also dwindling.
We are severely struggling to restore our WWII bomber, but adequate funding is extremely difficult to obtain. So we just kind of plug along at a snail's pace. Slow, but steady.


Tom Parsons

Tossin

I've been on Fifi before, many many years ago when I was in high school. Quite the experience.

I'm eagerly awaiting for the Mid Atlantic Air Museum to finish their restoration of a P-61 that they pulled out of the jungle in the mid '90s. They're making progress, but as is with any restoration, it takes a long time. There are four remaining examples, one of which is in China.

Nev Williams

Could not agree more Tom.
As I know you love old ww2 planes, another aviation first you may be aware of - at end of september down here in New Zealand the first flying De Havilland Mosquito took to the air again.
This plane is owned by Jerry Yagens, The Military Aviation Museum in Virginia Beach and is now on its way there after it's first flights and air display here after a lengthy restoration.
I know alot of US pilots flew these and they loved them. I think the lowest loss rate in the war (1%) - due to their speed.
Couple of clips and links for your enjoyment.

Display flight clip from local TV news on day it flew (includes cool low fast flyby)


Engine run and taxi

A phone video I took on first fire

Tossin

This place is definitely worth the visit if you're ever in the area.

Frankie the Fink

I saw the documentary where the Iceland plane burnt up on takeoff...seems it was a piece of gear that wasn't secured. Sickening. Kermit Weeks is a zillionaire down here in Lakeland, FL that runs Fantasy of Flight. He has many exotic aircraft in his museum and has flown most of them (even the dangerous, barely safe ones). He's the 'real deal'.

Nev Williams

On my bucket list!

Tossin

He also has one of the new construction Me-262s.