B-29 Doc Making Another House Call at Oshkosh

December 28, 2017 - One of the stellar moments of EAA AirVenture Oshkosh 2017 was the appearance of the newly restored B-29 Doc, which along with the Commemorative Air Force’s FIFI brought together two flying B-29s in one place for the first time in more than a half-century.

Doc’s Friends, the Wichita, Kansas, group that led the airplane’s restoration, will be bringing the airplane back to Oshkosh in 2018 as part of its schedule of air show appearances. The B-29 is currently undergoing routine winter maintenance at its home in Wichita.

The appearance of Doc at Oshkosh last summer was an emotional one for attendees and the Doc’s Friends crew, which made an Oshkosh trip a priority upon completing the restoration. The two-ship flight with FIFI that occurred several times during AirVenture week, celebrating the 70th anniversary of the U.S. Air Force, became one of the most “photo worthy” moments of the 2017 fly-in.

“Being part of the flight crew for Doc on the Saturday arrival last year was one of the highlights of my flying career,” Sean Elliott, EAA’s vice president of advocacy and safety, said. “Seeing the excitement it generated for everyone awaiting our appearance was exceptional and I will never forget it. Having Doc return for 2018 will be another level of excitement for everyone, those that missed it last year and even those that witnessed it. It will be a very special event!”

Doc’s Friends spent dozens of hours on Boeing Plaza with the aircraft, meeting with countless AirVenture attendees and detailing the massive restoration of the World War II-era bomber.

The return of Doc is just one of the featured airplanes coming to Oshkosh, which annually features the world’s largest annual gathering of warbird aircraft. Advance tickets for AirVenture on July 23-29 are currently available online.