Doc, a World War II era B-29 bomber aircraft, was rescued from the Naval Air Weapons Station China Lake in California and brought back to Wichita where it was originally built. Volunteers spent sixteen years restoring the plane. Today, when it isn’t displayed at air shows around the country, visitors can see it at the B-29 Doc Hangar, Education & Visitors Center in Wichita, Kansas.
Rest in peace, Connie Palacioz (1925-2026). Connie was a WWII Rosie the Riveter. She worked as a riveter for Boeing in Wichita, Kansas, starting at age 17. When Doc returned to Wichita for restoration, she came back as a volunteer.
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Doc, a World War II era B-29 bomber aircraft, was rescued from the Naval Air Weapons Station China Lake in California.
Doc was part of the Snow White Squadron. Each of the nine aircraft in the squadron was named after a Snow White Character.
Doc never went overseas, since it was built shortly before the war ended. Instead, Doc was used for radar training here in the United States.
When the squadron went out of service in 1956, the Air Force turned it over to the Navy, who used it for target practice. Fortunately, Doc was never hit. It wasn’t because the Navy personnel were bad shots. Rather, they realized it was the last B-29, and they wanted to spare it.
The plane sat in the desert until the year 2000, until an organization call Doc Friends, founded by Tony Mazzolini, rescued it. It took Mr. Mazzolini, the Navy, and consultants four days to get Doc out of the desert after devising a way to do it without disturbing the desert tortoise habitat.
The aircraft spent some time in California before being transported to Wichita, which is where the aircraft was built. In fact, of the 3,970 B-29s built, 1,644 of them were built in Wichita, more than in any of the other three locations that also built them. By the end of the war, approximately four complete B-29 bombers flew out of Boeing’s Wichita location every day.
The planes were built mostly by women—Rosie the Riveters. In fact, one Rosie the Riveter volunteers today at the B-29 Hangar. Connie Palacioz, who is in her mid-90s, was 17 years old when she began working on the aircraft. Connie was even the model for a Rosie the Riveter poster!
Volunteers spent around 450,000 hours over 16 years restoring the aircraft. Like many of the volunteers, Bobby Terrell helped with the restoration and continues to volunteer at the visitor center today.
The restored B-29 made its inaugural flight in 2016. Today, Doc operates as a flying museum to honor those men and women who designed, built, flew, and protected our freedom in the B-29 aircraft. Doc makes 12 to 15 air show appearances per year, where people have an opportunity to tour it and to fly in it. The rest of the time, Doc sits in its B-29 Hangar, Education & Visitors Center. Guests are invited to walk through the plane.
The original radio equipment, although no longer used today, is on display. It’s amazing how large and heavy the old equipment is.
A life-size model of the tunnel is on display in the museum, located in the supper level of the visitor center. You can crawl through the tunnel if you date, but this is probably best left for the kids to do.
The museum also includes exhibits on the history of B-29 bombers and gives visitors a nice overhead look at Doc.
The B-29 Doc Hangar, Education & Visitors Center, located at 1788 S Airport Road in Wichita, Kansas, is open Tuesdays, Thursdays, and Saturdays. Check the website for hours, admission fees, and Doc’s schedule.
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