RE: Special one of a kind aircraft where designers worked entirely outside the box!
There were more B=24 bombers than any other type made in WWII! She was the workhorse! They built lots of B-24's here is Tulsa also.
Fifi was the only B-29 flying for years; but recently they got a B-29 named Doc, flying again! My Father in Law was an Engineer on B-29s in WWII. When Fifi came to Tulsa, he went to see her. He had his original flight manual for the B-29 with him. Apparently, all the manuals were classified, then destroyed; so they do Not exist today. When he showed them the manual, they almost wet their pants!
He gave them the manual, and it flies on Fifi today. They gave him a ride that day, and he showed them how to make Fifi sing! They put him in the flight Engineers seat, and recorded everything he did, and asked a lot of questions. He spent a full half hour teaching them how to run Fifi's engines, before they took off.
He said the his hand remembered every switch and pot on the panel. He said it was nice to take off and not have to worry about being shot down....
:)
Now these are the stories that are awesome to hear! And I had heard they had gotten Doc flying recently. Supposedly you can even go for rides on one of them at least? I hear it costs a pretty penny though!
They are expensive to fly for sure! But I would sure love to take that ride! They are comparing notes, so I bet a copy of Papa's flight manual is on Doc too! I know that would make him happy!
The B-17 was $600 a half hour flight, so the B-29 is likely $2000 for the same flight time. But it would be worth it!
:)Oh that it would be. No doubt in my mind.
I read everything I can find on war History, but WWII is my favorite. So, flying in a war bird would be a bucket list item, for sure!
:)