Unusual guest dropped by

It was FIFI. One of two B 29s still flying. I was outside working this morning when my niece pointed to an airplane flying by. I live fairly close to Forbes Field and it's common to see the air tankers flying overhead. I looked up but didn't pay much attention until she said it had propellers. That caught my attention and I looked closer. It got close enough we finally heard it. She managed to get a couple pictures. I looked it up and apparently she is having tours in Topeka the next couple days. I'd love to go but with mandatory overtime and the weather I'm way behind and can't get away.

Stunning. Jim

I peaked in a B29 static display and come to the conclusion that I?m too big to fit in most of the places the crew members were stationed.

If you were in Japan around 1945, and see something flying that close. You would be looking for the nearest air raid shelter. I see a B 17 fly over my place during an air show near me, about every year. Stan

Toured it here in Ontario last year. Pretty impressive! B17 coming to the London air show this weekend.

Ben

We went to the Warbird air show in Monroe, NC last year. I loved seeing the old planes still flying. I've yet to see a B-29, but the ones I did see were impressive, to say the least.

I have seen it fly here when it was on tour, flew over my house actually, same with the B17's, one of which had an emergency landing soon after at it's next stop. Everyone got out safely, but it burned to the ground, that was the Liberty Belle.

Fifi was well worth seeing, I had an opportunity to see it when there was not much of a crowd around it in '15. I have a bunch of photos. The thing that stands out to me with both the B17's and the B29 aircraft that are in flight worthy condition is that it gives the spectator and or passenger, real perspective on what some of the conditions were like on board either of these. Just imagine these slow moving targets having to deal with ground fire and enemy fighters trying to take them out. Our aviation losses in this war are beyond staggering when you look at the numbers. Flightworthy aircraft like these give a real glimpse back to what it was like to some degree, ones imagination could take it further when thinking about the combat side of it.

I can always hear these when they are in the area, such a distinct sound that you do not here often in modern times, just amazing they have been able to keep a few in flight worthy condition.

I saw Fifi fly overhead fairly low fifteen to twenty years ago. I was out in the field without anything running when I noticed a very deep droning engine sound getting louder and louder. It was very different from any airplane sound that I had heard before. As I watched she came into view, and it was obvious that she was a superfortress, and also the huge tail was painted bright yellow. When I got home I poked around a little and found that the Confederate Air Force, which is now the Commemorative Air Force with Fifi, had been in Maine the day before and was in southern NH the next day so I confirmed her to be Fifi.

Find and read the book Wars End by Charles Sweeney. About the "atomic" B-29 and the missions that dropped those bombs. A lot about B-29 and flying them.

Interesting story about a B 29 named Kee Bird stranded in Greenland after 50 or so years. A lot of work was put into it to make it ready to take off. Then it caught fire and burned. There is a story somewhere on the internet. Stan

There was a documentary about it on pbs several years ago. I remember watching it. It was sad. If I remember right the B 29 was fixed up and ready to fly out the next morning when it caught fire.

Sure would hate to be on the receiving end of what they carried. A friend in Germany her mother will be 90 years old in Dec. She told me that when the bombers flew over thy looked like a big flock of birds and everyone would run for the woods until they passed. She lived on a farm not near a city

My son took me to Yougstown AFB in June and we toured thru the B-29 Fifi. I had never been in one before but during my stint in the Air Force there were lots of them around. I also got time in a B-25 that was the most fun airplane I ever got to fly in 65 years of flying. Right up there next to a J-3.

For anyone who likes War Birds of all types, you should plan to attend the EAA Fly In at Oshkosh, Wi which is held the 3rd week in July every year. One of largest group of War Birds you will ever see from Bombers to all kinds of fighters. There were 625,000 people there this year from all over the world and the daily air show is usually 3-4 hours long. I live 1.5 hours from there so I go every year. There are a lot of UTube videos available to watch.

The pilot was actually taxiing out to take off when the jury rigged fuel tank to the running APU came loose and dumped fuel on it. The pilot struggled to get out because the 60 year old seat belt jammed.

Ben