BAY COUNTY, Fla. (WMBB) – Two of America’s most iconic warbirds still flying today have landed in Bay County.
The B-29 Superfortress, known as “Doc,” will be on display at Northwest Florida Beach International Airport this weekend alongside the legendary P-51 Mustang Gunfighter.
Both planes are rare survivors of World War II. The B-29 DOC is one of only two B-29s still flying today. The pilots said they were honored to fly the planes, remembering the brave men and women who built, maintained and flew them during the war.
“We want to educate and we want to connect with the next generation. What those gentlemen did 80 years ago was truly amazing and without someone to tell their story, it will be forgotten,” said Mark Novak, B-29 DOC flight commander.
The B-29 rolled off the assembly line in 1944 and did not enter service until early 1945, the last year of the war.
“The plane stayed in the United States and was later converted into an airborne radar platform, and I think that’s probably what saved it, because it wasn’t just a regular plane, it was a special plane that belonged to a radar squadron northeast of New York and was flying up and down doing radar training and calibration,” Novak said.
The B-29 dock took six years to repair and flew for the first time in 60 years in 2016.
Currently stopping at ECP as part of the B-29 DOC historical restoration tour.
Air crews fly across the country, bringing flying museums to communities across the country in hopes of preserving history and inspiring others.
“This is probably the plane that helped win the war in Europe, escorting bombers and allowing them to penetrate deep into Germany without being attacked by fighters before they got to their target area. So it helped win World War II,” said P-51 Gunfighter pilot Jeff Linebaugh.
For people in management today, it’s more than just a job.
“Being able to share this plane and keep the memories alive is really special to me,” Linebaugh said.
“It’s very rare to be in a plane like this. Less than 4,000 were built. Only two are flying, and there are probably 12 more in museums, 15 or 16. It’s pretty surreal,” Novak said.
From Thursday to Sunday this week, you can experience the iconic aircraft. Visitors can tour the cockpits of both aircraft, board the planes, and learn from the flight crews.
For tickets and more information, click here.
