Boeing B29 superfortress arriving at Duxford March 1980

Discussion in 'WW2 Museums. Events, & places to see.' started by TimD, May 30, 2020.

  1. TimD

    TimD Member

    I was lucky enough to be there on the day to see it fly in. It took about a week to fly it across the Atlantic via Newfoundland, Greenland and Iceland restricted not so much by fuel consumption but oil consumption! it did leak a bit. There are some good pictures on-line showing it in it's real dilapidated state at China Lake California.
    A week after it arrived I managed to talk my way in for a good look around, I remember thinking at the time that I wouldn't have fancied being in it if it was taxiing let alone crossing an ocean. It was only ever destined to be a static exhibit so it was made airworthy for just that one flight.

    img165.jpg img167.jpg img168.jpg img166.jpg
     
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  2. andy007

    andy007 Senior Member

    To only have it airworthy enough for one flight seems a bit too much like tempting fate for me...
     
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  3. TimD

    TimD Member

    Hi Andy, they certainly wouldn't be able to do that now, health and safety and all that. I've added a photo of it just at the start of making it airworthy in California.

    china lake.jpg
     
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  4. Harry Ree

    Harry Ree Very Senior Member

    It could fly again in the UK providing it attained an Certificate of Airworthiness plus mandatory insurance... a great deal of investment required to make it fit for flying and maintain it's upkeep.

    The East Kirkby Lancaster NX 611 "Just Jane" has been working towards a C of A for many years but there appears to be little progress so far.

    Certificates of Airworthiness | UK Civil Aviation Authority
     
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  5. TimD

    TimD Member

    unfortunately I don't think the B29 will ever fly again, just too expensive to make airworthy and probably way too costly to keep running.
    It would be fantastic to see Just Jane flying, she seems to have been work in progress for 20 plus years.
     
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  6. TimD

    TimD Member

    Found a couple more photos of her arrival


    img174.jpg img173 (2).jpg
     
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  7. nicks

    nicks Very Senior Member

  8. Harry Ree

    Harry Ree Very Senior Member

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  9. TimD

    TimD Member

    I'm hoping that if I have done this correctly there should be a link to the story of the flight across from America by the crew who flew her over.

    www.twinbeech.com/B-29HawgWild.htm
     
  10. TimD

    TimD Member

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