I had not planned on watching this all the way through because long videos tend to get kinda boring. This was not in the least boring so I did not skip through any part of it. You made it interesting and I'm fascinated at how the engineers thought of the best ways to build this airplane. I worked at Boeing in Wichita back in the 70s and at one time Boeing was very advanced in its engineering and built quality airplanes.
Superb presentation. Absolutely exceeds expectations in detail, both in component design and operations. I know Boeing XB-29 Test Pilot and FIFI restoration contributor Robert M. "Bob" Robbins would be beaming with pride, if he could be here today to see DOC'S magnificence. Rest In Peace Bob, may DOC extend the legacy long into the future.
This video is EXTRAORDINARY. The level and specificity of detail is the exact prescription for armchair flyers, in the same manner that a true sports fan is on top of all the stats and history of their favorite player. Kudos to the Doc Foundation for allowing/choosing you as their outlet for this, and of course you, for taking it the final mile. Well done. Thank you.
Thank you for this awesome tour and wow, the engineers who designed this amazing airplane back then with pencil and paper were such brilliant men. And the workers who built them, they also were pretty incredible.
I know I will never have the opportunity to fly this aircraft or the B-17, which is my other passion. May the heavens always be calm to crew who fly this beauty. I really admire the professionalism and dedication of the entire team that keeps these beauty flying. Thank you so much for this video, Erik!!!
Awesome!! Yeah he’s amazing! Really knows his stuff about the 29. I love your museum. I’ve never been but have been wanting to reach out about filming there!!
My father was a USAAF B-29 navigator in the Pacific 1944-45. Our family are Friends of Doc. We wish Doc would come east (we are in New England). We would love to see him in person. Paul (in MA)
1:05:16 Amazing Nose-Art! RIP Owen W Hughes. THANK you for giving us the BEST comprehensive walk-around/through of the B-29! Personally, I had goosebumps during the entire video. The Superfortress was/is a masterclass in engineering. The fact that Veterans are honored by scattering their ashes from this Legend, makes my heart grow.
A radio operator's morse code signature is called his fist. It's the slight variation between the spacing of the dits and dahs , and between letters as they send C-W. With a little experience it is very easy to get attuned to. Also, that big box in the middle of the radios is a BC-348 or 312 RECEIVER, not transceiver which has the transmitter and receiver in one box. One of my first receivers as a Ham Radio Novice was a BC-312.
Wonderful tour. Mr. Berry gave a great tour and really knows this plane inside and out. The B-29 is s testament to the ingenuity our engineers and builders had so long ago. This was created with brain power, pencil, paper and slide rule. Thank you for the great video!
My late father in law was a WWII infantry veteran. A couple years ago, I took my elementary school aged children to an air show in Reading PA. We saw “FIFI” take off and land. I told the kids that it was the B29 that ended the war, and that their grandfather believed that he survived the war because it made an invasion of Japan unnecessary. (I’m not here to argue the point, just saying what he believed). Anyway, even at their ages at the time, they recognized that in a very real way, the B29 was relevant to their lives: had their grandfather not survived the war, they would never have been born. This is an example of why it’s so important to preserve these airplanes. Just thought I’d pass this nugget along. Keep up the work!
Mr . Erik Johnston , infortunately , everything you are saying , i can not understand because i do not speak English . Even so , i do not miss the images that you always show . Thank you very much and congratulations for the work sir . Hugs from Brazil
Docs story is probably one of the greatest restorations in aviation history. The men and women who brought it back to flight status and maintain honor the men and women who built and flew them. Thank you
I went to middle and graduated high school with Mr Berry’s oldest son. Great guy and one of the biggest encyclopedias of airplane knowledge you will ever come across.
Another excellent walkthrough, thanks Erik!! Loved all the technical details. Thankful they chose to go with extra batteries instead of putt putt--from what I've been told those things caused lots of trouble. And losing Kee Bird just as she was ready to fly back off the ice was such a shame. Too bad they didn't let you crawl through the tunnel!
Wow! Excellent vid Erik! Excellent tour Frank! I salute you both. I missed the opportunity to drive out to Tyler and see Doc but your vid was the next best thing. I've seen FiFi numerous times and saw Doc at Oshkosh up close, but never been inside either one. The polished metal on Doc is breathtaking, but don't tell FiFi, it might hurt her feelings. Cheers to the maintaners and crew of both aircraft!! The power system installed in Doc as alternative to the Putt-Putt is genius. What happened to Kee Bird is certainly a painful memory... The Dad of one of my High School buds had been a B-29 crewman in WW2. That was in the mid 70's when WW2 vets were "middle age". And at the time I didn't know that a nearby manufacturing plant less than a mile from my grandma's in Scranton PA, had built wing sections for B-29s ! I think she worked there? IDK which finally assembly plant they were shipped to by rail.
Great presentation of amazing engineering for this great and complicated airplane. My greatest respect for the crews who operated this great amazing airplane
Awesome video a UK visit would be amazing i am sure they would sell the seats 10 times over to help cover the cost sadly unlikely to ever happen its a long way to come but maybe one day.
Outstanding job Frank! This should be part of annual ground school. I learned a lot watching this video and I think it will be retained much better than reading just the AFM.
Regarding the landing lights on the B-29, my father served in the 144 thbombardment group on Saipan, and was the firtst to be deployed on missions to bomb Japan. they would leave Saipan indaylight and not return until well after dark. In those very early days when the superfortress was sill in development, there were many planes that had to ditch due to battle damage, engine trouble or fuel starvation on the way back. When recounting the dangers of these missions to me, he swould single out the landing lights, noting that they faced , not forward (as they do on modern airplanes) but straight down, and said that they were so powerful that they penetrated the surface ofthe water ,and made itimpossible fo rthe pilots to see how close or distant they were from the surface, often making the ditch a nose dive into the water and the complete loss of the crew
Lastly, I must add, great audio during the recording of this video, and a salute to the expertise of the videagrapher. Professional focus, zero movement od cam lense, and I'd love to know the still shot software and equipment used. I've filmed in-air video in FIFI several times, and steadiness and light adjustment is challenging. Kudo's to whomever is behind the cam! Great job!
A testament to the badassery of the B-29 is that it would fly higher and faster (at altitude) than most fighters at the time and do it carrying 20000lb of bombs. It's also the only WWII bomber that shot down more enemy aircraft than were lost to enemy action (although they lost a lot to accidents and engine failure).
Awesome walkaround. My father was a gunnery instructor on B-29's after he came back from serving on B-26's during the Korean war. One correction, Kee Bird crashed in 1947, not during WWII, as stated in the video.
Excelente vídeo, muitos detalhes que ainda não conhecia sobre o B29, trabalho de restauração espetacular! Muito obrigado por compartilhar! Already subscribed to your Channel and congrats From Brazil 🇧🇷
I recently went for a ride on "Doc." If you ever get a chance to go, take a hammer to your piggy bank and GO. It may seem a bit pricy, but I figure I'll remember the flight a lot longer than I would have remembered the vacation that I could have taken for the same money, and it's what keeps these old war birds flying.
If you want to fly up front, sign up early and be prepared to travel to where the plane will be. Most of the "up front" seats were already taken by out-of-town people. I got lucky and got the last one for our area.
Very informative presentation and great camera work as always. Was this on the Saturday or Friday? We drove out on Saturday and I thought I may have see you
I had not planned on watching this all the way through because long videos tend to get kinda boring. This was not in the least boring so I did not skip through any part of it. You made it interesting and I'm fascinated at how the engineers thought of the best ways to build this airplane. I worked at Boeing in Wichita back in the 70s and at one time Boeing was very advanced in its engineering and built quality airplanes.
Superb presentation. Absolutely exceeds expectations in detail, both in component design and operations.
I know Boeing XB-29 Test Pilot and FIFI restoration contributor Robert M. "Bob" Robbins would be beaming with pride, if he could be here today to see DOC'S magnificence.
Rest In Peace Bob, may DOC extend the legacy long into the future.
Really great to get such detailed information about an almost extinct aircraft
One of your best videos. All because of Frank you found a good man in his narrations his knowledge and history are wonderful
This video is EXTRAORDINARY. The level and specificity of detail is the exact prescription for armchair flyers, in the same manner that a true sports fan is on top of all the stats and history of their favorite player. Kudos to the Doc Foundation for allowing/choosing you as their outlet for this, and of course you, for taking it the final mile. Well done. Thank you.
Thank you for this awesome tour and wow, the engineers who designed this amazing airplane back then with pencil and paper were such brilliant men. And the workers who built them, they also were pretty incredible.
I know I will never have the opportunity to fly this aircraft or the B-17, which is my other passion. May the heavens always be calm to crew who fly this beauty. I really admire the professionalism and dedication of the entire team that keeps these beauty flying. Thank you so much for this video, Erik!!!
Frank is great! We had the opportunity to film with Frank and the rest of the B-29 Doc crew for an upcoming tour and flight video
Awesome!! Yeah he’s amazing! Really knows his stuff about the 29.
I love your museum. I’ve never been but have been wanting to reach out about filming there!!
@@ErikJohnston Let us know if you make your way out!
@@Wings_Museum
I sure will. Is there someone I could talk to there to help start the process?
Please email me at erik@erikjohnstonphotography.com
My father was a USAAF B-29 navigator in the Pacific 1944-45. Our family are Friends of Doc. We wish Doc would come east (we are in New England). We would love to see him in person.
Paul (in MA)
1:05:16 Amazing Nose-Art! RIP Owen W Hughes.
THANK you for giving us the BEST comprehensive walk-around/through of the B-29!
Personally, I had goosebumps during the entire video.
The Superfortress was/is a masterclass in engineering.
The fact that Veterans are honored by scattering their ashes from this Legend, makes my heart grow.
A radio operator's morse code signature is called his fist. It's the slight variation between the spacing of the dits and dahs , and between letters as they send C-W. With a little experience it is very easy to get attuned to. Also, that big box in the middle of the radios is a BC-348 or 312 RECEIVER, not transceiver which has the transmitter and receiver in one box. One of my first receivers as a Ham Radio Novice was a BC-312.
Wonderful tour. Mr. Berry gave a great tour and really knows this plane inside and out. The B-29 is s testament to the ingenuity our engineers and builders had so long ago. This was created with brain power, pencil, paper and slide rule. Thank you for the great video!
This is fantastic! I loved every detail and historical fact! Thanks for posting!
Outstanding tour and video. Great job! 👍
A work of art back in those days! Amazing! And so great you got to save this wonderful aircraft ! 😇🙏🧡
This was a thoroughly enjoyable documentary. So informative and most interesting. Thank you very, very much and greetings from New Zealand.
Glad you enjoyed it!
My late father in law was a WWII infantry veteran. A couple years ago, I took my elementary school aged children to an air show in Reading PA. We saw “FIFI” take off and land. I told the kids that it was the B29 that ended the war, and that their grandfather believed that he survived the war because it made an invasion of Japan unnecessary. (I’m not here to argue the point, just saying what he believed).
Anyway, even at their ages at the time, they recognized that in a very real way, the B29 was relevant to their lives: had their grandfather not survived the war, they would never have been born.
This is an example of why it’s so important to preserve these airplanes.
Just thought I’d pass this nugget along.
Keep up the work!
Mr . Erik Johnston , infortunately , everything you are saying , i can not understand because i do not speak English . Even so , i do not miss the images that you always show . Thank you very much and congratulations for the work sir . Hugs from Brazil
Great video. My dad was a crew chief on a Consolidated PBY during the war. He was crazy over any aircraft from that era.
Absolutely excellent video..excellent video and narration. Nice job!
Thanks again frank,you give a awsome tour!
So much room in the cockpit. What an impressive Airplane!
Docs story is probably one of the greatest restorations in aviation history. The men and women who brought it back to flight status and maintain honor the men and women who built and flew them. Thank you
This is THE best B29 walkaround video on CZcams. Thanks very much !
I went to middle and graduated high school with Mr Berry’s oldest son. Great guy and one of the biggest encyclopedias of airplane knowledge you will ever come across.
Another excellent walkthrough, thanks Erik!! Loved all the technical details. Thankful they chose to go with extra batteries instead of putt putt--from what I've been told those things caused lots of trouble. And losing Kee Bird just as she was ready to fly back off the ice was such a shame. Too bad they didn't let you crawl through the tunnel!
Thank you! We all have been waiting for this.
Wow! Excellent vid Erik! Excellent tour Frank! I salute you both. I missed the opportunity to drive out to Tyler and see Doc but your vid was the next best thing. I've seen FiFi numerous times and saw Doc at Oshkosh up close, but never been inside either one. The polished metal on Doc is breathtaking, but don't tell FiFi, it might hurt her feelings. Cheers to the maintaners and crew of both aircraft!!
The power system installed in Doc as alternative to the Putt-Putt is genius. What happened to Kee Bird is certainly a painful memory...
The Dad of one of my High School buds had been a B-29 crewman in WW2. That was in the mid 70's when WW2 vets were "middle age". And at the time I didn't know that a nearby manufacturing plant less than a mile from my grandma's in Scranton PA, had built wing sections for B-29s ! I think she worked there? IDK which finally assembly plant they were shipped to by rail.
Great presentation of amazing engineering for this great and complicated airplane. My greatest respect for the crews who operated this great amazing airplane
Awesome video a UK visit would be amazing i am sure they would sell the seats 10 times over to help cover the cost sadly unlikely to ever happen its a long way to come but maybe one day.
Thanks for showing us around an amazing aircraft.
Outstanding job Frank! This should be part of annual ground school. I learned a lot watching this video and I think it will be retained much better than reading just the AFM.
Erik another good documentary
Beautiful aircraft, ❤❤. Thank you 🙏
Very interesting. So many systems I had no idea the 29 had. Thank you.
Regarding the landing lights on the B-29, my father served in the 144 thbombardment group on Saipan, and was the firtst to be deployed on missions to bomb Japan. they would leave Saipan indaylight and not return until well after dark. In those very early days when the superfortress was sill in development, there were many planes that had to ditch due to battle damage, engine trouble or fuel starvation on the way back. When recounting the dangers of these missions to me, he swould single out the landing lights, noting that they faced , not forward (as they do on modern airplanes) but straight down, and said that they were so powerful that they penetrated the surface ofthe water ,and made itimpossible fo rthe pilots to see how close or distant they were from the surface, often making the ditch a nose dive into the water and the complete loss of the crew
Lastly, I must add, great audio during the recording of this video, and a salute to the expertise of the videagrapher. Professional focus, zero movement od cam lense, and I'd love to know the still shot software and equipment used.
I've filmed in-air video in FIFI several times, and steadiness and light adjustment is challenging.
Kudo's to whomever is behind the cam! Great job!
A testament to the badassery of the B-29 is that it would fly higher and faster (at altitude) than most fighters at the time and do it carrying 20000lb of bombs. It's also the only WWII bomber that shot down more enemy aircraft than were lost to enemy action (although they lost a lot to accidents and engine failure).
Awesome walkaround. My father was a gunnery instructor on B-29's after he came back from serving on B-26's during the Korean war. One correction, Kee Bird crashed in 1947, not during WWII, as stated in the video.
I wish they would come out to Socal soon so I can take a ride. Just rode in the B-17 last month.
I saw Doc when it was first removed at Inyokern many times whilst taking glider instruction at California city circa 199? 7
Fantastic stuff! I could listen to this guy all day!
Doc and the B-25 will be in Wichita this weekend for the public to see.
There was also a 20mm cannon in the tail with the.50 caliber MGs.
Excelente vídeo, muitos detalhes que ainda não conhecia sobre o B29, trabalho de restauração espetacular! Muito obrigado por compartilhar! Already subscribed to your Channel and congrats From Brazil 🇧🇷
Excellent walk around! I was hanging out with the Colorado ANG guys while yall were doing the walk around!
Nice work Eric!
Went to see Fifi a few years back. I was somewhat surprised the plane was about the size of a small 737.
Man, I absolutely love your walk around videos - so detailed and informative!! I'm subscribing!
I recently went for a ride on "Doc." If you ever get a chance to go, take a hammer to your piggy bank and GO. It may seem a bit pricy, but I figure I'll remember the flight a lot longer than I would have remembered the vacation that I could have taken for the same money, and it's what keeps these old war birds flying.
I crawled through the tunnel just to be able to say I had.
If you want to fly up front, sign up early and be prepared to travel to where the plane will be. Most of the "up front" seats were already taken by out-of-town people. I got lucky and got the last one for our area.
My favorite video after your last b52 tour.
Thank you for this video, very informative and the amount of knowledge was amazing.
I waited in line for 5 hours in the sun to see this amazing plane, I wish more ww2 vehicles would come to my city
Doc Flys over my house sometimes. 😍
N941NA turbo super guppy flies over our house once in a while. It's got turbines so it just sounds like a C-130. Not as cool as a B-29 but still cool.
They are much more influencing i believe when it comes to technics combination your well organized
Very informative!
Got to see it at yanks a couple years back
most amazing looking aircraft
amazing!
Very informative presentation and great camera work as always. Was this on the Saturday or Friday? We drove out on Saturday and I thought I may have see you
This was on Friday I believe. Would have been cool to meet ya
You have no idea how lucky you are
good stuff
You just had to bring up Kee Bird 😢😭
Outstanding
Awesome!!!
Wow. What a machine...
I’ve never seen Doc in person but have flown in Fifi, how far apart in serial number are they? They generally similar to each other?
Does the pilot and copilot seat have the same legroom available?
Shout out to China Lake.
Can't imagine getting the type rating to fly that bird. Is Frank an airline pilot too?
If the rear gunner had to bail out... how would he open the hatch when it is still pressurized?
Does he has an equalizing valve of some sort?
They would often unpressurize his compartment just for that reason
08:30 Four Hundred GALLONS PER HOUR in cruise! Yeah!
🇺🇸👍👍👍👍🇺🇸