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FIFI is Airborne!

Bomber_12th said:
This morning, the CAF's B-29 FIFI is back in the air! It has been 4-years since it last flew, and 6-years since it last flew regularly. The aircraft has been the subject of a tremendous overhaul since 2004, which over the past four years, mainly consisted of a complete re-engine program, which saw the old, original, un-reliable engines switched out, in favor of new, re-engineered highbreds, that are to be much, much more dependable, solving the issues that had plagued FIFI for many years - the same issues that plagued B-29's during their service career. Its first airshow appearance is scheduled for the Colorado Sport International Air Show, August 28-29.<?xml:namespace prefix = o ns = "urn:schemas-microsoft-com:eek:ffice:eek:ffice" /><o:p></o:p>
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God! I wonder what the flight hour costs are to operate that airplane! It has to be gargantuan!

Ken
 
That's awesome. I had the great pleasure of seeing FiFi fly at one of the Chino Planes of Fame air shows in the 1980s. There was a B-17 and a B-24 there that day as well, and the thing I'll always remember obout the B-29 was how different it sounded from the -17 and -24. The B-29's sound was a much deeper, lower pitched, base-filled sound than the others. Happy to see her back in the air.
 
Ken Stallings said:
God! I wonder what the flight hour costs are to operate that airplane! It has to be gargantuan!

Ken
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That thought crossed my mind as well. Bet they won't be selling 30 minute rides for $100! If I recall correctly, the last time I saw Fifi, which was 1985-ish, the CAF charged admission just to climb inside to look around the cockpit. It's bound to be an incredibly expensive aircraft to maintain and operate.
 
With it back and airworthy again, they also are now cleared with the FAA to offer rides - the first time ever, that the public has the chance to fly aboard a B-29. There are jump-seats installed in the aft section of the aircraft, which is where passengers will be, where-as the front section will be off limits, due to the fact that most of the front section is filled with people and areas critical to flying the aircraft. I think the CAF hopes to make up for a lot of the operating costs this way, as long as there are enough paying customers. There have been TV-monitors set up, so that while one tours the back section in flight, one can also have views of the cockpit. Also, part of the cost of the ride, gets you a video of the flight to keep, once the flight is completed - which includes external and internal footage.
 
Bomber_12th said:
With it back and airworthy again, they also are now cleared with the FAA to offer rides - the first time ever, that the public has the chance to fly aboard a B-29. There are jump-seats installed in the aft section of the aircraft, which is where passengers will be, where-as the front section will be off limits, due to the fact that most of the front section is filled with people and areas critical to flying the aircraft. I think the CAF hopes to make up for a lot of the operating costs this way, as long as there are enough paying customers. There have been TV-monitors set up, so that while one tours the back section in flight, one can also have views of the cockpit. Also, part of the cost of the ride, gets you a video of the flight to keep, once the flight is completed - which includes external and internal footage.
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That is very cool! I took the cockpit tour when I saw her at the Dayton Airshow back in 2000 or 2001, I don't remember the exact year. Also, we just had the Collings Foundation B-17 buzzing around the area and I'm sure the people riding on it were enjoying. I was enjoying watching it. Of course, if I had an 88 around I could have given them the full effect! ;)

I love the sound of Radials.
 
Great that she is back!

I remember the reenactment of the Hiroshima bombing... boy what a brouhaha.
 
It flew again yesterday, but only for a short time - it came back and landed right after it took-off. There hasn't been much stated other than that, but it sounds like the #2 engine was smoking a bit, and it is grounded until the issue, whatever it is, is sorted out. Hopefully it isn't too bad/big of an issue.
 
If I ever get to the US...this is one of the highest ranked aircraft on my 'must-photograph' list of airplanes. Good job CAF :salute:.

(That said, there are also a lot of others...the US is full of magnificent warbirds and military aircraft...)
 
This will make the trek to Midland for AirSho 2010 just that much sweeter!:jump:
 
If I can get access to a scanner, I've got some great pics of Fifi, inside and out, that I took when they were filming the TV movie "The Enola Gay" at Davis-Monthan AFB in Tucson in 1980. I got permission to go inside her and got some excellent pics of the flight deck, engineers station, belly section, and tail gunners section. They were doing T & G's with a Learjet camera plane, and I got to watch the whole thing. Unfortunately, because of liability, we could not go for a ride. We moved some of Pima Air & Space Museum's planes onto D-M's tarmac for static use, and I've got some good shots of Patrick Duffy and Billy Crystal filming some scenes next to our C-47 and P-38. If I can get these pics scanned, I'll post them...
 
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