After spending 42 years in the Mojave Desert, Doc has been restored and is on tour across the states. Kicking off the start of October, the SoCal wing of the Commemorative Air Force museum (CAF), is hosting a ground tour of the B–29 bomber “Doc” Oct. 3 – 6 with flights available on the 5–6.
Doc was delivered to the US Army in March 1945 during the Second World War. Later that year a B–29 bomber named “Enola Gay” dropped two atomic bombs on Japan, causing them to surrender to US Forces. No longer having need to use B–29 bombers, Doc was left in the Mojave Desert with its squadron “The Seven Dwarves,” to act as a bomb target for the US Air Force, leaving many to forget its importance. Doc is now one of the only two B–29 bombers still flying in the world.
B–29 bombers played an important role in WWII, and many believed that without them, the US would not have won the war.
“To me flight itself is the confluence of two things humans should not be capable of doing, especially if youre talking about Enola Gay,” said AP US History teacher Brian Rocinante. “Not only were the Americans able to split the atom—which is an incredible thing, but we were flying. In comparison to splitting the atom, flying may not seem like the most impressive thing, but men and women were not meant to fly—we don’t have the physiology for it. The fact that we could not only make it possible, [by] the sheer intellect of understanding thrust and drag and all that, [but] we could [perform] it. Specifically, I think the bomber means to say something more about humanity. But it [also] tells us one other thing about mankind; that if we can invent it, we will use it for murder. We should always cherish [the B-29] as a historical relic, [showing] that we can use intellect for good and for evil.”
To some, visiting Doc is a fun weekend experience that can be remembered through photos and memories. For others, like Gene O’Neal, a 92–year–old retired Boeing employee and AirForce Veteran who served in Vietnam, seeing Doc is much more than that.
“I have a lifelong experience of working on airplanes,” said O’Neal. “I have an A&P(Airframe and Powerplant) license, issued by the federal government. I was trained as a jet mechanic in the Air Force, but before I went to jet aircraft school, I was in a B–29 squadron at Randolph Air Force base in Texas. We were the final training squadron for B–29 crews before [the trip] to Korea during the Korean War in 1952. I was a scheduler for flights and helped the crews with their scheduling. After I found out they were going to restore this airplane [which had been abandoned for quite some time], I knew I wanted to be a part of it. After the airplane became flyable, I became part of the flight crew, and I was able to make some flights and go to different airshows with the plane.”
At CAF, volunteers and members dedicate their time to giving tours about the planes. The museum tour is decorated with all sorts of stops, such as the C–46 “China Doll”, a section about women in aviation and, for the weekend, the B–29. Many guides giving the tours speak not just from their love of aviation, but also personal experience.
“I like to tell stories that the regular guy would know. I’ll tell them about how the B-29 was developed as a high level bomber, because we were not having much success with the non pressurized B–17,” said CAF docent Peter Pezzuto. “The development and the technology of this plane [allowed it to] fly uncontested to Japanese forces. When Boeing built the plane, they went all out on the engine. The engines were so powerful on that plane of course [with] the piston [and] internal combustion engines [that] every flight, they probably had to shut an engine down. It was so complex; the engine ran so hot that every time they returned to Tinian [after flying to Japan], there was probably an engine out.”
CAF volunteer Mike Bailey grew up surrounded by many different types of aircrafts. Bailey has only visited Doc once before and is still fascinated by its restorations and the abilities it holds, with a wingspan of 141 feet and a total length of 99 feet.
“I must admit it is ominous, [Doc is] all silver and enormous. It’s one of the most enormous aircrafts I’ve ever seen,” said Bailey. “It’s polished silver and chrome; it’s just beautiful. You roll up to this thing, and once you walk up to it you realize how big this aircraft really is. I remember walking up to one of the legs for the landing craft and I could barely get my arms around it.”
With rapidly advancing technology, aircrafts have evolved greatly since the B–29. Most do not think much of old warbirds, because they no longer serve a purpose to them, unlike commercial flights. In contrast, CAF members and volunteers dedicate time to tell the beautiful stories of these warbirds and remember their important role in history.
“Old technology is a piece of history,” said Savannah Southwood ‘26. “It’s important to know where we came from to understand where we are now, especially for those interested in technology, aviation or government positions.”
Doc will be in action, available for ground tours, and flight experience rides Oct. 3 – 6 at CAF’s SoCal wing, located at 455 Aviation Dr, Camarillo, CA 93010. Tour access is priced at $20 a person or $30 a family, and during the event, there will be a sign–up stand for flights with Doc occurring on the 5th and 6th. More information about Doc can be found on its website, b29doc.com, or on the CAFSoCal website, cafsocal.com.
*The original version of the story called the wing with the B–29 bomber “Doc” as the “Camarillo wing,” but it is actually called the “SoCal wing.” Similarly, the original version of the story had a quote from Peter Pezzoto; however, the individual is named “Pezzuto.”
