B-29 Commander reunited, I was taken back.

[kknox]

I sure many of you have done stories or documentaries that have impacted you. Yesterday in Seattle I had the pleasure of greeting the only flying B-29 in existence. FIFI landed in Seattle after a 1 1/2 day dely. I work for an Assisted Living Community out of Seattle, we have a resident that flew a plane like this during the WW11. They flew out of Saipan to missions over Japan that were 17 hour round-trip flights. He is 89 years old and was a captain at 19 with a crew of 11. We arranged this trip to Boeing Field for the arrival. I just wanted to post some of the shots from yesterday, they were treated like royalty & VIP's. Everyone wanted to hear their story. Turns out another veteran bombedier with the the same bomb group showed up. The crew of the FIFI went out of there way to accommodate us. I was so moved by the respect & gratitude the men were shown by complete strangers. A Seattle news crew also spent the day with us. They never will have a chance see this plane again in their life times, its been 70 yrs since they last touched one. click the link below for photos.

https://www.flickr.com/photos/28501471@N08/sets/72157644830313837/

 

[kknox]

 

[TXForester]

Great story. Thanks for helping him make that connection.

 

[kknox]

Wishing they were flying.

 

[daveleo]

Wicked wonderful story !

 

[zauhar]

Great story and images.

Think about being 19 years old, with that kind of weight on your shoulders.

 

[farlymac]

Many years back I got to see and photograph FiFi twice in Columbus, OH. Those were amazing planes, and the ones who flew them were equally amazing, and well deserving of any honor bestowed upon them.

PF

 

[Paulbe]

K.Knox--thanks for posting these! You are doing a wonderful service, working in an assisted living facility. Congrats! Photos are great, too.
I grew up in Macon GA--a few miles N of Warner Robins GA--home of Robins AFB. Right after WWII--in the late 40s and very early 50s--my Dad used to drive us past the AFB--there were many, MANY B29s, all wrapped up and waiting--for something. Not an unusual sight back then. I always wonder what happened to those beautiful planes...
Paul

 

[biomed]

Wishing they were flying.

I'm sure they are flying high!

 

[oftheherd]

About 15 years ago, I worked with a man who was a 17 or 18 year old mechanic and worked on the computer that guided the guns on the B-29s. Who knew?

Those planes impressed those on the ground too. I remember while on Okinawa about 1962, visiting a girl friend, there were mosquitos one afternoon. The old couple who owned the house where she lived referred to them as 'bi-ni-ju-ku' or B-29s. 😛

Thanks for sharing. I'm sure it was a rare opportunity for you and those you took to the airfiend.

 

[Sarcophilus Harrisii]

A group in Wichita are working on getting another example back into the air. They've made a lot of progress over the last 12 months from the updates I've seen. One of the volunteers is a lady who, as a young girl, worked at Boeing assembling B-29s during the war.
http://www.b-29doc.com/
If the Kee Bird hadn't been needlessly barbecued up in Greenland, there would probably be another one already flying.
Cheers
Brett

 

[nikon_sam]

Great story and great pictures...thanks for sharing both...I'm sure if they could they'd try their hardest to fly that bird and they probably still know how...

 

[kknox]

On the walls in his apartment are phots of the B-29's. He has a lot of great story's, his mind is sharp he knows the details. His parents had to sign a release for him to join the army at 17. He also gave his wings to a girlfriend he had during the war. He didn't marry her, they lost track for 70 yrs. Her family found out and tracked him down, they brought him his wings back last year. He has her picture from the 40's on his wall.

 

[Mr_Flibble]

Fantastic photos and great story, thank you.

Those B-29s had quite a bit of engine troubles in the early days. And the low altitude bombings ordered by General Curtis LeMay went against its very design as a high altitude bomber. Accuracy improved, but so did te losses.

It took brave men indeed.

 

[kknox]

Jack was telling me the good engines were the Allison's. Most of those went into the fighters. There's another engine that a lot of the B-29's got he said were no good. They were wiping a lot of oil off the engines on this plane yesterday, after a half hour flight.

 

[Rodchenko]

Good positive story. Thanks.

 

[Photog9000]

Back in October 2003, I was freelancing for a small weekly when the EAA came to town with a restored B-17. I was fortunate to not only take a ride on the aircraft (press credentials have their perks!) but got a shot of a former B-17 crewmember under the "Aluminum Overcast"! The image is at https://www.flickr.com/photos/richard-owen/14375122865/ . I may have to do a series of images for a flickr group thanks to your inspiration!!!

 

[kknox]

Great picture Rich. Thanks