INDIAN RIVER COUNTY – The world’s last flying B-29 Superfortress bomber, Fifi, landed at Vero Beach Municipal Airport on Monday as part of the Commemorative Air Force AirPower History Tour.
Four aircraft in total were on display on Monday from 2 p.m. to 5 p.m., and will remain on display Tuesday and Wednesday from 9 a.m. to 5 p.m. The B-29 is the obvious focal point on the runway.
The B-29s were used by the U.S. Air Force during WWII, and by the end of the Korean war, most of them had been permanently grounded. Only 3,600 were ever manufactured and with the exception of a few that ended up in museums, most of them found their way to salvage yards.
Measuring in at 99 feet long with a wingspan of 142 feet, the bomber is more than a plane, it’s a piece of American history.
Neils Agather, co-pilot on the Fifi, said his father joined the Commemorative Air Force in 1960 after serving in WWII, and was working with the organization to assemble a collection of military airplanes.
“He thought, if you’re going to assemble Warbirds, you have to have a B-29,” Agather said of his father.
The aircraft proved to be difficult to find. Fifi was found being used for target practice at a Navy Yard in China Lake, Calif., and was saved by the Commemorative Air Force in 1972.
During restoration, Agather said his father was brainstorming names for the aircraft and came up with “Thumper.”
“But one day his crews surprised him and named it after his wife,” said Agather. And that is when Fifi got its name.
Agather, a pilot with more than 40 years of experience, said that the B-29 Superfortress is unlike any other plane he has ever flown.
“It still eats my lunch,” Agather said. “It definitely keeps my attention, keeps me very focused.”
The largest, most advanced bomber of its time, the B-29 was a force to be reckoned with. It was pressurized, computer controlled, and electrically operated, said Fifi pilot Jonathan Oliver.
But in comparison to modern day war craft, the B-29 is much more difficult to fly, according to Oliver.
“There is not as much automation. It’s more hands on, more physical, and requires much more manual muscle work,” Oliver said.
Agather, Oliver, and a crew of Commemorative Air Force volunteers will be available on the runway at the Vero Beach Airport to answer questions and shed some light on the history of the B-29 and other impressive aircraft through Wednesday.
The public will even have the opportunity to purchase a ride on some of the smaller planes. Aircraft that will be seen on the runway over the course of the show are the C-45 Expeditor, a Douglas Skyraider, a PT – 17 Stearman, and a newly restored Stearman Junior Speedmail.
According to a release, special guest William Yani a former B-29 tail gunner from the Korean Conflict will be on hand to answer questions and share his experiences.
General admission is $10 for adults, $5 for children age 11-17, and children 10 and under are free. Admission includes a tour of the B-29 cockpit.
Rides on select aircraft can be purchased for $75-$1,595. All proceeds go to benefit the Commemorative Air Force and its efforts to educate the country, honor veterans, and continue keeping historical aircraft in the air.
More information about the show and the Commemorative Air Force’s mission can be found at www.airpowertour.org.
