WHAT:
The Commemorative Air Force (CAF) AirPower History tour is bringing their iconic Boeing B-29 Superfortress bomber, FIFI, to Lubbock International Airport Monday, October 10, for a five day event that starts October 12. The CAF AirPower History Tour provides powerful history lessons to audiences across the United States. The airplane will be accompanied by a T-6 Texan, C-45 Expeditor and T-28 Trojan. These flying military aircraft bring the sights, sounds and stories of World War II aviation to the public at large. Visitors can view the aircraft up close, watch them fly, and also purchase rides in them. The B-29 will arrive at 2 pm on Monday, October 10.
**The Boeing B-29 Superfortress, first flown in 1942, began active service in 1944 and is best known as the aircraft whose missions over Japan helped bring about the end of World War II. It was designed as a replacement for the older B-17s and B-24s, with longer range and greater bomb loads. It was the first pressurized U.S. bomber and represented state of the art technology at the time. The B-29 was also used in the Korean War in the early 1950s and was a staple of the U.S. Air Force until the late 1950s.
WHEN:
The airplane arrives at 2 p.m. on Monday, October 10. The event opens to the public at 9:00 a.m. on Wednesday. The event hours are Wednesday through Sunday, October 12-16, 9:00 a.m. to 5:00 p.m.
WHERE:
The aircraft will be staged near Lubbock Aero, 6304 N. Cedar Avenue, Lubbock, TX 79403. Admission to the ramp is $10 for adults and $5 for children age 11-17 and includes a cockpit tour when the aircraft is not flying. Children age 10 and under are free. Ride flights are scheduled for 9:00 a.m. and 10:30 a.m. Saturday and Sunday, October 15 and 16. Ride reservations can be made at www.AirPowerTour.org where additional information about the tour stop can also be found.
About the CAF’s B-29 Superfortress, FIFI:
FIFI was acquired by the CAF in the early 1970s when a group of CAF members found her at the U.S. Navy Proving Ground at China Lake, California where she was planned to be used as a missile target. The airplane was rescued and restored and flew for over thirty years until 2006 when the chief pilot made the decision to ground her pending a complete power plant re-fit. What followed was an extensive four year restoration that included replacing all four engines with new custom built hybrid engines. FIFI returned to the sky in 2010 and since that time has traveled coast to coast attracting large crowds at every tour stop. Learn more about FIFI and her tour schedule at www.AirPowerTour.org.
About the Commemorative Air Force:
The Commemorative Air Force honors the men and women who built, maintained, and flew in these airplanes during World War II. The organization believes that is best accomplished by maintaining the airplanes in flying condition; taking the airplanes to the people allowing them to experience the sight and sound of the aircraft in flight.
Collecting, restoring and flying vintage historical aircraft for more than half a century, the Commemorative Air Force ranks as one of the largest private air forces in the world. The CAF is dedicated to Honoring American Military Aviation through flight, exhibition and remembrance. A non-profit educational association, the CAF has more than 13,000 members and a fleet of 165 airplanes distributed throughout the country to 76 CAF units for care and operation. For more information, visit www.commemorativeairforce.org.
(News release from the Commemorative Air Force)
