Leader of The Seven Dwarfs: Doc
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The aircraft of the Second World War become fewer in number with every year, in some cases with just a handful of examples still in airworthy condition. But perhaps none is more rare than the legendary Boeing B-29 Superfortress, the massive mid-1940s bomber that was state of the art in its time.
In our time now? Only two B-29s are still flying. FIFI is based at Dallas Executive Airport in Texas, while Doc flies out of Eisenhower National Airport in Wichita, Kansas. Both of these historic aircraft maintain an active schedule of appearances, acting as both on-the-ground aviation attractions and offering rides for those who wish to invest in unforgettable memories.
The headquarters of Aerospace Perceptions is Delaware’s Historic New Castle, just a mile from Wilmington Airport, designated KILG. This week, this facility played host to Doc.
B-29 Superfortress Doc on runway at KILG May 13, 2025. Photo: Frank Moriarty/Aerospace Perceptions
Doc has a complex backstory and, like FIFI, only flies today through the efforts of many people dedicated to maintaining the plane’s airworthiness while building on its historic legacy.
Doc was constructed in 1944, just a few hundred feet from where the aircraft is based today. After serving in several active roles – including duty at Griffis Air Force Base in New York, where the aircraft received its Snow White-inspired name – by 1956 Doc seemed fated to be permanently grounded, serving in a decidedly unglamourous role as a target at California’s Naval Air Weapons Station China Lake. In 1987 pilot Tony Mazzolini conceived of a rescue mission for this B-29. It took more than a decade for Mazzolini and his group to take possession of Doc and move it to Wichita, where the largely disassembled plane arrived over two decades ago, in April 2000. A non-profit board set about the immense task of returning Doc to the skies. Momentum and determination led to airworthiness certification in 2016, with Doc debuting an airshow schedule in 2017.
While in Delaware, Doc was scheduled for four flights over two days, the various ride-along openings nearly sold-out well in advance. Sadly, inhospitable weather resulted in the cancellation of all four flights.
Aerodynamic profile of B-29 Superfortress Doc as seen at KILG May 12, 2025. Photo: Frank Moriarty/Aerospace Perceptions
Selfishly, the inclement weather that kept Doc grounded throughout its stay in New Castle played to my advantage. Anyone who has seen Doc at one of its numerous airshow appearances – like this weekend’s Power in the Pines event at Joint Base McGuire-Dix-Lakehurst in NJ – knows that the B-29 does not lack for company, magnetically drawing crowds of curious onlookers to cluster around the aircraft. In contrast here in New Castle, Doc was a magnificent subject at KILG with no people in sight and threatening skies to set a mood.
While I saw Doc both arrive and depart the skies of New Castle, the former was the blind luck of being in the right place at the right time. The latter took quite a bit more planning. The main variable was studying the wind to make a best-guess assessment of the runway likely to be used. Just before 3pm on May 15 I stopped by the hangar area where Doc was parked, and saw the aircraft crew preparing for departure.
The flight crew of B-29 Superfortress Doc prepares for departure at KILG May 15, 2025. Photo: Frank Moriarty/Aerospace Perceptions
I then navigated to the other side of the airport, finding at location where I could see Doc in the distance across the expanse of runways. Within a few minutes four clouds of smoke appeared one at a time, as each of Doc’s engines were fired up. I moved on to a location at the end of the runway I’d selected, and waited.
The wait was worth it. My chosen location was just below the elevation at the end of the runway, so I could not see Doc coming until suddenly it was a huge silver flash clawing its way into the sky at roughly 150 miles per hour. Gloriously, the ascent was accompanied by the full throttle rumble and roar of large piston aircraft engines.
Doc departs KILG on May 15, 2025, bound for an appearance at Power in the Pines airshow at Joint Base McGuire-Dix-Lakehurst. Photo: Frank Moriarty/Aerospace Perceptions
Seeing such a legendary aircraft in flight is something any fan of aviation should witness, and there will be a great opportunity for the Northeast to see Doc in flight several times over Reading PA during Mid Atlantic Air Museum’s 34th Annual World War II Weekend Gathering of Warbirds from June 6 through the 8th.
Information on Mid Atlantic Air Museum’s Annual World War II Weekend:
Information on Doc’s appearances throughout 2025:
