A majestic “FIFI” rests on the tarmac of Rocky Mountain Metropolitan Airport on Wednesday, a target of affection and curiosity for aircraft history buffs.
The B-29 Superfortress is also an introduction for those who have no idea of its unique place in American history, said Steve Thompson.
“We have quite a few veterans who visit FIFI,” said Thompson, a volunteer member of the Commemorative Air Force, which preserves and displays World War II aircraft across the country. “Occasionally, a former crew member will stop by. But that’s becoming increasingly rare these days.”
“But mostly families with young boys come to us who are curious about flying and the B29,” Thompson said. “They are interested in these older aircraft and how they worked back then.”
FIFI landed at Rocky Mountain Metropolitan Airport earlier this week, accompanied by a T-6 Texan and an RC-45J Expeditor. The event is presented by the Commemorative Air Force, which is AirPower History Tour to airports across North America.
Visitors can view all the aircraft up close, book flight tickets and visit the cockpit of the B-29 when the plane is not in the air until Sunday.
The B29 was considered one of the deadliest weapons in the American fight against Japan during World War II. It was the first pressurized bomber that could fly up to 30,000 feet and carry up to 20,000 pounds of bombs.
On August 6, 1945, a B-29 named Enola Gay dropped the first combat-used atomic weapon on Hiroshima, Japan. Three days later, a B-29 dropped a second atomic bomb on Nagasaki, Japan.
“The B29 was very important in World War II,” added Jeff Stern of the Commemorative Air Force, which travels the country with FIFI and other historic fighters. “It was the first of its kind in many ways.”
FIFI was never used in combat, but was rescued from a military aircraft graveyard in California, rebuilt and then flown to its new home in Dallas. FIFI began touring in 1974 and is one of only two B-29s still flying in the world, Stern said.
People can crawl into FIFI’s cramped cockpit and take the seats normally occupied by a pilot and co-pilot. The flight engineer sits behind the pilots and calculates the plane’s trajectory on electronic panels with dials and buttons reminiscent of an old transistor radio.
CAF volunteers stress that the B29 was one of the deadliest and most durable bombers of its time. The plane was equipped with the first remote-controlled targeting system (almost like a gaming system) and could reach 400 miles per hour during a 12- to 14-hour flight, Thompson said.
“It was top class,” he said.
Beginning today, August 21, the event is open to the public from 9:00 a.m. to 5:00 p.m. daily through August 25. Support aircraft will provide flights daily. The B-29 will fly at 9:00 a.m. and 10:30 a.m. on Saturday and Sunday.
According to the organizers, tours of the B-29 cockpit are offered daily from 9:00 a.m., except Saturdays and Sundays, when they do not begin until noon.
