My Time With Fifi - The World's Only Flying B-29

I had a stint where I belonged to the - now called - Commemorative Air Force (when I belonged it was known as the Confederate Air Force) and I will not comment on the forced change of name for political correctness - at least the "directives" of the organization remain the same.

Also, during this time, I was the leader of Aviation Explorer Post 1941, which was sponsored by the CAF.  One of the major projects that we helped with was in the cleaning of the aircraft - and thus, we were allowed to be around the aircraft (also, we were on the ramp during Airsho weekend.)  It was because of the Explorer Post that I spent time around some of the larger aircraft of the CAF: B-29, B-24, C-46.  (The "wing" I personally belonged to allowed me time around alot of the smaller trainer aircraft of WWII).

Anyway, back to the B-29 :-) I got tired after a long morning of working on her (Fifi) one Saturday and when the boys went to lunch, I crawled into the tunnel where it was quiet, cool and dark.  I thought I'd wake up on their return ... but ... I didn't, it was like 4:00 'ish when a friend found me soundly napping in the tunnel (I suppose I could have gotten out of the hangar, if they'd locked it!)

This is a photo of the comfy tunnel taken by photographer Mark Wahlster.



So, one Saturday Fifi's pilots were all in town for "checkout rides" they each were going to do two touch-n-go landings, then proceed off airport property to the south and then loop back in for a landing and a change in pilots ... so they would have their "go" at it.  As was often the case, they decided to fill the plane with available "Colonels" (what members of the CAF are called) and were going to change riders, when they changed pilots - yes, I was super excited when I was asked (there weren't that many out that Saturday), signed the waiver and loaded up and away we went!

Here I sat with a bunch of folks I knew (many of them working the B-29 on tours), but there was another woman that worked alot around the CAF like I did AND WE WERE ON FIFI -- flying around .... 1st touch-n-go; 2nd touch-n-go; .... ummmmm, "wait" are we still in the pattern? ..... 3rd touch-n-go, 4th touch-n-go ........ 50th touch-n-go --- it seems they changed their minds on how they were doing things!  After the first hour "in the pattern" my friend and I kept saying "We are in the only flying B-29 in the world - for free."  That kept us "going" through the next 1/2 hour ... after that, I must admit the next 1-1/2 hours (a total of 3 hours of touch-in-goes) turned us into raving crazies just wanting off the plane .... and we did finally get off - obviously!

To this day I still cherish "being in the right place at the right time" ... and getting to be so fortunate in this ride - yet, on the other hand "I shudder!"   "Oh" there are no window seats ... well for the "riders" - watch the video and enjoy and notice at 2:36 you'll see seats behind the left "gunner" position - that's where we sat.  (These rows were added to Fifi to carry the crew that is needed to take her to an airshow and show her off!)

Take a Flight with Fifi and Diamond L'il ... they, as is obvious, are not flying over West Texas :-) and I never got the pleasure of flying in Diamond L'il - although, I knew her before they made her put on clothes!

I think it fitting Fifi's been flying over my house all day and will do the same tomorrow - and I am now fondly remembering my ride with her - especially since I know there are people now paying huge amounts of money to take a ride with her!

"Hi there girl, I do miss you!"