WICHITA — Volunteers have achieved a major milestone in their efforts to restore a World War II bomber.
The Wichita Eagle reports that the B-29 Superfortress known as Doc moved under its own power Wednesday for the first time in decades. During about 45 minutes of testing in Wichita, volunteers evaluated Doc’s brakes and ability to turn.
A spokesman for the nonprofit group that owns and is restoring the Boeing airplane said Doc traveled at a speed of about 8 to 10 mph.
The Wichita-built plane was dubbed Doc after being assigned to a squadron of eight bombers named for Snow White and the Seven Dwarfs. It was finished too late to fly bombing missions during World War II, though it eventually served as a radar trainer during the Korean War.
