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Many dream of finding a
treasure, Tony Mazzolini's dream was of finding a recovering a WWII,
B-29 Boeing Super-fortress. After 12 years of grinding research,
Tony found what he was looking for, and then the last known B-29
airframe in the world that is capable of being restored to an air worthy
condition.
Back in March 1945, the Wichita
built Boeing B-29-70-BW Super-fortress, was delivered and accepted by
the U.S. Army Air force, and assigned serial number 44-69972. In
late March 1945, the Super-fortress was sent to a modification center at
Birmingham, Alabama. Records indicate that on April 16, 1945 the
B-29 was sent to Barksdale Field, Louisiana. Later that same month
it was transferred to the Air Force Ferry Command at Cincinnati,
Ohio. After this entry there was then a seven-month gap in the
aircraft's records and it is thought the aircraft was being operated
overseas, but no records to substantiate this has been found.
On November 11, 1945, the
aircraft was sent to Peyote Field, Texas for storage with the 4141st
Base Unit. In October 1950, the aircraft was transferred to the
2753rd Aircraft Storage Squadron (Air Material Command).
After the rest, the Air Force
found a need for the B-29 and it was brought out of storage and sent to
Kelly Field, San Antonio, Texas, for additional modifications and was
designated a TB-29. In July 1951, it was assigned to the 7th Radar
Calibration Squadron (Air Defense Command) at Griffiss, Air Force Base,
Rome, New York. In November 1951, the TB-29 went to Robins, Air
Force Base (Air Material Command), Georgia, for minor modifications and
then returned to Girffiss AFB. In late 1952, the aircraft was
reassigned two other times, first to 109th and then to 1st Radar
Calibration Squadron both at Griffiss AFB.
Early in 1953, the TB-29 was
sent to Tinker Air Force Base, in Oklahoma (Air Material Command) for
minor modifications. A short time later, the aircraft returned to
Griffiss, and in March 1954 the TB-29 was assigned to 4713th Radar
Evaluation Flight (Air Defense Command), and the 1st Radar Calibration
Squadron. It was at this time that the squadron of eight B-29's
was named "Snow White and Seven Dwarfs" and the Disney
characters were painted on the nose of each fuselage. TB-29
44-69972 was named DOC. It was recently discovered that there were
actually nine B-29's in the squadron and that the ninth aircraft was
named the "WICKED WITCH" and the Disney character also
appeared on its fuselage. (More history has recently been
uncovered, along with the discovery of five men that at one time or
another served as crewmen on "DOC". Their stories and
additional history will be in a future update to this story.)
In March 1955, "DOC"
was sent to Arco Manufacturing Company, Berry Field Tennessee, for still
more modification. In May 1955, "DOC" was assigned to
target tow duty with the 17th, and later the 4750th Tow Target Squadron
(Air Defense Command) at the Yuma County Airport, Arizona, and soon
there after went back into storage.
In March 1956, "DOC" was dropped from the U.S.
Air Force inventory and was transferred to the U.S. Navy.
"DOC" made its last flight on March 14, 1956 when it was flown
to the U.S. Navel Weapons Test Center at China Lake, California.
It was there on the Mojave Desert that this obsolete warrior was to be
used as a target for weapons testing.
After several weeks of waiting the once proud
Super-fortress' number was up and was to be the next target.
"DOC" was taken to a revetment where it would meet its end,
but fate took a turn, as the first shot missed its target. It was
several days before a second attempt was made. These shots also
missed the target and shortly thereafter a directive was issued that
aircraft such as this would no longer be used as targets for missile and
rocket testing. (It had been rumored that an order had been issued
to miss the target). "DOC" was later removed from the
revetment and towed several miles onto one of the base's remote test
ranges, where for some 42 years it would become a sun-baked sanctuary
for birds and many other desert creatures. But one could still see
the shine from its bright aluminum hulk for many miles. It proudly
stood with wings still attached and the faded but unmistakable outline
of "DOC" still visible on the side of the fuselage.
One day in 1987, more than 30 years after leaving the
revetment, a man approached the aircraft, but this time the aircraft was
being evaluated as a possible restoration candidate. The man was
Tony Mazzolini an Air Force veteran who trained as an aircraft mechanic,
crew chief and finally a flight engineer on several multi-engine
aircraft during his tour of duty.
Mazzolini was born and raised in the Cleveland, Ohio
area, and returned there following his years in the Air Force. He
had worked as a draftsman and lab technician for Thompson Products, now
known as TRW, and later went into the graphic arts industry and retired
from the position as a Division General Manager for General Electric
after 25 years of service. Too young to stay retired, he found
employment with Continental Airlines knowing this would keep him working
closely with aircraft. He is now the Regional Manager of Material
Services (aircraft parts).
In the early 1980s, Mazzolini became involved in the
Confederate Air Force (CAF), (now known as the Commemorative Air
Force). A friend and acquaintance Tennessee Ernie Ford, who was a
B-29 navigator/bombardier, told Mazzolini that his talents could be
better utilized as an engineer on the CAF's B-29 "Fifi".
Mazzolini became deeply involved, devoting vacation time to work on, as
well as fly on "Fifi". Having a strong desire to make a
contribution to the CAF, he sought out another B-29 to add to the
organization's fleet. He started his search for a B-29 in
1984. He contacted every air base where the big bomber had
operated from and found nothing. He made many phone calls and
wrote letters, but there was not another B-29 to be found.
Mazzolini contacted the Disney Studios in Southern California in search
of information on the B-29s used in the making of the movie The Last
Flight of Noah's Ark. this also lead to a dead end as all of the
B-29s they used were scrapped or dumped into waters off the coast of
Hawaii.
In the early 1980s, Mazzolini was President of the Air
Force Association in Cleveland, and it was at one of their functions he
had the opportunity to meet and become good friends with General Paul
Tibbets (famed pilot of the Enola Gay). Additionally, Mazzolini
later started the United States Aviation Museum, of which he is
currently the Chief Executive Officer. In 1987, Mazzolini
contacted the U.S. Navy's China Lake Naval Weapons Center in Ridgecrest,
California, where in the past a few B-29s had been salvaged for static
displays for a number of museums across the country. He was
told every thing had been blown apart during weapons
testing. He then desperately begged for any parts that may still
be left out on the ranges, but was told that there were none.
Later during a conversation with one of the base contacts it was
mentioned that there was one B-29 still intact out on one of the rantes
that someone was keeping for future museum purposes. After much
correspondence, the U.S. Navy agreed to allow Mazzolini to inspect this
aircraft.
Unable to gain support from CAF officials after the
death of Lloyd Nolan, the founder of the CAF, as well as the feeling of
a competitive limited tour market for two B-29's, it was suggested not
to include another flying B-29 into the CAF's fleet. The feeling
of having the world's one and only flying B-29 without competition
prevailed. After this lack of support and constant end-runs the
consideration to go it alone was the decision of choice.
There were many more obstacles thrown into Mazzolini's
path. People with political and financial clout made a number of
attempted end-runs to sabotage the project, government agencies,
continual delays and approvals for action, paperwork was lost and the
decision to demilitarize (cut into scrap) the aircraft-later reversed by
special waiver of the Secretary of the Navy, were only a few of the road
blocks in Mazzolini's quest. There were many other hair raising
tales, which happened about every other week during the long arduous
negotiation and barter fulfillment process.
Mazzolini was about to give up trying to acquire this
aircraft for fter many unanswered letters and telephone calls, fruitless
frustration was setting in. But with continuing help and
encouragement from many close friends such and Gen. Paul Tibbets, he did
continue his efforts. With much help from some of his many
contacts Mazzolini finally succeeded in having the title of the B-29
transferred to the National Naval Aviation Museum, Pensacola, Florida.
In later negotiations with the Naval Museum, Mazzolini
learned they would trade the title of the B-29 for a B-25 restored to
their specifications and configuration. The Naval Museum at
Pensacola wanted a B-25 for static display. The U.S. Marines and
the U.S. Navy designated them PBJ's and they represent a part of Naval
aviation history. The U.S. Air Force "Doolittle Raiders"
flew several B-25's off the deck of the aircraft carrier U.S.S. Hornet
on the first air raid on mainland Japan.
Now that Mazzolini had located a B-29, he needed to
start a search for a B-25. This search was as frustrating as
locating a B-29, and pricing started at $300,000. One was finally
located and acquired from the Venezuela Air Force. It was a B-25J,
serial number 44-29035. Mazzolini had it dismantled, packed into
two sea containers and shipped to Florida, through hurricane Andrew,
where it was reloaded on a train and finally shipped to Cleveland.
The eventual loss of the restoration building in Wickliffe, Ohio forced
the project to be delivered to the Air Heritage Museum in Beaver Falls,
Pennsylvania, to complete the final modifications.
It was finished and delivered to the Naval Museum at
Pensacola in March 1998. The aircraft is displayed as a PBJ-1,
Bureau number 35087. Upon delivery of the B-25, Mazolini received
clear title to the B-29.
It took a lot of negotiating and help from many
volunteers to move the B-29 from its resting place of forty-two years in
the California Mojave Desert to a location at the then "Bud McGee
Air Park" at the Inyokern, California Airport. It took five
days for volunteers and major contributors such as U.S. Rentals , other
local companies and a multitude of community volunteers to tow
"DOC" the 38 miles. U.S. Rentals, a major contributor
and other local companies, as well as a multitude of community
volunteers helped tow the aircraft across the hot dusty desert floor and
down a major highway. An Environmental Impact Study (which took,
six months) had to be made, Cal Trans had to be on hand to give guidance
in moving around power poles and cable systems, and the California
Highway Patrol was brought in to direct traffic.
There were many obstacles to overcome and without such
dedication from people from all walks of life and all of
the volunteers, this B-29 would still be setting out on the
desert. People from the neighboring towns of Ridgecrest and
Inyokern, along with many military personnel have given great support to
this project.
Tony Mazzolini's dream is becoming a reality. He
has given so much of himself to make this happen. He owes a debt
of gratitude to many, especially his wife Mary Ann, his children, Lisa,
Anthony and Claudine, whom have made many sacrifices so that he could
pursue his dream.
Tony Mazzoloini's dream and the goal of The United
States Aviation Museum is to help preserve the great aviation rich
heritage and accomplishments of this country, to provide a tool in which
our children can learn and see an example of what their fathers and
grandfathers had to use ni facing this country's enemies at that time in
our history. Also to preserve this B-29 for the many veterans that
served on aircraft like this and many others. We are losing our
veterans at an alarming rate; we want to honor those that are
still with us, and those that have passed.
The dream became an obsession, and the obsession a
reality, and the rest is becoming history.
Foot Note
The author would like to advise that as this restoration
unfolds, we are constantly learning of previously unknown information
and material, and that it will be told and documented in future updates
to this story.
In this segment, The Boeing Airplane Company of Wichita
Kansas is not mentioned as they were not yet involved with the project
in the time period this story covers, but without them, there would be
no project.
In a future update we will tell of the Boeing Airplane
Company's Wichita, Kansas facility's involvement with the restoration,
and of when and how it started. Also we will give some information
on "DOC'S" crewmen that have recently been discovered.
We will tell you how "DOC" hit the road to Boeing Wichita, and
of those people that got him there. There will be photographs of
the new nose art recently applied on "DOC'S" nose and of the
artist that painted it. There is much, much more to come.
Wayne M. Gomes, U.S.A.M.
The next segment of "A MAN AND HIS DREAM" will
be titled: "Who said, You Can't Go Home"
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