The Commemorative Air Force’s (CAF) iconic Boeing B-29 Superfortress bomber, FIFI, along with other AirPower Tour aircraft, starts a 24-city, six-week tour in Birmingham, Ala., May 18-22.
She will also perform in two airshows prior to the start of the tour, the Barksdale AFB Defenders of Liberty Air Show April 30-May 1 and the Spirit of St. Louis Air Show May 14-15. FIFI is currently the only flying B-29 Superfortress in the world.
While on tour the B-29 will be accompanied at many stops by the P-51 Mustang Gunfighter and a variety of other World War II aircraft, including the C-45 Expeditor, Bucket of Bolts; a T-6 Texan; a PT-13 Stearman; and others.
Visitors can view the aircraft up close, watch them fly and purchase rides in many of them. Advance ride reservations can be made at AirPowerTour.org.
The Boeing B-29 Superfortress, first flown in 1942, began active service in 1944 and is best known as the aircraft whose missions over Japan helped bring about the end of World War II. It was designed as a replacement for the older B-17s and B-24s, with longer range and greater bomb loads.
The B-29 was also used in the Korean War in the early 1950s and was a staple of the U.S. Air Force until the late 1950s.
The tour schedule for May through early October:
- St. Louis, Mo., May 14-15 (Spirit of St. Louis Air Show)
- Birmingham, Ala., May 18-22
- Farmingdale, N.J., May 25-29
- Hagerstown, Md., May 30-June 1
- Reading, Pa., June 3-5 (World War II Weekend)
- Nashua, N.H., June 8-12
- Albany, N.Y., June 15-19
- Pittsburgh, Pa., June 22-26
- South Bend, Ind., June 29-July 3
- Aurora, Ill., July 15-17
- Dubuque, Iowa, July 18-20
- Janesville, Wis., July 22-24 (Heavy Bomber Weekend)
- Oshkosh, Wis., July 25-31 (EAA AirVenture)
- Peoria, Ill., August 3-7
- Springfield, Ill., August 10-14
- Omaha, Neb., August 17-21
- Cheyenne, Wyo., August 22-25
- Broomfield, Colo., August 26-28
- Grand Junction, Colo., August 31-September 4
- Las Vegas, September 7-11
- Monterrey, Calif., September 14-18
- Modesto, CA, September 21-25
- Sacramento, Calif., September 29-October 2
- Prescott, Ariz., October 5-9
- Lubbock, Texas, October 12-16
I am so glad they haven’t grounded Fifi and shoved her into a museum. My Dad was a crew chief aboard her and I think these birds should always be allowed freedom to share our countries history. I spent many happy summer days touring to airshows with him and to this day, I have a soft spot in my heart for all things related to our warbirds!