A World War II-era B-29 Superfortress, called “Doc” took to the sky again Sunday at McConnell AFB, Kan., after 16 years of restoration. The aircraft last flew in 1956 and sat in the Mojave Desert for decades until enthusiast, and former owner, Tony Mazzolini found it in 1987, according to a McConnell release. In 2000, Doc was transported to Wichita, for restoration, but funds became tight. Local supporters formed a nonprofit group, Doc’s Friends, in 2013 to finish the job. The Pentagon approved ground testing of the B-29 and the eventual use of a non-joint-use runway at McConnell in June. Connie Palacioz, 91, who put the first rivets into Doc when she was 18 years old, was there to watch Sunday. “I never thought I would live to see this day but I did,” she said, according to the release. A video of the flight is available here. (Read more about Doc’s restoration in Wingman Magazine.)
Billy Mitchell: Lessons a Hundred Years Hence
Dec. 16, 2025
Exactly 100 years ago, on Dec. 17, 1925, Brig. Gen. Billy Mitchell was convicted by court-martial for violating an order that required approval before he could engage with the media. Mitchell’s provocative thoughts and unorthodox methods sought attention for a cause that he saw as uniquely American.
