Will Fly In On Opening Day -- Monday, July 24

The EAA told Aero-News Tuesday that two of the greatest airplanes from the World War II era -- the Boeing B-29 and Consolidated LB-30 (better known as the B-24 Liberator) -- will be coming to EAA AirVenture Oshkosh 2006. Both aircraft are part of Commemorative Air Force's "Ghost Squadron" fleet, based in Midland, TX.

The LB-30 was part of EAA AirVenture's salute to the 60th anniversary of the end of World War II last year. The B-29 is making its first appearance at Oshkosh since 1995 (it was scheduled to appear at AirVenture last year, until mechanical difficulties prevented that visit.)

"The addition of the B-29 and LB-30 to the lineup for EAA AirVenture 2006 again proves that Oshkosh is the greatest aviation gathering point in the world," said Tom Poberezny, EAA president and AirVenture chairman.  "These two airplanes represent the highest American bomber technology from the beginning and end of World War II."

The Boeing B-29 "Superfortress" is best known to many as the aircraft from which the first atomic bomb was dropped on Hiroshima in 1945. "Fifi" is the world's only airworthy example of the B-29, which was designed as a replacement for the older B-17s and B-24s, with longer range and greater bomb loads. It was first flown in 1942 and began active service in 1944, and served throughout the 1950s until the jet age took firm hold.

This particular B-29 was saved from use as a ground target for weapons tests in the 1960s, and was first flown by the CAF in 1971. The B-29 is named "Fifi" in honor of the wife of Col. Victor N. Agather, who had been on the wartime development team for the aircraft and had been personally committed and involved with the airplane's restoration.

The Consolidated LB-30 is one of the earliest models of the famed B-24 "Liberator" bomber, and is the oldest of the only two or three airworthy examples of this airplane that still exist. It was built in 1940 and purchased by Great Britain before the start of that nation's Lend-Lease program with the United States --- hence, the LB-30 designation as Consolidated's 30th model in its Land Bomber series. More than 18,000 of the LB-30/B-24 model were produced.

"Diamond Lil," the 18th LB-30 off the assembly line, was damaged in an operational accident and never saw the skies over England. The CAF purchased the aircraft from the Pemex Oil Company of Mexico in 1967, and restored the airplane in the combat markings of the 98th Bomb Group of the 9th Air Force, U.S. Army Air Corps.

Both aircraft will fly in to Wittman Field Monday, July 24 (EAA AirVenture's opening day) and will remain throughout the event's duration. The two airplanes will be parked on the main AeroShell Square showcase ramp.

FMI: www.eaa.org, www.airventure.org