Discovery, Acquisition, And Restoration Of Historic B-29 Superfortress

Doc’s Friends, the non-profit organization that manages the operation of the Boeing B-29 Superfortress known as "Doc," has released the book Rescuing Doc, that tells the story of how the historic aircraft was discovered after sitting in the Mojave Desert for more than 40 years as a target for the U.S. Navy.

Rescuing Doc is a book that is the written account of the chronicle of how Air Force veteran Tony Mazzolini found Doc in 1987 in the boneyard at the Naval Air Weapons Station in China Lake, California, and had the vision to restore it to flying status and make it available to the public. Through nearly thirty years of his dedication and perseverance, Doc has been flying at air shows around the country and Europe since 2017.

The book is written by Dave Franson, a career marketer and communicator for the aviation industry from Wichita, Kansas. Franson, through his countless hours of one-on-one interviews and spending loads of time with Tony, covers in depth the story of Mazzolini’s passion and dream to restore a B-29 Superfortress.

Franson provides Tony’s recollections and stories about the recovery of Doc from China Lake and relocating it to Wichita for restoration.

Much of the book is written in Franson’s voice from a narrator’s perspective but a portion of it is in Tony’s voice so it provides a unique view into the saga that goes from Tony’s origins in Cleveland, Ohio, to China Lake, to Pensacola, Florida, to Wichita.

Rescuing Doc spans 188 pages with behind-the-scenes stories and photos, some of which have never been told or seen before. It provides a detailed description of Doc’s restoration, and its current mission of bringing a great example of living history to honor the Greatest Generation and keeping their legacy alive.

The book measures 10.25” x 10.25” and is available in paperback or hardcover editions.

FMI:  www.b29doc.com/