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PRESENT MISSIONS. NEARLY 75 YEARS AFTER ITS BIRTH. THIS B29 IS BACK IN THE SKY. >> NEVER IN MY WILDEST DREAMS DID I THINK I WOULD BE FLYING B 29. EMILY: PILOT STEVE ZIMMERMAN, WHO LIVES IN OLATHE, VOLUNTEERS TO FLY DOC ALL OVER THE COUNTRY. IT'S ONE OF ONLY TWO B29 BOMBERS FLYING. >> IT IS AN HONOR REALLY TO GET TO FLY IT. WOMEN TO KEEP THE MEMORY ALIVE. EMILY:HE TOOK PART IN THE 2019 STROKE WALK IN OVERLAND PARK. IT BENEFITS THE AMERICAN STROKE FOUNDATION, WHICH HELPS SURVIVORS AND THEIR FAMILIES OVERCOME THE CHALLENGES THAT COME AFTER A STROKE. THE WALK WAS JUST PART OF IT. >> HE SAID MANY OF THEM ARE RETIREE VOLUNTEERS FROM THE AVIATION INDUSTRY. >> IT BRINGS A FLOOD OF MEMORIES. >> A WIDE RANGE OF EMOTIONS. SOMETIMES TEARS, SOMETIMES JOY. >> DOC HAS TAKEN ON A MODERN MISSION. >> WE'RE OUT THERE EDUCATING PEOPLE AND BRINGING BACK THE MEMORIES FOR WORLD WAR II VETS THAT MEMORY ALIVE SO WE DON'T REPEAT IT. EMILY: YOU CAN GO CHECK IT OUT FOR YOURSELF.

Advertisement Historic B-29 from World War II flies into KC area New Century Airport welcomes "Doc", one of only two B-29 bombers in the world that's still flying. Share Shares Copy Link Copy

People in the Kansas City area have a chance to see a historic military aircraft in Olathe. One of only two B-29 bombers from World War II that’s still flying is being hosted by the Commemorative Air Force at New Century Airport through Sunday. Nearly 75 years after its birth, a war bird is back in the sky. “Never in my wildest dreams did I think I’d be flying a B-29,” said Aircraft Commander Steve Zimmerman. The 35-year veteran airline pilot from Olathe volunteers to fly the B-29 bomber "Doc" all over the country.“It's an honor really to fly it,” said Zimmerman, “and we do it to commemorate the men and women from the greatest generation, and try to keep that memory alive.” Doc was built in Wichita in 1945. After spending decades in the desert at a navy bombing range, it was brought back to where it all began to get new life. “It took 16 years and about 450 thousand volunteer hours to put the aircraft together and get it restored,” said Josh Wells. Wells is the General Manager and Executive Director of Doc’s Friends, the organization that maintains the bomber. He said many of the volunteers were retirees from the aviation industry. “They had the know-how and the passion,” he said, “they fell in love with the program, they fell in love with the airplane.”For veterans, seeing the plane brings a flood of memories. “A wide range of emotions,” said Zimmerman, “sometimes its tears, sometimes its joy.” 70-plus years after serving in wartime, Doc has taken on a modern mission. “We're out there educating people and bringing back the memories for the world war two vets that come out,” said Zimmerman, “and trying to keep that memory alive so we don't repeat it.”To learn more about Doc, flights and how you can support Doc’s Friends, click here.