Two rare World War II aircraft are touching down this week at Lehigh Valley International Airport, offering the public a chance to explore aviation history up close.
The B-29 Superfortress known as “Doc” and the P-51 Mustang “Gunfighter” will arrive in Allentown as part of the B-29 Doc History Restored Tour. The event runs from Thursday through Sunday, Sept. 17-20.
Doc is one of only two airworthy B-29s remaining in the world, according to tour organizers. The restored bomber honors those who built, maintained and flew these aircraft during the war.
A P-51 Mustang flies during the Wings Over Muskegon Air Show at the Muskegon County Airport in Michigan on Saturday, July 8, 2023.Cory Morse File Photo | For MLive.com
Accompanying Doc is Gunfighter, a D-model Mustang. Fewer than 150 of the nearly 8,000 D-models manufactured during World War II exist today.
Public access for the event will be through a gate near Hangar 11 at 601 Hayden Circle, Allentown, according to the Lehigh-Northampton Airport Authority that owns and operates the airport.
Visitors can walk through the B-29’s cockpit, bomb bay and crew compartments during the four-day stop. Guides will share information about the B-29’s role in military history. Admission costs $10 per person or $20 per family, with tickets sold at the gate.
Doc, the B-29 Superfortress, does a flyover at the Air Zoo in Portage, Michigan, on July 22, 2021.Carlin Stiehl File Photo | For MLive.com
Flight experiences are available on both aircraft at varying prices.
Ground and cockpit tours will operate Thursday and Friday, Sept. 17-18, from 10 a.m. to 4 p.m.
B-29 flight experiences are scheduled for 9 a.m. and 10:30 a.m. on Saturday and Sunday, Sept. 19-20. Ground tours will resume at noon both days, running until 4:30 p.m.
The P-51 will remain on static display except when conducting flights scheduled for Friday through Sunday.
The aircraft are due to depart for Wilmington, North Carolina, around 2 p.m. Sunday.
Flight-booking details are available on the organization’s website, b29doc.com.