Media Kampung, Cleveland –
A historic World War II B-29 Superfortress, nicknamed “Doc,” lifted off from Burke Lakefront Airport on Saturday, carrying a full crew and paying passengers. The flight marked the aircraft’s first public sortie since its extensive restoration, and it attracted a crowd that included veteran Tony Mazzolini, the Air Force veteran who first discovered the abandoned bomber in California’s Mojave Desert in 1987.
Mazzolini recalled spotting the silhouette of the B‑29 while searching for historic planes, racing to the site and deciding it “had to be saved.” Over three decades of meticulous work by volunteers and specialists returned Doc to its original wartime condition, making it one of only two air‑worthy B‑29s in the world. The aircraft’s interior was rebuilt to match its 1945 configuration, allowing visitors to experience the cockpit and crew stations as they were during the war.
Pilot Julie Cruze explained that the tour, organized by the nonprofit Doc’s Friends, aims to educate the public and honor the crews who flew these machines. “Seeing people touch and feel the bomber brings history to life,” she said. The Cleveland stop gave community members a rare chance to ride aboard the warbird, linking a new generation with the legacy of World War II aviation.
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