Elizabeth de la Cruz
Boeing has partially sponsored a $6.5 million project of Wichita, Kansas-based nonprofit organization Doc’s Friends to build an interactive B-29 Doc hangar and education center.
Executives from Doc’s Friends, Boeing and Spirit AeroSystems broke ground on the 32,000-square-foot center that will provide an opportunity for visitors to experience B-29 and learn about science, technology, engineering and math related to aviation, the nonprofit said Saturday.
“It’s our hope that visitors of every age will come away with a better understanding of history as well as a greater appreciation for the opportunities that lie ahead in aerospace and beyond,” said Leanne Caret, president and CEO of Boeing’s defense, space and security division.
Spirit AeroSystems and the City of Wichita also pledged to help fund the construction project.
“The B-29 Doc Hangar and Education Center will be the centerpiece of our mission of honoring those who designed, built, flew and maintained the B-29 Superfortress to protect our freedom,” said Jeff Turner, board chairman at Doc’s Friends.
Turner added the nonprofit also seeks to educate multiple generations about the contributions of the B-29 to U.S. history through the facility.
