WICHITA-Volunteers on Friday morning successfully fired up the engines of a B-29 Superfortress bomber that was last used during the Korean War.

All four engines are a go! Success #B29 #EngineStart pic.twitter.com/RpVRWJD0hT

— Doc’s Friends (@DocsFriends) September 18, 2015

 

 

Restoring the historic airplane has been a 15-year effort. Friday’s engine test is a step that volunteers hope will put it one step closer to its first flight.

Built in Wichita 70 years ago, the plane was dubbed “Doc” after being assigned to a squadron of eight bombers named for Snow White and the Seven Dwarfs. It was finished too late to fly bombing missions during World War II, though it eventually served as a radar trainer during the Korean War. -The Associated Press contributed to this story