Jack's Hack

Air Classics, Oct 2003 by O'Leary, Michael

New England Air Museum dedicates its Superfortress

The NEAM, located at Bradley International Airport, Windsor Lock, Connecticut, finally celebrated its restoration of Jack's Hack this past May, reports aviation artist Gary Velasco. The B-29 memorial, dedicated to the 58th (VH) Bomb Wing and now serves as their home base at the museum, was revealed to the public in all its glory. Fundraising Chairman and 58th BW member James Pattillo was instrumental in initiating the B-29 project along with Connecticut Governor John Rowland who attended the ribbon cutting ceremony, allocating a $1,000,000 grant to the restoration project.

Activated in 1943, the 58th (VH) BW comprised four Bomb Groups - the 40th, 444th, 462nd, and 468th were the first groups to fly the new B-29 in combat. The original Jack's Hack, USAAF s/n 44-61566, was with the 468th BG and commanded by Jack Volkert and flew 20 missions - including the last mission of WWII on 14 August 1945. The last flight of Jack's Hack was on 9 July 1947 when it was transferred to Pyote AAF, Texas, for storage and remained there until 15 September 1953 when it was scrapped. The NEAM acquired B-29 s/n 44-61975 in 1973 from the US Army Proving Ground in Aberdeen, Maryland. The aft fuselage was badly damaged and a deal was made to acquire the aft fuselage of 44-61739. Once in Connecticut, the restoration was started on the B-29. On 3 October 1979, a fatal tornado nearly destroyed the B-29 along with 25 other aircraft that were destroyed and exposed to the elements. Twenty years later, the bomber was sitting outside until visiting retired Col. Don Lundberg decided to make the NEAM and the B-29 the new home of the 58th. In 1998, the decision was made to once again restore the B-29 to static condition, albeit this time in their restoration facility. During this time, funds were raised along with the state grant to continue the project with some 60 volunteers. An 18,000-sq-ft memorial hangar was completed in late 2002 in time for the main components to be assembled.

Just prior to the completion of the hangar, Gary Velasco was contacted by Col. Dennis Savage (Ret.) who was the chief of the restoration project, to do the art work on the bomber. At that time, they were having difficulty decided what bomb group the B-29 should represent. A decision was made for Jack's Hack, and it was a good one since seven of the eleven crewmembers are alive. In an emotional moment, the aircraft was revealed as a parachute was pulled back from the fuselage.