Gallery: First Kansas Women's Hall Of Fame Inductee Is A 'Rosie The Riveter'

Molly McMillin May 18, 2022

World War II Boeing Wichita Riveter Accepts Honor

Credit: Molly McMillin

Connie Palacioz, 97, was inducted in May into Women in Aviation--Kansas Women’s Hall of Fame as the first honoree. Wichita’s B-29 Doc Hangar, Education and Visitors Center celebrated the opening of its Women in Aviation Exhibit with the induction. Tom Gentile, Spirit AeroSystems president and CEO, presents Palacioz with the award at a ceremony inside the hangar, home to a restored B-29 Superfortress called “Doc.” Spirit AeroSystems is sponsoring the exhibit. “The contributions of Connie and women who worked in the defense industry during World War II were a vital piece of the victory realized by the United States and Allied Forces,” Gentile says..

The B-29 Superfortress And 'Doc'

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Boeing designed and produced 3,970 B-29 four-engined heavy bombers, called the Superfortress, from 1943 to 1946. The aircraft, the first pressurized bomber, was designed primarily for high-altitude strategic bombing. They flew primarily during World War II and the Korean War. At the height of production in 1945, the Boeing facility in Wichita produced more than four completed B-29s per day. This fully restored B-29 on display inside the Wichita hangar is nicknamed “Doc,” a nod to its history as part of a squadron of B-29s called Snow White and the Seven Dwarfs. It is one of 1,644 B-29s built in Wichita during World War II. After decades in the Mojave Desert, the aircraft was restored to flyable condition, one of two flying today.

Riveting B-29s

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Connie Palacioz began working at the Boeing Wichita factory at age 17 right out of high school. After two weeks of training, Palacioz riveted B-29 bombers at the Wichita facility, joining millions of women defending the U.S. and the world. In so doing, she broke racial barriers as a Mexican-American working alongside a diverse group of women. “I'm honored to be featured in this exhibit that tells the story of the women who went to work in the Boeing Wichita factory during World War II,” Palacioz says. “Our nation needed us during World War II and I wanted to help. I know this exhibit will serve as a lasting monument to those who joined me in Wichita--and beyond--to answer the call to protect the freedom and country we so loved.”

Kansas Women Hall Of Fame

Credit: Molly McMillin

The Women in Aviation exhibit at the B-29 Hangar, Education and Visitors Center features its first inductee, Connie Palacioz. The exhibit, sponsored by Spirit AeroSystems, honors Kansas women who were pioneers in aviation. Spirit AeroSystems in Wichita builds the fuselage of Boeing’s 737 MAX. The plaque is built from the window cutouts made during the process of building the fuselage.

Honoring Women In Aviation

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The 2,000 sq. ft. Women in Aviation exhibit honors the women on the front lines of manufacturing and assembly lines building wartime equipment and serving during World War II.

Connie's Rivets

Credit: Molly McMillin

Connie Palacioz can still point to the sections of the B-29 bombers that she riveted during World War II at her position at Boeing Wichita. Of the nearly 2,000 rivets in the nose of the restored B-29 known as “Doc,” only seven needed replacing during the decades-long restoration project of the aircraft. Once the war ended, Palacioz and other women were sent home as their jobs were no longer needed. Palacioz was a volunteer during the restoration effort.

'Rosie The Riveters'

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The new Women in Aviation exhibit features the uniform of Rosie the Riveters at Boeing Wichita during World War II in a tribute to “Rosie the Riveters” and their role in the war.

Exhibiting Inspiration

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The Women in Aviation exhibit highlights the role of Rosie the Riveters and the B-29s they helped produce at Boeing Wichita during World War II. They answered the call to help protect freedom at home and abroad. The exhibit will inspire the next generation of women aviators and aviation leaders, says Jeff Turner, chairman of the board of directors of Doc's Friends.

The R-3350 Radial Engine

Credit: Molly McMillin

This R-3350 radial engine was developed by Wright Aeronautical. First flight was in 1941. When the U.S. Army Air Corps requested a long-range bomber with the ability to carry a heavier payload than the B-17, Boeing introduced the B-29 Superfortress powered by four R-3350 engines. The engines were manufactured in a Dodge plant in Chicago. Early variants produced 2,200 hp, while later variants could produce up to 4,000 hp. At first, the engines had a tendency to overheat, but the problem was corrected in later versions.

The B-29 Doc Hangar, Education and Visitors Center In Wichita celebrated the opening of its Women in Aviation Exhibit with the induction of a “Rosie the Riveter” into its Kansas Women’s Hall of Fame. Connie Palacioz, 97, is the first recipient of the honor, which recognizes the legacy of women in the aviation industry. Palacioz worked at Boeing Wichita as a riveter in the production of B-29 Superfortress bombers during World War II.

 

 

 

Molly McMillin

Molly McMillin, a 25-year aviation journalist, is managing editor of business aviation for the Aviation Week Network and editor-in-chief of The Weekly of Business Aviation, an Aviation Week market intelligence report.

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