Warbird Information Exchange

I'm doing more homework since I'm currently stationed in "Ice Station Oklahoma".......

Once again, here is the instrument repeater panel that the radar operator used.


I laid out the dimensions and made a rough template of the panel face yesterday. I'll be able to lay out the instrument locations and panel face dimensions on aluminum quite quickly once I get back to the sheetmetal room at the Museum.




I also worked on some prep work for a couple of the structure projects that need to be attacked during our next trip south.

Scott

Just a quick update on '543.

Mike T. did some much appreciated research in the blueprint room and Bill had all the rest of the volunteers working hard in the north hangar. We did some prep work on Saturday for that rib bracket in the right wing root and will probably install same next weekend. I had a lot on my mind today and didn't really get much done. Ellen and I did manage to shoot on a couple of little repairs in the radio room that have been nagging at me to be fixed, so I suppose all wasn't lost. More info and pictures when we do more work.......

Scott

Great updates, thanks for taking the time to post (and post pictures and all). I really appreciate it.

Tim

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www.tailhookstudio.com

The updates are really appreciated during these cold winter months Thanks for taking the time to keep us posted !

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Blue Skies .....

Peter

Consolidated by US state ~ see if there's a heavy bomber tour stop coming to an airport near you ...... http://www.bomberflight.info

Warbirdapps on facebook ~ every day a new image from my personal journey thru the world of warbirds ..... https://www.facebook.com/Warbirdapps

Thanks for watching, guys. One of the reasons we haven't done a large volume of updates is the cold weather that North Texas has had this winter. Our hangar is unheated and it can get pretty frosty in there at times, hence not as much work .

Here's a quick update on construction and repair methods that Boeing used on hollow tubing structures:

As most of you know, the B-17 has a large amount of hollow structural members. Here is a small brace that supports the wing surfaces aft of the aft spar. Notice that there is a filler inside to keep the tube from collapsing when rivets are driven through the tube and its attaching bracket:


This is the other end of the tube. It seems that the filler block either fell out or was never inserted when the subassembly was built. Luckily the attaching bracket is stout enough that the tube didn't collapse when the rivets were shot:


Here is an excerpt from the Structural Repair Manual that refers to installing a micarta or hardwood filler during splice repairs. This is the same method used during assembly at the factory, just in a different application:


This is the little micarta filler block I fabbed up for this tube--just slide it in, with a bit of sealant to secure it, and rivet the parts back together:



Scott

Winter OPS at VFM. Yes this is unusual for us!!










Patrick Mahaffey
B-17 "Chuckie"
B-25 "Pacific Prowler"
B-26K

Plowing snow on a tractor does not bring back good memories! I used a 1964 Ford 2000 tractor with a front plow. My driveway was a hill and I remember a few times wondering if I'd survive the ride down the hill (even when I was trying to go up it).

Tim

_________________
www.tailhookstudio.com

I've scooped Nebraska snow with everything from a John Deere "B" with a cable-lift Horn loader to a 944 payloader, and I don't miss it one bit. We would spend days cleaning off enough of the feedlot floors and farmplace to keep the livestock going, only to have another big dump of snow or a fifty-knot wind soon after. I don't miss "real" winter one bit, and when people get a blizzard I really feel for them.

I actually got a little homework done today since it was IFR in east Texas and we stayed home. I managed to paint the battery tray I made a while back with battery box paint. Once we get our other MX items taken care of in that compartment I can reinstall the tray.


Scott

OOOH, bad memories of deicing and shovelling snow in Bangor Maine at the guard base. BUT, I did have fun up there.

Scott

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Scott Dunkirk
AZGCLHU Inc.

http://arizonagroundcrew.org/

1940's Army Air Force ground crew living history
(A 501 C 3 organization)
(IYAMYAS)

"Yes sir, it's suppose to look like that"

I need some expert assistance from a history buff. I have accepted the challenge of reproducing the stencil on the left side of 44-8543. The stencil there now may or may not be original, but if possible, I'd like to put an original style one back...

My question is really of the syntax of the stencil. Here's what I think was written on the aircraft and how it was written. The spacing is deliberate. Was there punctuation on the original stencil?

U S ARMY B17G-70-VE
AAF SER NO 44-8543
MAX CREW WT 1200 LBS

Since this may not print correctly, here is the alignment in the pictures I took. (I hate to get yet another picture hosting account just so I can show pics here, but I'll email anyone a pic)

The U and S are aligned over the first A and the F of AAF. The R in CREW lines up under the S in SER and A in ARMY. the B in B17 and N in NO and W in WT line up vertically. The V, 3 and B line up at the end of the lines. Were there any period (.) punctuation marks? Any comments or suggestions as I make up a stencil?

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Hawkeye Poole
https://www.youtube.com/c/hawkeyepoole
franklin@pgctv.com

Hawkeye,

That information is in our microfilm blueprints. It has the size, font, and layout of the stencil.

Patrick

Just a quick update note. We got the piece of 4130 steel stock for the right wing rib corrosion repair (see pics on page 19 or 20) back from a generous vendor that bent it for us. The repair required bending it into a deep U channel that we do not have the means to do in house. Now that we have the parts, Scott is going to start work on putting that back together. In the mean time Scott has been working on a few other minor sheetmetal repairs and we have been working on finishing replacing the ignition harness on #1 engine. Things slowed down a little bit there for a while because we were doing some hangar shuffling trying to make room for the B-26K, and yet another project, a DC-3/C-47 restoration.

Yesterday we packed the hangar and now we have the B-17, B-25, B-26K and a DC-3 (minus wings, vertical, horizontal and engines) in the hangar (along with the rest of the museum collecdtion) The DC-3 is undergoing a MAJOR restoration to save it from a lot of corrosion and thus the major disassembly.

I'm about to leave to head out to the museum, I'll snap some pictures and post them as soon as I can.

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Bill Gorin
Vintage Flying Museum
http://www.vintageflyingmuseum.org
https://www.facebook.com/#!/group.php?gid=57513906106

As promised are some pictures. First the B-17 and DC-3 virtually nose to nose.


The B-26K is tucked in behind the DC-3. Nice to see it inside after all those years of sitting outside.


The R1820's off of the DC-3, hmmmm those sure would make nice spares for the 17!


Inside the DC-3 with the floors removed.


Looking aft in the DC-3


They took the tail guns off of the Prowler for a recent photo shoot. That's gotta be the best seat in the house!!


Today Scott and Ellen worked on shooting some rivets up on top of the nose of the 17 forward of the windshields where we had some issues as well as down on the belly. Work is progressing nicely on the spar AD and the #1 engine ignition harness is almost done. We just have to stab the mags and finish terminating all of the wires. Today Steve and Mike put heat shrink on the ignition leads to help keep moisture out of the leads and protect them from corrosion and the elements. Overall it was a very productive weekend. We are really hoping to make it to the Altus AFB show in May just so we can go hang out with Brad.

That's all for now, thanks for checking in on us. We'll be back at it next weekend.

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Bill Gorin
Vintage Flying Museum
http://www.vintageflyingmuseum.org
https://www.facebook.com/#!/group.php?gid=57513906106

And I thought I had a hangar full of projects! Wow. Keep up the great work you guys and gals.
David
WHF Maint

Here is a photo of John F. prepping the upper forward fuselage opening for a new transparency on Saturday:


And another shot of a small portion of the hangar I took from a workstand:


Scott