Bomber Gas Station

[Mr. SP]

In Milwaukie Oregon there is a gas station made from a Boeing B-17-F. The pumps were under the wings. The station was closed up last summer when driving by and the nose of the plane from the wings forward was gone. It looks like the nose was removed intentionally as there did not appear to be a structural failure. Anyone have some info about the fate awaiting the plane and where the nose went?

[mrhenniger]

Is there a restaurant at the site still?

The nose is with Tom Reilly's facility in Douglas, GA. I don't know what the long term plans are.

Mike

[FlyingFortB17]

Did it really go to Tom Reilly? I thought the nose section was restored locally and on display up there.

Via http://www.thebomber.com/Index.asp

[JimH]

This was her last summer. We ate at the diner that evening, good food btw, and the nose was in the next building. The remainder of the forward fuselage is at Aurora airport in a jig sitting outside. If you look close at this photo you can see 909 flying over.

jimh

[Rob Mears]

Hmmmm, "No Thunder Ranch Parking". Is this place situated next to a tactical shooting range?

If that restaurant ever closes, I want the neon sign out front!

[ww2John]

If you are being picky, that is B-17G (NOT an F model) 44-85790.

The gas pumps have not been there for quite a while. They used to have landscaping supplies underneath her after the gas pumps disappeared. So this is somewhat of an improvement. And yes, the restaurant has very good breakfasts and I've "tested" them twice to make sure.

Go to http://www.aerovintage.com/b17loc.htm and scroll down to find B17 survivor information.

Also go to http://www.aerovintage.com/b17news.htm and read previous posts on several surviving B17's .

Finally, get a copy of Scott Thompson's book "Final Cut" 2nd edition here
http://www.aerovintage.com/catalog.htm and have your own handy-dandy B17 research tool.

FYI Scott did not ask me to post this, but he keeps a terrific web site if you like B17's & B25's.

[bdk]

There is a lot of work still ahead of us, but with continued public support this piece from our country's history will one day be seen in it's original glory, ready to fly and tour for our freedom!

[Warbird Mechanic]

That is a B-17G alright. I can tell by the cheek gun positions. I'm glad they are restoring this plane, but are they actually going to make it fly again? It would be great to see this bird back in the air. I wish them well on their project.

Tom Reilly is currently restoring a B-17G in Urbanna, Ohio at Grimes Field. Last time I saw it, they were building jigs for the forwards and rear fuselage sections so they can reassemble it. I do hope Tom comes up more often to help supervise the team doing the work. The aft section looked like a skeleton of its former self with all its exterior skin panels completely removed. In this configuration I think it would be very easy for the skeleton structure to twist out of square. If they try to install new panels on the aft skeleton section like this without it being squared up, by the time they try to reattach the tail section onto the forward fuselage, it will not line up properly, then they will have to strip all those panels back off and redo everything. I do hope Tom will show them how to do this process correctly. I think they are going to need more hanger space by the time they start putting the wing sections back on.

We did get the oleo struts all back together on our B-17F Memphis Belle this week. All we need to do to them is prime and paint them, then they should be ready to be installed back into the nacelle openings in the inner wing sections. The paint stripping on the outter surfaces of the main forward fuselage is continuing. Won't be much longer and the forward fuselage will go to the paint booth to have the entire interior bead blasted down to bare metal. When it emerges from the paint booth it should look the way it did when it was still at the Boeing factory. We will then know for certain what corrosion issues we will have to address on this forward fuselage section and then the sheet metal work will begin. We already started the sheet metal work on the vertical stabilizer.

Jim

[mrhenniger]

Did it really go to Tom Reilly? I thought the nose section was restored locally and on display up there.

I was told it was spotted at the Douglas, GA, facility a few months ago. I will confirm.

Mike

[tom d. friedman]

oh man, i've seen it all now!! the prime rib sounds good!! let's all hook up!!!

[Chuck Giese]

Is there a restaurant at the site still?

The nose is with Tom Reilly's facility in Douglas, GA. I don't know what the long term plans are.

Mike

Tom does not have a facility in Douglas. He is currently working for Don Brooks in Don's hanger.

Also, the nose section is not in Douglas. It was restored by Shane Weiss, who also has the cockpit in a jig, in preparation for restoration to resume. Jim H had photos of it here last year(?).

[DiggerWW2]

What are those two aircraft flying over the B-17 in the Restaurant photo??
One looks like a B-17 & the other looks like a C-5 ....

That Menu looks pretty good by the way...

http://www.thebomber.com/Menu.asp?Meal=LD

I'll have a DRESDEN Burger please .... Well Done with extra Hot Sauce of course!!

Digger

[mustangdriver]

I'll be damned if that isn't a B-17.

[JimH]

LOL...its a seagull

jim

[phil65]

Looks more like a F-14

The "Bomberburger" famous since 1947. $8.75
2 all beef patties, ham, bacon, American cheese, mushrooms, pickles, tomato, lettuce, 1000 island dressing, and our secret weapon (Peanut Butter)! We dare you to eat all of it. If you can, we have a surprise for you!

Peanut Butter!