Flak Bait has left the building...

[Warbirdnerd]

The nose section was removed from the Mall location last night. Headed for UH to be reunited with the rest of airframe.
http://instagram.com/p/pcMmAeRO9s/

Last edited by Warbirdnerd on Thu Jun 19, 2014 8:44 pm, edited 1 time in total.

[JohnB]

About freakin' time.

It's "head" has been on display at the Mall for 38 years.

But then again, what else can you expect from a National air museum that doesn't display one of the nation's most famous aircraft? (B-17).

[Steve Nelson]

My wife is thrilled..she's been listening to me b***h about FB's treatment since we visited the NASM in 2008.

SN

[lmritger]

Amazing to consider the forward fuselage has been in situ at the downtown location for well over half of the time the aircraft has existed.

This is going to be a great, great thing to see it back together and on display. I do wonder what they'll do about the rub marks on the forwardmost section where the paint has been worn away... there's a lot of wear and tear they'll want to leave in place, but I doubt that's something they'd just leave out there.

Thanks for the info!

Lynn

[SaxMan]

Awesome news. I guess the instructions to my Revell 1/72 scale Marauder were right after all about the rest of the plane being restored.

[Jerry O'Neill]

Very happy to hear this!!!

[APG85]

A little bit about it here:

http://blog.nasm.si.edu/

[Ken]

The Curator's blog quote of, "The overall treatment theme is to preserve the artifact’s structural, mechanical, and cosmetic features, but the project will require a combination of techniques ranging from conservation to, when warranted, restoration" sounds exactly like what most of us have hoped for. We've seen some of the photos of her wings, etc and I would imagine that some of her parts will need extra attention to remove dirt, corrosion, etc. Can't wait to see her in one piece. I never thought I'd see Enola Gay and I sure never thought I'd see Flak Bait, so this is awesome news.

Ken

[gary1954]

OH PLEASE PLEASE PLEASE just carefully give her a bath, and put her back together as she is so we can see her as she was when she left combat operations....please please.

Can I get an Amen?

[k5083]

Leave the rub marks too. As has been noted, they are more than half as old as the airplane and are part of its history. For that matter, let people keep touching it. In many cultures there are totems and statues that people traditionally touch for whatever spiritual connection they get out of it. The parts people touch are worn smooth by centuries of this, creating a line of cultural continuity beautifully symbolized by the wear on the artifact. To create something like this out of a World War II weapon would be far cooler than preserving a little paint.

August

[Pat Carry]

OH PLEASE PLEASE PLEASE just carefully give her a bath, and put her back together as she is so we can see her as she was when she left combat operations....please please.

Can I get an Amen?

AMEN!

[Pat Carry]

The nose section was removed from the Mall location last night. Headed for UH to be reunited with the rest of airframe.
http://instagram.com/p/pcMmAeRO9s/

The instagram does not work for me but this is great news!

[Warbirdnerd]

The nose section was removed from the Mall location last night. Headed for UH to be reunited with the rest of airframe.
http://instagram.com/p/pcMmAeRO9s/

The instagram does not work for me but this is great news!

I guess it only works on phones etc that have the instagram app installed. Sorry about that. The pic shows the nose section on a dolly on the main floor of the Smithsonian's Mall location.
Here is a linkable image I found on Facebook:

[kalamazookid]

OH PLEASE PLEASE PLEASE just carefully give her a bath, and put her back together as she is so we can see her as she was when she left combat operations....please please.

Can I get an Amen?

This, 100000x.

[Mark Allen M]

let people keep touching it. In many cultures there are totems and statues that people traditionally touch for whatever spiritual connection they get out of it.

Unfortunately this thing isn't made of stone so if people keep putting their paws on it, 'it' more than likely won't last for centuries. I certainly have no problem with people who feel the need for a spiritual connection as long as they acquire that connection a few feet back and without requiring paint chips under their finger nails. But what do I know? I'm somewhat 'spiritually disconnected these days.

The parts people touch are worn smooth by centuries of this, creating a line of cultural continuity beautifully symbolized by the wear on the artifact. To create something like this out of a World War II weapon would be far cooler than preserving a little paint.

Perhaps, but again unfortunately more people than not seem to feel the need twist, bend, distort or take home a piece of an artifact to feed their cultural needs. (and that's not even mentioning the need some have to spray paint graffiti on them) It may be a strange proposition to some, but perhaps admiring the artifact without touching the d*mn thing could be beneficial so that other folks years from now can admire it as well. Possibly a strange thought I know but that's just me.

Glad it's going to be put back together.