Flak Bait - Any News...?

[Chris Brame]

Hopefully the five-year job will mean carefully going through every nook and cranny to arrest corrosion and preserve everything in and out, including paint and markings, with the result being like their P-38 and P-61 - conserve/preserve. How long did it take to do that to those two aircraft?

[Pat Carry]

I want to say the P-61 was done in less than a year

[Tom Farrell]

Its important to understand that it has been almost 70 years since most of Flak Bait had any attention. Even sitting in boxes for that long takes its toll. I'm told that Flak Bait is considered to be "very complete" in that there is very little missing from the plane at wars end.

One interesting note, when they uncrated the two main wheel assemblies and tires, they found the tires were still fully inflated 70 years after her last mission.

[Steve Nelson]

Last summer a docent at U-H told me two years..but of course we all know how flexible restoration schedules can be. Earlier this month somebody on another forum claimed that there are currently only two restoration techs assigned to FB, and much of the NASM's current budget and personel are devoted to a multi-year makeover of the downtown museum. It's all just speculation and rumor of course..I'm just thrilled that she's finally getting the attention she deserves. She'll get done when she gets done.

SN