Full scale B-17 mock ups and other fiber glass replicas

[daveymac82c]

Well, from the thread on Swamp Ghost, it sounds like there's going to be a fibre-glass B-17 given to the Papua New Guinea government for display down there.

Cool stuff.

Peace,

David

[Warbird Kid]

Does anyone know if the molds for the Lackaland replica still exist? It would be great to see a second replica made to replace the B-24 on outdoor display in Barksdale, and get that airframe out of the weather (maybe Willow Run, when Yankee eventually gets a new facility.) No offense to the folks who work hard to maintain museum aircraft, but it's always going to be a losing battle when they're displayed outoors.

SN

I would really like to know this as well. Heck one more?! Lets make 10! I know what scheme I'd paint mine in!

[p51]

I know for certain that inside the ill-fated "Disney's American Experience" park that was going to be built in Virginia was going to be at least one B-17 (renderings showed two) for a WW2 airfield in the park. A little info with the artist rendering showing the two B-17s can be seen here: http://www.2719hyperion.com/2008/01/lost-imagineering-victory-field.html I always wondered what that would've looked like in person.

[SaxMan]

Aren't there a whole bunch of fiberglass replicas at the Proud Bird restaurant near LAX? First time I saw them was from the window of a 757 on final approach and I nearly flipped out. From that perspective, they looked awfully real. I'm told they are not quite as convincing up close.

[JohnB]

I've seen a few FS fiberglass models...the B-24 and P-38 at Lackland and the P-51 at Duxford. I was very impressed with them.
They are perfect for outside exhibition especially since 99% of the public won't know (or care) that they aren't real.

[bombadier29]

The fiberglass B-24 at Lackland is an abomination. If you ever get close to it and take a close look, you will back away quickly. There are cracks all in the glass and many of them go all the way through. At one point a few years ago, the left vertical fin was just barely hanging on before it was repaired.
There is nearly as much bondo filling the cracks on that plane as there is fiberglass on it. It serves a purpose and looks fine from 50' but it just doesn't look like larger fiberglass airplanes hold up as well as the smaller ones. I don't know what kind of supports are built into the wings and such but it really isn't doing the job.

[bombadier29]

Double post. Sorry.

[maxum96]

Does the March airfield museum still have the fiberglass P-40 on the pole?

[GARY HILTON]

No, the March Field P-40 is gone....I do wonder where it went..it was a fine replica.
G.

[JohnB]

The fiberglass B-24 at Lackland is an abomination. If you ever get close to it and take a close look, you will back away quickly. There are cracks all in the glass and many of them go all the way through. At one point a few years ago, the left vertical fin was just barely hanging on before it was repaired.
There is nearly as much bondo filling the cracks on that plane as there is fiberglass on it. It serves a purpose and looks fine from 50' but it just doesn't look like larger fiberglass airplanes hold up as well as the smaller ones. I don't know what kind of supports are built into the wings and such but it really isn't doing the job.

When I saw it in 2004, it was fine. No worse than the real B-24 it replaced.
If it has gone downhill since then, it's on LAFB, and not the concept of SFMs.

[bombadier29]

The fiberglass B-24 at Lackland is an abomination. If you ever get close to it and take a close look, you will back away quickly. There are cracks all in the glass and many of them go all the way through. At one point a few years ago, the left vertical fin was just barely hanging on before it was repaired.
There is nearly as much bondo filling the cracks on that plane as there is fiberglass on it. It serves a purpose and looks fine from 50' but it just doesn't look like larger fiberglass airplanes hold up as well as the smaller ones. I don't know what kind of supports are built into the wings and such but it really isn't doing the job.

When I saw it in 2004, it was fine. No worse than the real B-24 it replaced.
If it has gone downhill since then, it's on LAFB, and not the concept of SFMs.

It did look fine for quite a while. But 2004 was a while ago and during that passing time the fiberglass has started to crack. That is due to the way it is put together or constructed. I vote for a little of both due to the fact that it is cracking where there are joints in the airplane. Some are around production joints in the fiberglass and some are in the severe angles that are molded into the fiberglass. It certainly isn't cracking because the airmen have been climbing all over it after their graduation parade. It's cracking because it appears to be too heavy for the way it is supported internally. It's cracking because of the way it was put together. Its cracking because of the way it is constructed. Please tell me how any of that is the fault of Lackland AFB. They didn't have anything to do with any of those steps. The paint, which they have redone a couple of times, is fine. Except for where the cracks are coming through.

The real B-24 wasn't pretty by any stretch. But it wasn't cracking and splitting where it was not supposed to be either.

The P-38 is in much better shape and doesn't seem to have the internal support problems that the B-24 has. Or maybe its just built better. Or maybe its both. More than one of the fiberglass P-51s around the country has been seen to have drooping wings. They were all made by the same company and they were the same company that built the B-24. The P-47 on Shaw AFB was built by the same company. After about two years on display one of the propellor blades started to seperate and fall out of the hub. The entire prop had to be pulled and beefed up before reglassing.

[Fortress Fan]

I seem to recall watching a video on Youtube at the Planes of Fame museum in Chino, about Picadilly Lilly and on the video some fibreglass moulds were being taken of the exterior of the nose section.

Someone is making something, might just be the nose section though

[Warbird Kid]

The fiberglass B-24 at Lackland is an abomination. If you ever get close to it and take a close look, you will back away quickly. There are cracks all in the glass and many of them go all the way through. At one point a few years ago, the left vertical fin was just barely hanging on before it was repaired.
There is nearly as much bondo filling the cracks on that plane as there is fiberglass on it. It serves a purpose and looks fine from 50' but it just doesn't look like larger fiberglass airplanes hold up as well as the smaller ones. I don't know what kind of supports are built into the wings and such but it really isn't doing the job.

When I saw it in 2004, it was fine. No worse than the real B-24 it replaced.
If it has gone downhill since then, it's on LAFB, and not the concept of SFMs.

It did look fine for quite a while. But 2004 was a while ago and during that passing time the fiberglass has started to crack. That is due to the way it is put together or constructed. I vote for a little of both due to the fact that it is cracking where there are joints in the airplane. Some are around production joints in the fiberglass and some are in the severe angles that are molded into the fiberglass. It certainly isn't cracking because the airmen have been climbing all over it after their graduation parade. It's cracking because it appears to be too heavy for the way it is supported internally. It's cracking because of the way it was put together. Its cracking because of the way it is constructed. Please tell me how any of that is the fault of Lackland AFB. They didn't have anything to do with any of those steps. The paint, which they have redone a couple of times, is fine. Except for where the cracks are coming through.

The P-38 is in much better shape and doesn't seem to have the internal support problems that the B-24 has. Or maybe its just built better. Or maybe its both. More than one of the fiberglass P-51s around the country has been seen to have drooping wings. They were all made by the same company and they were the same company that built the B-24. The P-47 on Shaw AFB was built by the same company. After about two years on display one of the propellor blades started to seperate and fall out of the hub. The entire prop had to be pulled and beefed up before reglassing.

When you think about it, this is probably the largest free standing full size fiberglass airplane mockup. Right? Or is there a larger one? It's a shame to hear the fiberglass on this replica is such a mess, but what could someone have done to prevent it?

And for that matter (hypothetically speaking of course) what if you started with a brand new Tallichet B-24 replica with the goal of detailing it out to convince most viewers? This detailed replica would have a full inside fuselage, bombay, guns, turrets, equipment, etc. Given the metal framework inside, could you re-engineer the structure or modify it?

[RandolphB]

Aren't there a whole bunch of fiberglass replicas at the Proud Bird restaurant near LAX? First time I saw them was from the window of a 757 on final approach and I nearly flipped out. From that perspective, they looked awfully real. I'm told they are not quite as convincing up close.

This is true. There are a number sitting in the parking lot, a couple on poles there also. On the other side of the place is a small field with another 8 or 10 sitting so they can be veiwed from inside while you eat. From what I could tell, nobody there cared about Aviation, and the place seemed to be used for weddings and quinceaneras more than anything.....

[Warbird Kid]

How many of these chain restaurants are / were there?