Warbird Information Exchange

Any recent photos would be appreciated.

I always seem to pass her up at night.....

Along with the F-4

But she is still there, as of last weekend.





Doc

I took some pictures last week of her...the outfit I drive for has a terminal just across the 99 from the airport...For some reason, I can't get the dig cam to download the images to my computer.....anyway, she looks the same as when I last visited her about 4 years ago...very dusty....Only thing I noticed different, was the port wing tip has a gouge in it, but maybe I hadn't noticed it before.

Anyone know what the inside looks like, was it gutted?

Pretty sure it's gutted with replica fiberglass turrets

Thought I heard something long ago about parts/pieces from the inside aiding in other B-17 projects. Anyone hear anything about this?

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A&P/I.A., A.A.S./Aviation Maintenance technology
Warbird salvage/recovery
One day I'll get that P-40!

I was there last month and sadly, the plane is in horrible shape. Everything is in need of repair or at least a very thorough cleaning and polishing. I know the USAF museum has standards for their aircraft but I can't imagine that this one is meeting those standards. I would love to have this one here at the Arizona Wing of the CAF. We have enough spare parts to make the neccessary repairs and put this aircraft into very nice static condition and it would remain inside much of the time.

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The more I learn about aircraft, the more I realize I still have to learn.

Chris thanks for the photos!

Is there any particular reason this B-17 is being left to die like that? The discussion comes up every couple of years, and nothing changes. She just gets dirtier and more banged up.

Seems a shame. I can't believe there isn't the desire or the resources out there to get her taken care of.

We tried to help them. We had a few volunteers that were willing to go and clean her up a bit. I was told by the AMVETS that "We feel she is just fine and up to snuff." I will say this. If you have a B-17 being displayed outdoors, this is NOT the time to neglect it.

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Chris Henry
EAA Aviation Museum Manager

That's simply shameful. How a veterans group can say that this plane is "fine" is beyond me.

I'm surprised that no one has made a financial offer to take it off their hands once and for all.

As far as the question of the interior, IIRC, Scott Thompson's "The Final Cut" indicated that it had been gutted, either by vandals or for use in other B-17 restorations.

I understand from previous threads that this particular aircraft is owned by AMVETS outright, and doesn't fall under NMUSAF jurisdiction. Still sad to see though. Although it's not financially realistic, I think that all surviving WWII static aircraft should be indoors. Leaving a 70-year-old aircraft exposed to the weather is just guaranteeing it's destruction.

SN

Seems like she is horribly misnamed. Doesn't seem to be a lot of "Pride" shown in her at all.

I suggest a name change to Preston's Red-Headed Stepchild, cause it sure doesn't seem like they give two hoots about her except to say "Yup, she's all ours".

Mac

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WWII Naval Aviation Research - Pacific
https://www.ww2nar-pac.com/

So given the right circumstances, this B-17 could be made airworthy?

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Keep Em' Flying,
Christopher Soltis
Dedicated to the preservation and education of The Sikorsky Memorial Airport

CASC Blog Page: http://ctair-space.blogspot.com/
Warbird Wear: https://www.redbubble.com/people/warbirdwear/shop

Chicks Dig Warbirds.......right?

I first saw this B-17 over 30 years ago. Somewhere I have Kodachrome slides I took of it back then. Unfortunately it's been getting banged up almost since the day it was put there. It's been hit by trucks a number of times (before the fence was installed). The first time I saw it one of the bomb bay doors was open.