Sun Oct 25, 2009 9:41 pm
Sweet, thanks for the update.
Mon Oct 26, 2009 9:47 am
Here is "Chuckie" with reduced diameter on her radome
Mon Oct 26, 2009 10:25 am
Awesome Scott. Great progress.., she is looking really FINE!!!
Mon Oct 26, 2009 11:24 am
I'm thinking of shamelessly stealing that profile, Chris! It is exactly how some of us would ultimately like to see the real thing.
Smis, thanks for the compliment on behalf of everyone who has taken care of Chuckie for all these years. She looks like she does because of the hard work of the Hospers, and the many folks who helped them, to restore, fly, and maintain her. We're fortunate to be able to help with the upkeep of an airplane that is already in great condition. Hopefully we can add a few details to her as we go forward.
Scott
Smis, thanks for the compliment on behalf of everyone who has taken care of Chuckie for all these years. She looks like she does because of the hard work of the Hospers, and the many folks who helped them, to restore, fly, and maintain her. We're fortunate to be able to help with the upkeep of an airplane that is already in great condition. Hopefully we can add a few details to her as we go forward.
Scott
Mon Oct 26, 2009 3:06 pm
Scott and Co..,
Was the radar appendage on the B-17 similar to the one that they used to crank out of the B-29? I know the B-29 (at least in the 330th) had two versions.., the one that looked like R2-D2
and then a more fat oblong one.., more like an upside down Darth Vadar helmet.
(sorry for all the SW references) George.., if you read this.., don't sue me!
Cheers!
Was the radar appendage on the B-17 similar to the one that they used to crank out of the B-29? I know the B-29 (at least in the 330th) had two versions.., the one that looked like R2-D2
and then a more fat oblong one.., more like an upside down Darth Vadar helmet.
(sorry for all the SW references) George.., if you read this.., don't sue me!
Cheers!
Last edited by the330thbg on Tue Oct 27, 2009 2:16 pm, edited 1 time in total.
Tue Oct 27, 2009 8:28 am
330th,
The H2X "Mickey" radome used on B-17s was smaller in diameter than the ball turret. Holedigger's rendering above is a good representation. There is actually a "reducer" or "filler" ring installed in the ball turret opening in the fuselage to make the opening smaller.
Cheers,
The H2X "Mickey" radome used on B-17s was smaller in diameter than the ball turret. Holedigger's rendering above is a good representation. There is actually a "reducer" or "filler" ring installed in the ball turret opening in the fuselage to make the opening smaller.
Cheers,
Tue Oct 27, 2009 9:14 am
Now we know where George Lucas got his inspiration from
Tue Oct 27, 2009 10:59 am
Smis,
Sorry, my heart isn't really in this today, but I'll try to answer the radome question as best I can.
The H2X radome is approximately 36" in diameter from the sketchy info I have gotten so far. Several texts say that the early B-29 AN/APQ-13 radome was 30". The APQ-13 was developed from the H2X system and the smaller radome might be a result of newer technology of the scanning antenna. That's just my speculation at this point until I get hard evidence.
Thanks for the R2D2/H2X, Chris. It made me feel a tiny bit better.
Scott
Sorry, my heart isn't really in this today, but I'll try to answer the radome question as best I can.
The H2X radome is approximately 36" in diameter from the sketchy info I have gotten so far. Several texts say that the early B-29 AN/APQ-13 radome was 30". The APQ-13 was developed from the H2X system and the smaller radome might be a result of newer technology of the scanning antenna. That's just my speculation at this point until I get hard evidence.
Thanks for the R2D2/H2X, Chris. It made me feel a tiny bit better.
Scott
Tue Oct 27, 2009 11:04 am
I know that feeling. Been mulling over and over in my mind if we could have seen this coming and done anything. I recalled that earlier this month with I did up the "Austin Acres Historical Plaque" for Stratolina, that Gary loved it, said he had not laughed that hard in a long time and there were few enough smiles around lately. I sensed trouble, but had no idea of how bad it was. Sad day indeed. I am finding it hard to concentrate on work. 
Tue Oct 27, 2009 2:14 pm
Holedigger wrote:Now we know where George Lucas got his inspiration from
Waiting for the Darth Vader version!! I am sure we could all USE a chuckle today!!!!
Tue Oct 27, 2009 2:50 pm
If you insist, man, it has been a Looooong unproductive day!
Tue Oct 27, 2009 3:31 pm
Awesome. May the Force be with us all today.
Wed Oct 28, 2009 8:31 am
Holedigger wrote:If you insist, man, it has been a Looooong unproductive day!
I actually mustered a tiny smile with this one.......thanks, I needed that.
S
Wed Oct 28, 2009 9:33 am
Thanks.., i knew you cold pull it off!!!!!
Sun Nov 01, 2009 10:24 pm
Ok now that we're done with the hangar dance and my trip to California last weekend is past, we finally got back to work on the B-17. Our first priority is to comply with the dreaded spar A.D.. So we put jacks under the outboard engines to support the wing so that we could take off the inboard stress panels which give us access to the spar terminal bolts. Notice how the B-17 wing structure looks more like bridge structure than airplane. No wonder so many of them survived heavy enemy fire and brought their crews home!
We had taken the inboard fuel cells out previously before the hangar dance, but put the panels back on for the dance.
Next we began removing ducts, hydraulic lines, and the landing gear emergency extension torque tubes to gain access to the upper forward bolts, again much of this was done before the dance, but we still have a little more to do.
Here's Rick, removing the cowl flap hydraulic lines - again.
For those of you who are not familiar with B-17 wing spar construction. The wing spars are square aluminum tubes. Where the tubes attach to the fuselage there is this thing called a spar terminal. Which is a fitting inserted into the inboard end of the spar tube that allows the spar to be bolted to fittings on the fuselage. There are 8 close tolerance bolts that go through the spar tube from forward to aft that secure the terminal in the spar. Are you with me, it's kinda confusing? If you look in the first picture where the white paint has been removed and you can see some of the bolts. These bolts have to be removed, inspected, the holes inspected and new bolts installed. They are all close tolerance bolts, that don't like being taken out once installed!
So besides the AD, we are still pressing on with the inspection. Steve Swift, a.k.a. Pacific Prowler driver, started working on replacing the ignition harness on the #1 engine as it was due for it. He's not in the picture, I think he was on the phone with a girl or something
If you notice in the third picture there is supposed to be a battery tray in that bay. Scott took that out to rebuild it, as it was just a wee tad corroded. I'd be willing to bet that he has some in progress pictures that he will share. I know battery tray's are exciting and all.....
Here is a rarely seen view of the #2 engine induction system. The air filter is on the left, the vertical duct is supplying air into the turbo, the duct on the right is coming from the opening in the wing leading edge.
It may not seem like much, but we actually got a lot of work done this weekend. The whole crew is highly motivated and we've got an excellent and talented bunch of people. Next weekend is the Spinks Fly-In and many of us are going to that, so I don't know how much we'll get done on Sunday, but I'll post more as move along.
Thanks for reading the thread!
We had taken the inboard fuel cells out previously before the hangar dance, but put the panels back on for the dance.
Next we began removing ducts, hydraulic lines, and the landing gear emergency extension torque tubes to gain access to the upper forward bolts, again much of this was done before the dance, but we still have a little more to do.
Here's Rick, removing the cowl flap hydraulic lines - again.
For those of you who are not familiar with B-17 wing spar construction. The wing spars are square aluminum tubes. Where the tubes attach to the fuselage there is this thing called a spar terminal. Which is a fitting inserted into the inboard end of the spar tube that allows the spar to be bolted to fittings on the fuselage. There are 8 close tolerance bolts that go through the spar tube from forward to aft that secure the terminal in the spar. Are you with me, it's kinda confusing? If you look in the first picture where the white paint has been removed and you can see some of the bolts. These bolts have to be removed, inspected, the holes inspected and new bolts installed. They are all close tolerance bolts, that don't like being taken out once installed!
So besides the AD, we are still pressing on with the inspection. Steve Swift, a.k.a. Pacific Prowler driver, started working on replacing the ignition harness on the #1 engine as it was due for it. He's not in the picture, I think he was on the phone with a girl or something
If you notice in the third picture there is supposed to be a battery tray in that bay. Scott took that out to rebuild it, as it was just a wee tad corroded. I'd be willing to bet that he has some in progress pictures that he will share. I know battery tray's are exciting and all.....
Here is a rarely seen view of the #2 engine induction system. The air filter is on the left, the vertical duct is supplying air into the turbo, the duct on the right is coming from the opening in the wing leading edge.
It may not seem like much, but we actually got a lot of work done this weekend. The whole crew is highly motivated and we've got an excellent and talented bunch of people. Next weekend is the Spinks Fly-In and many of us are going to that, so I don't know how much we'll get done on Sunday, but I'll post more as move along.
Thanks for reading the thread!