Grissom B-17 Restoration update Sept 2010 part 2

[mustangdriver]

Thanks man, I'll pass this along and see what we can come up with for the F-89.

[Pat Carry]

Thanks for the updates about this B-17 Chris. getting it inside one day would be a great thing.

[mustangdriver]

Thanks Pat,
Getting inside is basically one of the main goals. We are not approaching this as just a repair and paint. This is going to hopefully see the plane come indoors for good. The plan is to extend the museum building and move the plan there once the restoration is finished.
First off though we are going to move it from it's current location to a hangar for restoration. We are working on hangar space right now. We are hoping that the local ANG base might help us out with this. If not, then we may be able to get a General Aviation hangar near another that the museum is using. The ideal plan if everything goes right is to have the museum extension start while the restoration is underway, so that when the plane gets finished, we can move it directly under cover.

[mustangdriver]

Here is the most recent update of the project with a peek inside.

http://video.yahoo.com/watch/7569125/20069722

[Chris Brame]

There were a lot of F-89s broken up at Socorro, NM - I know civilians asking for parts have beeen met with a resounding NO but would an NMUSAF affiliated museum have access?

And whatever did happen to that F-89 (51-5776) in Casa Grande, AZ?

[Clifford Bossie]

Thanks for the updates! I plan to visit my daughter in Lafayette next week. Now I need to see if I can work the Grissom in too.

[JBoyle]

Mustangdriver....
Anyone preserving a B-17 is doing God's work, IMHO.

I hope the Grissom team can do something with the F-89.
I hope they can follow up on the leads a NEAM and NM...

[Steve Nelson]

Wow..that interior really has been stripped! Do you have a line on any replacement interior fittings?

SN

[mustangdriver]

Thanks for all of the comments guys. I am going to try and be out at the museum tomorrow, and do some work on the '17 with Rob. Right now we are trying to outline what needs done, (which is a ton), and the funding. After that we can heopefully move the aircraft after checking out the gear and bearings, and for the first time in 30 years, have it inside. Hopefully indoors for good. I am going to try and see what I can drum up for the F-89 as well. I will be contacting the NMUSAF so I will try and do all of it in one call.

[APG85]

Wow, neat project! You guys certainly have your work cut out for you. Good luck...

[Steve Nelson]

Managed to make a quick stop at the museum on the way home this afternoon. We got there an hour before closing, but were only out on the grounds for about five minutes before a rather ill-tempered thunderstorm chased us back inside. Oh, well..at least they weren't charging admission today. I decided to consider it a recon mission..I'll be back to "fire for effect" with my camera next time!

I snapped this from the door..we got back inside just as the sky opened up.

SN

[Chris Brame]

I heard on the radio yesterday that Grissom just barely missed being hit by a tornado - were you there, Chris?

[mustangdriver]

I heard about it, but was at the WWII Weekend in PA. I'm back at Grissom on Thursday, I'll post an update. Thanks for asking though.

[mustangdriver]

I had a National Weather Service Rep. swing by the tower today, and were talking about the tornado. It passed over the runway on the South side of the field missing all of the active aircraft, and museum aircraft. It was an F-3 Tornado, which is no joke.

[mustangdriver]

Im heading out to the B-17 after work tomorrow, is there anything that you guys would like pics of that I can grab while I am out there?