B-17 waist section equipment

[mustangdriver]

At the Grissom B-17 we are trying to restore the aircraft and bring it inside. This will allow the museum to make the aircraft able to be open for display. We are hoping to make the waist one of these first sections. We want to find replica 50 cals, and and need all of the parts for a new waist door, as well as any and all window frames, and waist windows. Any one have any idea where to start looking for any of these items? Thanks in advance.

[The Inspector]

DUDE!! didn't you volunteer @ NMUSAF for about 127 years!?! Use the force Lu..er.....use your contacts Chris, between NMUSAF, DOVER, and several other restoration projects around the country sourcing parts/prints should be about as hard as finding a guy who can put a tune up on one of them really exotic SBC engines-or in your case SBM engines.

[mustangdriver]

I am going to try the NMUSAF but I heard that with two B-17's apart and going through restoration they are not really letting anything out until they get further along in both restorations. I can't say I blame them.

[gary1954]

For a price, I imagine that Hang the Expense (aka Tom) could make what you need. I went to his shop last week in Buford, Georgia last week, makes some very clean stuff man, very clean. But I don't speak for Tom. Quite a craftsman though, quite a craftsman. Great work Tom and thanks for the Nickle and Dime Show........now get that Kitty out.....Pet the kitty Tom, Pet the Kitty.........

[mustangdriver]

What we are trying to do is get a basic idea across to people what the inside of a combat ready B-17 looked like, but without making to hard for folks to get around. We want older people and people a little less mobile to be able to get around. We are going to man it with replica guns for a photo op idea. Andyeas we are looking at nose art that will be marketable for shirts and such. I really like Half and Half, but not sure I will be able to get them to go with a sort of departure from OD or silver.

[groundpounder]

Just a couple of suggestions for parts, dont know how viable they would be. First off, is there anything left at Gary Austins place ? You never know who bought what, maybe something could come of that. Also, there was a thread on here a while back about a substantial effort going on in england to recover items from airbase dumps. There looked to be quite a bit of assorted stuff there, maybe some of it could be had for a song. I seem to recall something about them taking requests for parts. Hope this helps.

Last edited by groundpounder on Sun Jun 13, 2010 10:15 am, edited 1 time in total.

[Chris Brame]

Have you been in touch with the B-17 Co-Op folks, or the My Gal Sal crew who have the F-model aft fuselage from Alaska?

[CrewDawg]

Chris, honestly I think that your best bet is going to be to either make the parts your self or get the guys with Desert Rat or Champaign Lady to make some for you. Chuckie still has a cargo door in place of the RH waist position that's been there since the '50's. Someday we will retrofit that back to the original waist gunners postion and we do have a few of the original pieces but there is a lot that we will have to fab. PM me if you need help contacting the B-17 Co-Op.