B-17 Flying Fortress/44-83735 ~ the Duxford resto thread

[bomberflight]

APG85 ~ Although we wont see the complete B-17 outside soon ..... this will happen in 2014 / 15 when the American Air Museum building is due
to be refurbished and all the aircraft come outside

And now for a little diversion from the normal restoration updates .....

If you were one of the radio operators flying in one of the 188 B-17's of the 8th Air Force tasked with flying the mission to Gelsenkirchen
on Thursday November 23rd 1944 ~ you're lunch that day might have looked something like this .....



What ever you're doing today ~ have a great time !

Another update coming soon

[bomberflight]

New arrivals in the Conservation Hangar ! Can you tell what they are ?







The B-17 main wheel tyres are "new old stock" ~ made in 1945 and never been used .....



These were sourced from the Imperial War Museum's own stores and before anyone asks ~ they don't have any more I'm afraid.



If only we could find a "new" nose cone to replace the cracked one .....

More soon

[Iclo]

It's a bit of topic question but: a so old "new tire" would not be airworthy anymore I suppose ? Despite good storage condition, I suppose that the rubber deteriorated with the time ?

[CrewDawg]

If only we could find a "new" nose cone to replace the cracked one .....

AeroTrader in Chino, CA will gladly make a new nose bubble for you for about $25K USD.

[RAMC181]

That's an interesting new tread pattern to add to my B-17G notes...
The closest I've seen in my period photos is similar, but with interlocking elongated hexagonal treads rather than oval ones.

All the best,
Paul

[bomberflight]

Let's do a little Q & A ......

Iclo ~ there doesn't appear to be any deterioration in the rubber. I wonder how you would test them for flight-worthiness ?

CrewDawg ~ Yes it seems that AeroTrader are the only company blowing new nose bubbles for flight certification ~ the IWM
need one that's visually in good shape ~ it doesn't need to be certified .....

Paul ~ I think the hexagonal pattern tread are earlier grass tires and I wonder if these may be later "intermediates" ( my term for them )
for grass and pavement

Every day is a school day in the IWM Conservation Hangar !

Before I close this post ~ a few pix from Monday Nov 29th ......

This is the second horizontal stabilizer ~ it's nearing the end of conservation treatment

In these pixs ~ it's being wiped down with NASD to degrease the surface .....









Is it going to be painted ~ or is this the polished finish ?



Stay tuned to find out

[Django]

Look at all that beautiful bare metal... sigh.

[The Inspector]

Tires are checked for servicability with a durometer which kind of works like a Mullins fabric tester.

[mustanglover]

That's an interesting new tread pattern to add to my B-17G notes...
The closest I've seen in my period photos is similar, but with interlocking elongated hexagonal treads rather than oval ones.

All the best,
Paul

Aren't those the same one as on the Art Lacey Milwaukie Bomber B-17?

http://milwaukie.katu.com/photo-gallery ... ain?page=6

[RAMC181]

Indeed they are, the only other ones of that pattern I've noted.
I can't imagine the ones on the Lacey B-17 have been replaced since it was put up on it's supports, unless anyone knows any different?

All the best,
PB

[bomberflight]

The low angle of the sun at this time of year can illuminate details which have escaped the camera so far ......









Let's move over to the fin .....









The outer wing sections were moved into position for paint removal yesterday .....





Whilst elsewhere in Hangar 5 ~ detail work on the bomb bay restoration continues .....

Four new attachment brackets are being made to replace the ones fabricated during the last restoration



And finally for today ~ a temporary rear gunner has taken station in the fuselage .....

Some say his appearance might be a clue about the new paint scheme ~ all he will tell us is his name is "Moose"



Another update soon

[Ken]

Change a few letters and get "Outhouse Mouse", but it probably didn't have a Cheyenne tail turret. There was a "Big Moose", but it was a B-17F ....

[cooper9411]

Just looking at the fellows in the photos, boy some people have all the luck!

[bomberflight]

Don't get too fixated by "Moose" ~ he's such a tease .....

Now what's going on here exactly ? Are we decorating the B-17 with fake snow ?



Actually ~ I think these guys have a more serious purpose for what they're doing ~ shall we watch them for a spell ......



The outer wing section has been sprayed with paint remover



And is ready to be wrapped in plastic and have the air bubbles smoothed out



It will be left overnight .....



If we look past this wing section ~ the other one is a bit more advanced in the process .....



And what have we here on the lower wing skins ?



" D R S " is actually part of the old French civil registration F-BDRS from the B-17's days with IGN

It seems that this was sprayed over during the original restoration back in the 1980's

However this time around that same stubborn grey paint that was coated under the fuselage and inner wing panels is coming off
so a thorough inspection of the skin condition can be carried out ~ even though that needs a second coat of paint stripper



And just look what was lurking under the French registration letters and grey paint



Little by little ~ the original N number is being revealed



To be continued

Last edited by bomberflight on Fri Dec 09, 2011 1:54 pm, edited 2 times in total.

[B-17 guy]

Original N number?