B-17G Champaign Lady Restoration

390BG · **Posted:** Mon May 07, 2012 10:44 am

Updates from May - 2012.

New woodwork in the nose - navigator chair installed.

Gene the woodworking man.

Aileron Jig.

Bulkhead assembly for horizontal stab spar(s).

JohnB · **Posted:** Mon May 07, 2012 11:41 am

I visited a year ago. I'm amazed at their progress.
Nice people, I wish them luck with the restoration.

Jeff Nelson · **Posted:** Thu May 10, 2012 10:39 am

I'll wire it! Love to do another B-17.....

Thomas_Mac · **Posted:** Thu May 10, 2012 10:49 am

I visited back in Feburary and dare I say I enjoyed my visit to Urbana more then going to the USAFM. Was really neat to look around in the C-47 and see the B-17 coming together. Breakfast next door at the cafe was also stellar!

Cheers from Canada

390BG · **Posted:** Wed Oct 31, 2012 12:48 pm

October 31 - Happy Halloween!

Two rear sections coming together today.

cooper9411 · **Posted:** Wed Oct 31, 2012 1:08 pm

Sure hope I can get back down that way within the next couple of weeks :drink3:

390BG · **Posted:** Mon Nov 05, 2012 12:10 pm

Randy & Carl with (temporarily) joined rear fuselage.

Iclo · **Posted:** Mon Nov 05, 2012 2:28 pm

Thanks for the pics.

I wonder if they started to work on the wings, the engine nacelles, etc, or they work only on the fuselage right now ?

It was fun when they had a webcam in the previous hangar, allowing to see the progress in real time ;-)

17f · **Joined:** Sat Sep 25, 2010 10:56 pm **Posts:** 87

Iclo wrote:

Thanks for the pics.

I wonder if they started to work on the wings, the engine nacelles, etc, or they work only on the fuselage right now ?

It was fun when they had a webcam in the previous hangar, allowing to see the progress in real time ;-)

Nacelles one and four are more or less finished. Nacelle No. 2 has been started. Left wing is still in storage. Right wing is completely apart right now. Spar tubes are being repaied and most of the ribs have been fabricated from scratch or repaired.

I get up there every couple weeks or so, so if anybody has specific photo requests, drop me a line and i`ll see what i can snap.

Iclo · **Posted:** Tue Nov 06, 2012 7:36 am

17f wrote:

I get up there every couple weeks or so, so if anybody has specific photo requests, drop me a line and i`ll see what i can snap.

Sure a relatively regular update on the progress of the work would be very appreciated here ;-)

On my side of the Atlantic ocean, restoration of this type and size are very very unfrequent.
Thanks ;-)

wingman1 · **Posted:** Tue Nov 06, 2012 2:35 pm

17f wrote:

Iclo wrote:

Thanks for the pics.

I wonder if they started to work on the wings, the engine nacelles, etc, or they work only on the fuselage right now ?

It was fun when they had a webcam in the previous hangar, allowing to see the progress in real time ;-)

Nacelles one and four are more or less finished. Nacelle No. 2 has been started. Left wing is still in storage. Right wing is completely apart right now. Spar tubes are being repaied and most of the ribs have been fabricated from scratch or repaired.

I get up there every couple weeks or so, so if anybody has specific photo requests, drop me a line and i`ll see what i can snap.

no specific photo request, just a straight nose to tail and wingtip to wingtip photo layout will do! :drink3:

Iclo · **Posted:** Thu Nov 08, 2012 5:29 am

And perhaps with a couple of more news, this threads will earn a sticky ? ;-)

390BG · **Posted:** Thu Nov 08, 2012 5:02 pm

Engine Nacelles #1 and #4.

Inboard Engine Nacelle.

Nose crew entry door (new build)

Horizontal Stabilizer Spars (new build).

Tail Wheel Retract Motor

Aileron (New Build)

Inboard Wing Spar Tube (Original)

Fuel Sump/Boost Pump Covers (1 Original, 1 New Build)

Radio Room Turtledeck

.50 Cal Gun Mount Parts (New Build)

Radio Room

Pat Carry · **Posted:** Thu Nov 08, 2012 6:35 pm

Thanks for the photos! It looks like they are making some great progress :drink3:

17f · **Joined:** Sat Sep 25, 2010 10:56 pm **Posts:** 87

Hey mods - how `bout a sticky?

A few photos from today:

Beginnings of number 2 engine nacelle. Green parts are originals. The firewall is against the table and this portion will be at the top of the nacelle. The flat part away from the camera serves as the support for the retract mechanism.

Rack full of inboard nacelle parts.

The remains of two different #2 nacelles. We don`t have a #3 at all, so it will have to be from scratch.

Rivet squeezer that was recently donated. This assembled B-24`s at WIllow Run.

Aft section apart once more time. The stringers and skin have been trimmed. Once the tailwheel boot is inserted, it can go together one last time.

Tailwheel boot:

Rack of new-made wing ribs:

Parts for the right wing truss:

Boxes of exhaust collectors and parts:

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B-17G Champaign Lady Restoration

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