B-17G "Preston's Pride" - Any recent photos?

JOHN MILLER · **Posted:** Fri Nov 09, 2012 1:46 pm

My brother and I drove 5 hours about 20 years ago, and did some work on her. Yes she is pretty well stripped of value. They had a problem with souvenir hunters alot The guy in charge of AMVETS at that time was very please we did work on her. The eyebrow windows were in really bad shape and leaking water inside. We found a co. in sonoma county where we lived he made new windows out of plexiglass and we went down and replaced them. At that time, the ball turret was the only original one left. After a truck crashed into it, a company said they would repair her, in exchange they got the chin and top turret, and replaced with replicas. No she has alot of structural damage and it would take alot to make her a flyer. A general from the base near it, flew it to the base and they moved it to present site. They didn't add the fence until after the last time we worked on it. hope that helps. Somewhere in my storage, I have pics of it, including one of my son sitting in the ball turret. I will try and find them.

Pat Carry · **Posted:** Fri Nov 09, 2012 5:50 pm

Warbird Kid wrote:

Steve Nelson wrote:

Chris wrote:

I know the USAF museum has standards for their aircraft but I can't imagine that this one is meeting those standards.

I understand from previous threads that this particular aircraft is owned by AMVETS outright, and doesn't fall under NMUSAF jurisdiction.

So given the right circumstances, this B-17 could be made airworthy?

I would say yes with lots 'o money!

B-29 Super Fort · **Joined:** Wed Sep 01, 2004 11:12 am **Posts:** 871

JOHN MILLER wrote:

My brother and I drove 5 hours about 20 years ago, and did some work on her. Yes she is pretty well stripped of value. They had a problem with souvenir hunters alot The guy in charge of AMVETS at that time was very please we did work on her. The eyebrow windows were in really bad shape and leaking water inside. We found a co. in sonoma county where we lived he made new windows out of plexiglass and we went down and replaced them. At that time, the ball turret was the only original one left. After a truck crashed into it, a company said they would repair her, in exchange they got the chin and top turret, and replaced with replicas. No she has alot of structural damage and it would take alot to make her a flyer. A general from the base near it, flew it to the base and they moved it to present site. They didn't add the fence until after the last time we worked on it. hope that helps. Somewhere in my storage, I have pics of it, including one of my son sitting in the ball turret. I will try and find them.

Interesting information on your past experience with her. Thanks for sharing.

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B-17G "Preston's Pride" - Any recent photos?

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