B-17G Champaign Lady Restoration

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JohnB
  • JohnB
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Re: B-17G Champaign Lady Restoration

Tue Feb 19, 2013 11:31 pm

I've said it here before, but the people at Champaign are great. They were very welcoming to me during my visit in May, 2011.
Well done!
17f
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Re: B-17G Champaign Lady Restoration

Sun Mar 17, 2013 5:43 pm

Some St. Paddy`s day updates...

Life raft compartment is off the fuselage (presumably to be riveted)
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Elevator build...
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Horizontal stab (new build)
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And last but not least, number 2 nacelle in jig
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Pat Carry
  • Pat Carry
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Re: B-17G Champaign Lady Restoration

Sun Mar 17, 2013 7:26 pm

Thanks for the photos. It looks like they are making excellant progress there.
Chris Brame
  • Chris Brame
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Re: B-17G Champaign Lady Restoration

Sun Mar 17, 2013 10:23 pm

Sorry to get a bit O/T but do any of you fellows at Urbana know what happened to the F-86D/L 53-724 that was displayed at the airport?
Iclo
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Re: B-17G Champaign Lady Restoration

Mon Mar 18, 2013 4:15 am

I'm amazed by the number of parts of the plane on wich they work at the same time: massive fuselage rebuild, engine nacelles, wing, etc.
I suppose there is a relatively big crew working on this restoration, possibly some of them "full time" ?

Nice work ;-)
bdk
  • bdk
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Re: B-17G Champaign Lady Restoration

Mon Mar 18, 2013 2:55 pm

Can you guys restore Swamp Ghost to airworthy next?
JohnB
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Re: B-17G Champaign Lady Restoration

Mon Mar 18, 2013 3:34 pm

bdk wrote:Can you guys restore Swamp Ghost to airworthy next?



Having seen the scope and quality of their work, I suspect they could do just about anything...B-17, B-29, B-36...:)
17f
  • 17f
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Re: B-17G Champaign Lady Restoration

Mon Mar 18, 2013 5:54 pm

Iclo wrote:I'm amazed by the number of parts of the plane on wich they work at the same time: massive fuselage rebuild, engine nacelles, wing, etc.
I suppose there is a relatively big crew working on this restoration, possibly some of them "full time" ?

Nice work ;-)


There is actually only 1 full time employee. Everybody else is a volunteer. Some of the fellows that are retired are there several days a week; others like me that work and live an hour away only make it every few weekends. People that are there regularly work on just one project, so they have a big sense of ownership. Like the aft fuselage mating a couple months ago - just two guys worked on that.

Chris Brame wrote:Sorry to get a bit O/T but do any of you fellows at Urbana know what happened to the F-86D/L 53-724 that was displayed at the airport?


I`ll ask around when I am there next. I have been going for a few years now and don`t remember seeing it, so it may be long gone.
Warbird Kid

Re: B-17G Champaign Lady Restoration

Mon Mar 18, 2013 8:50 pm

JohnB wrote:
bdk wrote:Can you guys restore Swamp Ghost to airworthy next?



Having seen the scope and quality of their work, I suspect they could do just about anything...B-17, B-29, B-36...:)


B-24!!!!!!!
390BG
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Re: B-17G Champaign Lady Restoration

Tue Mar 19, 2013 7:59 am

RE: the F-86 in Urbana - this information comes from a reliable source. The F-86 was in front of the old VFW on the east side of town, not actually at the airport. It deterioriated to the point that it was cut up for scrap. The only airplane he recalls being on display at the airport was the P-61 Black Widow that is now on display at the NMUSAF.
390BG
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Re: B-17G Champaign Lady Restoration

Tue Jul 30, 2013 3:34 pm

July Update - Vertical tail put in place.

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RAMC181
  • RAMC181
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Re: B-17G Champaign Lady Restoration

Tue Jul 30, 2013 5:03 pm

Looking forward to being there next week. :)
Chappie
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Re: B-17G Champaign Lady Restoration

Wed Jul 31, 2013 1:50 pm

Awesome! We've got what......three B-17s under restoration to flight status? An E and two Gs?


Chappie
DH82EH
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Re: B-17G Champaign Lady Restoration

Wed Jul 31, 2013 6:54 pm

Chappie wrote:Awesome! We've got what......three B-17s under restoration to flight status? An E and two Gs?


Chappie



And a "C" and an "F" :wink:

There's guys here that know a ton more than me, but I'm pretty sure. Check the aerovintage news. That's an awesome sight for fort lovers.

Andy Scott
hang the expense
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Re: B-17G Champaign Lady Restoration

Wed Jul 31, 2013 7:21 pm

Try 2 B-17Fs :supz: :supz: :supz:
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