Warbird Information Exchange

Hello everyone, I fully understand about past reports on WIX of " Warbirds to come" as more rumor than fact until the Warbird is actually in a certain Hanger, or Museum. But I want WIX to be the first to know about an individual's effort to get an out door displayed B-17, into a hanger and restored such as the case of The 8th Air Force Museum's City of Savannah in Ga. Another "Tony", Anthony, in San Antonio, Tx informed me that he has had a dream since the early '80s to see Any of the WWII Warbirds on the Lackland AFB parade grounds inside ANY shelter than exposed to the elements of nature. The B-24 has been the first to leave ( as most know, to England for the U.S Air Force Museum there, sorry if I didn't get the name correct !) and is inside, in a restored state .
Anthony would like to see B-17G 44-83512 , currently painted as Heavens Above, moved next door, into a Donated Hanger Space at Port S.A in San Antonio, the ex- Kelly AFB, and Restored and painted as B-17F Fort Alamo II ! This would of course involved approval of The NMUSAF, Lackland AFB, Port S.A, and the City of San Antonio. Anthony , is currently waiting for the final outcome of the San Antonio City elections in order to ask the City to help create a non- profit group in order for the Hanger Space to be donated as well as any assistance in the restoration.
In the meantime, Anthony is currently , now I hope I got this right, building a "Chin-less" 1/72 B-17G as a B-17F with Fort Alamo Decals he ordered from Ebay, to , for one, to show how the B-17 will look restored, and to show how the B-17G in Lackland all ready looks like an "F" model now ,currently being without a Chin Turret. What better place to help restore an old WWII Bomber to static, than Port S.A ? With all the current aero companies planted there !?
So If Any of you WIXers, would like to help Anthony, please feel free to post it here, or PM me, & I'll forward it to him. I'm useless to the project, other than spreading the word ! Anthony is currently joining FaceBook to start with and should be creating a post for that soon, I'll, again pass that along here. I'll try to convince him to join WIX, but I think he's not a forum person ! He also told me that He would be more than happy to PAINT "Fort Alamo II" on the B-17, as well as all the bomber mission markings. I offered to build the Model for him, but we both thought it would arrived broken in transit ! So cross your fingers, those of you who like this idea, and let's see one guys dream come true to Help a Warbird! Thank you, I Know, I'm just the messenger, so fire away, I can take the hits !

_________________
WWI & WWII Warbird Fan.

Nice to see [say who won the Battle of the Alamo?]

The other side , And from the City of "Remember The Alamo !" , Anthony told me that he had first learned about Fort Alamo II from a photo in a AirPower or Wings magazine from the '70s , AND when he asked around if anyone in San Antonio ever heard of a B-17 named Fort Alamo ? Not One person knew !!?!

_________________
WWI & WWII Warbird Fan.

Ober, did you ever hear of it? I grew up there and never did. Doug??

I grew up in Texas , north of S.A , military back ground, and I Never heard of Fort Alamo, either. I was shown the '70s mag pic myself at a IPMS (oops!, got it right THIS Time ! ) model show a couple of years ago when someone had the Academy 1/72 B-17F Kit of Fort Alamo built straight from the box with those decals !
Of ALL the B-17Fs to make a kit of, who would have thought that a big model company would pick Fort Alamo ? Now most Modelers know it from that kit !
Anthony told me that once he tells people about it and shows them the internet pics, he gets nothing but positive reactions , after a Huh? Look !

_________________
WWI & WWII Warbird Fan.

Why a hanger, they can just store it in the basement at the Alamo!

I Know I Am ! What Are You ? Haahaa, Good one Jesse !

_________________
WWI & WWII Warbird Fan.

...or across the alley, with the little pony and the Navajo....

_________________
REMEMBER THE SERGEANT PILOTS!

I'd put it in a hangAr, not hanging in some closet.

Wonderful news! That poor B-17 has sat at Lackland outdoors since the 1950s!

Displaying the aircraft as a "F" model in such fitting markings for the area really hits a home run. It's about time we see some 4-engine bombers in paint schemes representative of the MTO as well!

"Fort Alamo II" had a very distinguished career with 131 missions, not far from the original 9-0-9 (140 total).

http://www.markstyling.com/mto_b17s3.htm

Thanks Rocketeer ! I forward the images to Anthony. I'm really kinda jealous I didn't come up with the Idea myself ! We were discussion when the white cowlings appeared on her , we both like her without them, just our 4 cents!
Either way, the more we talked about it & the more I picture it, I can see her being disassembled at Lackland , and when she's put back together in Port S.A ( aka Kelly), I can then see her being towed to one if the Business' Hanger that Paints Aircraft, and painting her over there, O.D & Gray, (& red) and being towed back without the final markings. To picture that poor '17 back with a new Clear nose, top & bottom turrets, & new ( repro. Of course ! ) Guns is So BadA## ! Thanks Again !

_________________
WWI & WWII Warbird Fan.

Thank you TBM Tony for letting us know about this. Tell your friend many people will be thankful for him reaching out on starting a campaign with this aircraft.

Understanding this may be a difficult process to obtain the B-17 for display, I hope the formalities involved do not tire this movement!

Considering that some of the most significant or renowned B-17s in combat were "F" models, it sure will be nice to see another non-combatant "G" sport the streamlined look of the "F".

At what point in the "Fort Alamo II" 's career did the white appear on the cowlings? Is it planned to paint the aircraft as it would have after 114 or 131 missions? I believe it was transferred between those numbers.

Wow! WIX Has Helped Already ! We didn't know when the painting of the cowlings white happened, but it's Great to finally find out ! Thanks Rocketeer ! We both prefer the Non- White Look, MAYBE, we can get away with ALL the B.Markings, minus the white cowlings !?! Shhh no one will ever know. Kinda like the "Shoo-Shoo"-? Shoo" Baby thing ! Thanks again !

_________________
WWI & WWII Warbird Fan.

"This would of course involved approval of The NMUSAF, Lackland AFB, Port S.A, and the City of San Antonio."

Lots of luck with that! Major obstacles to overcome at each of these. It will take many many years.
Good Luck

Not if you do it right.

_________________
Chris Henry
EAA Aviation Museum Manager