Seeking B-17 radios and related items for "Chuckie"

[K5DH]

Hi all,

I'm new to the WIX. I am Dean Hemphill, K5DH, of Lake Dallas, TX.
I've been a warbird fan all my life, but I just recently got "involved"
in the hobby/obsession (other than attending countless air shows!).

All of you B-17 fans know about B-17G-70-VE 44-8543A, "Chuckie",
operated by the Vintage Flying Museum of Fort Worth, TX. I am a VFM
member and volunteer. My current ongoing task is to acquire whatever
bits and pieces we need to restore the radio operator's compartment to
original condition, or as close as we can reasonably get it within our very
tight budget (which means donations!).

My current target is the liaison radio station. We have a nice, unmodified
BC-348-R receiver and mounting frame, but I need a dynamotor for it,
model DM-28-R (I can probably use other suffix models, since I think
they're all the same units inside). We have located a clean BC-375-E
transmitter with shockmount, all seven tuning units, PE-73C dynamotor,
and BC-1306A low-frequency antenna coupler. To complete the setup,
I need a set of mounting rails to mount the five CS-48 tuning unit cases
on (they install on the starboard rear bulkhead, next to the door frame);
FT-107 mount for the PE-73-C dynamotor; two each PL-59 and PL-61
connectors; one PL-64 connector; SA-13 knife switch (the big ceramic
antenna selector switch); BC-461 trailing antenna control box; RL-30-B
trailing antenna motor/spool ass'y; F-10 antenna lead; MC-163 trailing
antenna; FT-142-A mounting frame for BC-1306-A; and four VT-4-C
vacuum tubes (aka 211A's). "Dud" tubes would be fine. I'm very
interested in obtaining detailed original photographs showing exactly
where and how the radio equipment was installed in a Block 70 ship.

I'm not really ready to get into the SCR-274-N command radio system,
but we'll certainly accept donations anything you might have laying
around! We have some command radio gear in storage, but I haven't
inventoried it yet, so I don't know exactly what we have.

In addition, since '8543A was a Pathfinder aircraft equipped with the
H2X "Mickey" BTO radar system, we're looking for any and all original
pieces of equipment, parts, manuals, and related items, as well as some
detailed photographs of the antenna and scope installations to post inside
the airplane at air shows so that our guests can see what the installation
actually looked like. If anyone reading this was a "Mickey" operator, I'd
love to hear from you!

Anything we don't need for installation aboard the Fort will go on display
in the exhibit hall of the Museum hangar.

Anyone have somethin' we can use? Are you willing to donate it? We're a
501(c)(3) tax-exempt charitable organization! We have contacts with
some trucking companies, so transportation of heavy items may not be a
big problem.

Thanks for your time!

-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-
Dean Hemphill, K5DH
Volunteer B-17G "Chuckie" Crew Member
Vintage Flying Museum
Fort Worth, Texas
-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-

[Warbirdnerd]

Welcome to the WIX Dean.
Chuckie was looking good this weekend.
Do the long term plans include mounting the ball turret you have on display?

[TimAPNY]

I think a mock-up radar would be pretty cool, and a bit different from the norm. Is this in the long term plans?

Tim

[Eric Friedebach]

Welcome aboard, Dean!

Fair Radio may be a source. Unfortunately, a checkbook will be required.

[Ztex]

I think a mock-up radar would be pretty cool, and a bit different from the norm. Is this in the long term plans?

Tim

In addition, since '8543A was a Pathfinder aircraft equipped with the
H2X "Mickey" BTO radar system, we're looking for any and all original
pieces of equipment, parts, manuals, and related items, as well as some
detailed photographs of the antenna and scope installations to post inside
the airplane at air shows so that our guests can see what the installation
actually looked like

Dean, Not meaning to hijack your thread...
It is my understanding...
No plans to mount the ball turret...The long term plan is to have the radome hanging under the aircraft...it would be cool to see!

Zane

Last edited by Ztex on Mon Aug 14, 2006 4:40 pm, edited 1 time in total.

[K5DH]

Hello "Warbirdnerd", (and others!)

Thanks for sharing your pix! Yep, Chuckie was lookin' fine this past
weekend during the Cowtown Warbird Roundup. I spent five hours
sitting at the radio operator's desk working as a tour guide. Tour
business was brisk for most of the day. We had two nifty portable
A/C units pumping cooled air into the fuselage, but with the outdoor
air temp nudging 105 degrees and that hot breeze blowing through
the hangar, it was still mighty toasty inside that aluminum tube! Did
you take a tour of the airplane? Did we perhaps meet in person
without knowing it?

To answer your question, "Ztex" is correct. Since 44-8543A was a PFF
ship, she never had a ball turret, so we're not going to attempt to install
one. We would love to obtain a "Mickey" radar antenna and radome,
but they're all but impossible to get. Doc has already indicated that if
we find one, it WILL be installed on the airplane. Another crew member
told me that we know where one is (in Arizona) but the owner knows
exactly what he has and how rare it is, and he will not part with it. I
don't know if we will ever attempt to build a replica or not. Without any
documentation, that would be a tough job. I know that the radome was
mounted on a B-24 ball turret mechanism so that it could be extended
while in flight and retracted while on the ground. Perhaps we could use
one of those (if we could find one!) as the basis for a replica. Building
a replica antenna would be only part of the job. We'd also need to
build a replica of the radar scope! Yet another can o' worms...

Cheers to all,
Dean

[Former Member]

Dean,

I just sent you a PM reply regarding the B-24 ball turret lowering mechanism. I know of a gentleman in the UK that has one (missing only a few parts) but he's still undecided on whether or not he wants to part with it. If he finally gives in I'll definately give you a heads-up.

John

[Obergrafeter]

Don't know a whole lot about the radios, but I have a GE TU-7-B tuning unit (brand new still in the gauze and foil untouched by human hands since packed in the 40s?) Is this something you could use? I donated a command radio to Texas Raiders quite a few years ago and am sure they would trade it for something.
I am looking for a Motarola Model AT-96-25AA transceiver for a L-16B if you know where one is. If we can trade PM me and we will talk.
Anybody else have the Motorola contact me.

[bomberflight]

Dean ~ welcome aboard ! You'll find a lot of B-17 supporters at home here

John ~ if you need to ship the turrett out of Duxford to the US ~ send a PM to Vikingboss ( he is way to modest to suggest this himself ! )

I'm unsure if this is the turret in question ~ I took this in the restoration hanger in November 2005 ~
note there is a top turret lurking behind the ball ......


.

.

.

I last saw "a" ball ~ which might be this one in one of the out buildings in July this year

I can send you high resolution images if you want them ~ just PM me an email address

[Dennis7423]

Hello All-

Didn't we have a gentleman here a little bit ago (name escapes me) with a jumble of turret parts in 55 gallon drums? Is there anything in there that would help with the restoration of a B-24 style turret mechanism for the retractable radar?

-Dennis S.
Greeley, CO

[Former Member]

Peter,

Thanks for the up close pics of the ball turret. I'm wondering if this is the ball turret that goes with the B-24 on display at Duxford? Would sure love to get my hands on it...(or at least the shell components).

The gentleman I was referring to earlier did not have an entire turret, but instead had the hydraulic lowering mechanism which lowered and retracted the ball turret in the B-24. It basically consists of a long pole with the attaching mechanism, hydraulic line hook-up and safety locking hooks for when the ball is fully retracted into the aircraft. It was missing a few parts but otherwise it looked to be in pretty decent condition.

Dennnis,
Regarding you question...Albert Stix is his name and he is the one (god bless is soul) that saved the huge turret stash in St. Louis. I've talked with him and have seen all the photos he's posted of the parts and haven't seen anything resembling the lowering mechanism yet. However, he does have a hanger tubing assembly...but I'm not sure if the radar was even mounted to one of these.

John

[Don Parsons]

Hey Guys,

If any of you see Bob Hospers roaming around, say hi for me. I flew with him for awhile back in the late '80's.

BTW...the Stix's are wonderful people. I've seen the turret stash...it'll take awhile to inventory it all.

don
www.fairchild24.com

[Fortress Fan]

Hello "Warbirdnerd", (and others!)

Thanks for sharing your pix! Yep, Chuckie was lookin' fine this past
weekend during the Cowtown Warbird Roundup. I spent five hours
sitting at the radio operator's desk working as a tour guide. Tour
business was brisk for most of the day. We had two nifty portable
A/C units pumping cooled air into the fuselage, but with the outdoor
air temp nudging 105 degrees and that hot breeze blowing through
the hangar, it was still mighty toasty inside that aluminum tube! Did
you take a tour of the airplane? Did we perhaps meet in person
without knowing it?

To answer your question, "Ztex" is correct. Since 44-8543A was a PFF
ship, she never had a ball turret, so we're not going to attempt to install
one. We would love to obtain a "Mickey" radar antenna and radome,
but they're all but impossible to get. Doc has already indicated that if
we find one, it WILL be installed on the airplane. Another crew member
told me that we know where one is (in Arizona) but the owner knows
exactly what he has and how rare it is, and he will not part with it. I
don't know if we will ever attempt to build a replica or not. Without any
documentation, that would be a tough job. I know that the radome was
mounted on a B-24 ball turret mechanism so that it could be extended
while in flight and retracted while on the ground. Perhaps we could use
one of those (if we could find one!) as the basis for a replica. Building
a replica antenna would be only part of the job. We'd also need to
build a replica of the radar scope! Yet another can o' worms...

Cheers to all,
Dean

Hi, I believe i have spotted 2 of the radomes that you mentioned, if you send me a e-mail address i will forward on the photos i took of them ( 4 days ago)

[Fortress Fan]

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[K5DH]

Where did you find the radomes? Are they available? They appear to be on display somewhere.