My Epic Urbana B-17 Flying Fortress Odyssey

[JimH]

When I visited about a month ago we had a great conversation about timelines. I through out the number 5 years...and Dave Burdick said he told the owner he would have a flying airplane in maybe 10 years. They have come along way in a year but they are fueled with plenty of enthusiam and they seem to be having a good time doing this project. Go see them! it is an eye opening experience to see how much goes into making one of these things fly.

Jim Harley

[Shay]

I thought the way they had the fuselage mounted was neat. They used large diameter pieces of All-thread that are anchored into the concrete floor. The simply fab brackets to attache the fuselage structure to the all-thread. And by double nutting the all-thread stansions makes it all adjustable and take up less space as compare to a jig.

Shay
____________
Semper Fortis

[mustangdriver]

That is great. Wasn't threre someone restoring a B-17E as well? I did not realize this project was as far along as it is.

[bomberflight]

Shay, great pictures and thanks for sharing them! I'm amazed at the pace at which they are makng progress and look forward to seeing her fly in the future.

[bdk]

...what kind of equipment do they have to work on the airplane, such as sheet metal tools, jigs for the structure, etc.?

Jigs look like cinder blocks and pallets to me!

I've seen projects where the tail and wing attachments were firmly located from points in the Structural Repair Manual and everything else just floated in-between. Fuselage might have been banana shaped, but I guess they flew OK.

I guess my point is that there is more than one way to attain a goal. Sounds like this group has found a unique and workable method though.

[lmritger]

I can't believe it... this is about ten miles from my mom's house (she lives in Cable). Never thought I'd see pics of Urbana here... In fact, when I was there last year, as I was headed down 29 towards I-70, a flatbed truck passed me going north with a B-17 wing section on it. It's fun to recognize all the pics you shot of "downtown", and will be making a trip out to the airport to see or assist the next time I visit Mom.

Thanks for the update, it's really coming along very well!

Lynn

[ww2John]

Someone asked about the B17E?

"Desert Rat" under restoration in Marengo, IL by Mike Kellner & friends, at least one of whom posts here regularly.

[Tulio]

Shay:

Thank you for sharing your great pictures!

Now, why are you rooting for the US Dollar?

"GO BUCKS!!! " : )

Is the Stock Market opening with a bang? : )

Saludos,


Tulio