B-17G "Chuckie" Update

RV8er · **Posted:** Mon Jan 17, 2011 11:33 am

Well cr@p... I was hoping to be around this Saturday to watch Chuckie depart, but I gotta work instead. Will there be any activity around the hangar on Wed. or Thurs. to get her ready to go? I'd like to fly up from Houston to have another look and take a few photos... I got a brief ride in Chuckie back in '82 or '83 on a reposition flight from the Denton airshow back to the hangar in Gainesville but didn't have a camera! Oh, the shame...

CrewDawg · **Posted:** Mon Jan 17, 2011 7:01 pm

Yes the hangar will be open this week for anyone who wants to come by.

steve dickey · **Posted:** Tue Jan 18, 2011 10:39 am

Was wondering when the estimated departure time will be? Thanks.

wgrosz · **Joined:** Sun Jan 16, 2011 10:40 pm **Posts:** 25

New Update from the Military Aviation Museum/Fighter Factory Facebook page:

Quote:

If you missed Chuckie’s arrival on January 22nd then you can get to see the bird fly once again as she is scheduled to leave (tomorrow at noon) for Florida Tuesday 15th February. Chuckie will be away for a couple of months in order to have some additional restoration work done.

Ray Fowler of Atlanta will be flying up tomorrow morning with Don Brooks, owner of the Liberty Bell B-17, to fly Chuckie down to Gary Norville of American Aero Services in New Smyrna, Florida. It will be down there for approximately two and a half months having some additional restoration work done to the airplane.

They will arrive in Don Brook’s private airplane, which will follow them along on the four hour trip down to Florida. Am sure that we might have some visitors there and also will be a lot of people watching on the webcams. Expected departure time will be approximately about noon or shortly thereafter.

So Far, as a volunteer at the museum, we have been informed that for this restoration work she will be fitted with a new chin turret. I have not been told what if anything else will be done. That and the fact that there is, as always with most things people are not involved with, rumours as to what configuration that Jerry Yagen wishes to make her.

the330thbg · **Joined:** Wed Nov 14, 2007 3:06 pm **Posts:** 2751

Cheers for the update

CrewDawg · **Posted:** Wed Feb 16, 2011 9:31 pm

I thought that everyone would like to see some of the pictures that have been shared with me since Chuckie left for the Military Aviaiton Museum.
Photo credits go to Jerry Yagen and the guys up in Virginia.

The recent snow that they had up there....sure wish she had been in a cozy hangar.

Prepping for the flight to American Aero

Great low pass!

Even the ground support equipment is cool!!! Check out the WWII British fuel bowser!

I'll leave any future updates to the folks at the MAM and American Aero. It's been a helluva experience, I'm just glad that I was able to play a part.

the330thbg · **Joined:** Wed Nov 14, 2007 3:06 pm **Posts:** 2751

Spectacular shots!

What a pretty bird..,

She is going to look quite different with a new chin gun. :shock:

Did the workings of the radar dome go with her as well?

k5dh · **Posted:** Thu Feb 17, 2011 10:01 am

the330thbg wrote:

Did the workings of the radar dome go with her as well?

We never had any radar parts. Scott "Second Air Force" was in the process of making a faux radome, but I think he's abandoned that project.

the330thbg · **Joined:** Wed Nov 14, 2007 3:06 pm **Posts:** 2751

k5dh wrote:

the330thbg wrote:

Did the workings of the radar dome go with her as well?

We never had any radar parts. Scott "Second Air Force" was in the process of making a faux radome, but I think he's abandoned that project.

Correct.., I meant 'faux' radome. Fiberglass, excercise ball and aluminium.

His efforts looked very promising.

Dwhart24 · **Joined:** Wed Jan 19, 2011 8:29 pm **Posts:** 85

I just found out that Chuckie will be at the TICO Warbird Airshow here in Titusville FL. in March. I am really looking forward to seeing it and I will post pics here after the show.

CrewDawg · **Posted:** Sun Feb 20, 2011 8:58 am

330thBG,
I understand that Jerry may have found a radome. He mentioned exploring the possiblity of alternating between having a radome and having a ball turret each air show season.

cco23i · **Posted:** Sun Feb 20, 2011 9:35 am

I'd like to get a hold of one of those fuel bowsers!

Scott

wgrosz · **Joined:** Sun Jan 16, 2011 10:40 pm **Posts:** 25

Our Historian asked Jerry and Don Anklin (Chief Pilot) on Tuesday when she left and was told that other than the chin turret, she will get a ball turret and maybe some exterior re-skinning if they have time before returning in May. I my self heard Jerry talking about trying to see if it was possible to make the radar and ball turret interchangeable the week after she arrived but I don't know if anything was decided on that. So as it stand she will be a standard G model upon returning to the museum here.

RAMC181 · **Posted:** Wed Feb 23, 2011 9:32 pm

It would be a shame, especially with the groundwork that's already been done, if the only currently flying ex-PFF B-17 was fitted out like every other one with a ball turret.

k5dh · **Posted:** Fri Feb 25, 2011 8:02 am

Better late than never. . .

B-17 Chuckie takeoff for the flight from VFM to MAM:

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=s0AUFVyMuuc

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