Mini 8th Air Corp and the 1/2 scale B-17

[Warbird Kid]

So this is new and I haven't seen it posted really anywhere else yet...

I was on http://www.scalebirds.com recently as I like to read the updates on the replica P-36 / P-40B/C kit project (possibly the most interesting warbird-ish related thing happening in Connecticut right now) and I noticed this:

...On several evenings, we met with the Mini Eighth Air Corp (mini8th.org) and the family that is sponsoring their half scale B-17. Wanting very accurate loft lines, we settled on 60% scale using four Verner 9S engines. We are going to write all about it shortly. Don’t worry, we will be pushing hard on the beta kits and we feel this will be a win-win. The bomber project is going to allow me to leave my day job and Scott and I will be working on aircraft full time. We already are working ScaleBirds on nights and weekends and Electric Boat is getting the best 10 hours of my day. We will be able to concentrate on the aircraft build and kitting much better. More focus. Also, from talking with other kit companies, we will need an additional funding stream during the first few years - until the first customer built planes fly. Then the orders roll in. The bomber project helps us to stay afloat....

...Then we took a trip to Watervliet, Michigan with our trailer to pick up a donated Hawker Hurricane project. It will be the second aircraft in the future Mini Eighth Air Corp museum of replica aircraft, after our P-36 prototype of course...

https://scalebirds.com/blog

So then I went to the mini 8th website, which admittedly is sparse for info, but I imagine that will change in the near future. What was on the site though was interesting...

The Mini Eighth Air Corp. is a living-history replica Air Force, with the broad task of replicating a WWII-era Army Air Force Bomber Command. The Mini Eighth aims to educate and inspire. Through hands-on construction, maintenance, and flying of serial quantities of modern WWII-era replica aircraft, aviation lovers of all generations will find lots to enjoy.

The Mini Eighth has four primary inter-related goals:

Field an entire air wing of various replica WWII aircraft types, conduct ground events that evoke the history of the United States Mighty Eighth Air Force, and share the awe of mass formation flying demonstrations.

Organize volunteer replica owners and pilots into squadrons around the world

Commission the construction of new replica aircraft; including our acclaimed 60% scale B-17, the largest modern experimental ‘home-built’ ever attempted

Educate the next generation of the aeronautical engineers, designers, A&Ps, and fabricators through a working-history museum focused on teaching the industrial aspects of the war effort through the building of replica aircraft.



https://www.mini8th.org

Looks quite interesting for sure. I only hope that after the 1/2 scale 17 is done, a matching B-24 is next. I would kill for one of those...

Last edited by Warbird Kid on Mon Dec 16, 2024 9:48 am, edited 2 times in total.

[phil65]

Those guys did a presentation at our local EAA Chapter meeting a few months ago, interesting guys..

Phil

[phil65]

Those guys did a presentation at our local EAA Chapter meeting a few months ago, interesting guys..

Phil