Memphis Belle Restoration Update-Aug-2009

[mustangdriver]

Right now the last of the 4 engines is being finished up. They are complete period correct engines for the Belle. THe inner wing area on both wings is nearing completeion including fuel and oil tanks. The level of the restoration is following many of the steps that others use to compete for awards aat Oshkosh, and in some ways paving the way for future restorations. Things like production stamps and such are being placed in the proper areas, even where no one will see. but it is correct. Along the back side of the inner wing, Boeing used to leave a little leather pouch to hold grease, and these pouches were researched, and recreated at the museum, and are now in place. Both turrets are complete. Both the top and Ball turrests for the Belle are her real turrets, although the glass in the top has been replaced. The top turret was modified when she was a trainer to a later style turret. This modification has been removed, and she is once again as she was at the 25th mission. All of the battle damage she has recieved in combat was patched on the line. These patches will remain in place. There is a hole in the rear radio room bulkhead that came from flak and that hole is preserved and will remain in place. The decission has been made to not run her after restoration. The choice was a tough one, but there are many items in the aircraft that would have to be replaced in order to actually run the aircraft, that are original. It was decided it was more important to preserve these items than to replace them.






Flak damage in radio room

entry hole for flak

Last edited by mustangdriver on Wed Aug 19, 2009 10:25 am, edited 1 time in total.

[lestweforget]

Looks like a lot of research is being done , and a restoration befitting of this icon is in progress. Thanks for the update and pics. Oh, and by the way Chris, it's 2009!!! So easy to loose a year as you get older, I do it all the time!

[Jerry O'Neill]

Great stuff Chris!
Thanks for your efforts keeping us all up to date on NMUSAF.
It's nice to have someone close by filling us in!
Jerry

[mustangdriver]

I am still recovering from being in the sun too long at Oshkosh.

[tex-fan]

it has probably been discussed already and i just missed it, but what will happen with Shoo Shoo Shoo Baby [the meusuem's B-17 now] when they get Memphis Belle ready. i know they have more than one type of other aircraft, will they simply have 2 B-17s. which would be GREAT of course. i was just wondering? thanks

[Django]

Hey Chris, did you get my pm?

[RyanShort1]

it has probably been discussed already and i just missed it, but what will happen with Shoo Shoo Shoo Baby [the meusuem's B-17 now] when they get Memphis Belle ready. i know they have more than one type of other aircraft, will they simply have 2 B-17s. which would be GREAT of course. i was just wondering? thanks

Wouldn't that be 3 counting the Swoose?

Ryan

[chris hill]

I thought shoo shoo baby was going to smithsonian. I think they traded
shoo shoo for the swoose.

[sgt hawk]

Thanks again Chris. Always look forward to your updates on these two 17's. After all, these two represent the most War history for this particular model.

[Ken]

The decision has been made to not run her after restoration. The choice was a tough one, but there are many items in the aircraft that would have to be replaced in order to actually run the aircraft, that are original. It was decided it was more important to preserve these items than to replace them.

Good choice. There are plenty of flying B-17s to enjoy. MB is much far more valuable as a semi-time capsule. Darn shame they didn't preserve her right from day one.

Seems like Flak Bait will be a great example of a wartime bomber time capsule when she's assembled - I'm guessing that not too many of her innards have been lost/stolen or will need heavy re-creation.

Ken

[Randy Haskin]

I'm very happy to see:

- A quality restoration by the NMUSAF

- The Memphis Belle finally getting the attention she deserves to be preserved for future generations of Americans

- That the restoration is taking place on a pretty aggressive timeline and not being pushed off to be completed "sometime in the future".

Thanks for the updates, Chris, and pass our thanks on to the guys out there performing the restoration work.

[mustangdriver]

THanks for all of the kind words. The guys in the shop are mainly volunteers with about a dozen employees. She is in good hands. AS I always say, the Belle belongs in Dayton, but if it wasn't for the people in Memphis, it wouldn't be anywhere today. There are so many people that have and are working so hard on her. It really is a special aircraft. From how I understand it it, the Shoo Shoo Baby is more than likely going to NASM, but there is a chance of another B-17 that is outdoors going there instead.

[warbird1]

Great update, Chris, thanks! As much as I hate to admit it, NOT restoring the Belle to run up the engines is probably the smart thing to do. They would have had to do a lot of work to make the systems operational to run the engines which would have compromised it's originality. Good move.

Back in the 70's, the Smithsonian put out a series of special, limited edition art prints that had patches of either skin or cloth that were "discarded" during restoration from many of their famous airplanes . I am fortunate to have 2 such prints of Amelia Earhart's Lockheed Vega that contain original fabric swatches from her plane on them. Has the Museum thought of any kind of fund-raising deal like that? Surely, they're not going to use every single piece of metal off of the Belle. They could make up some kind of neat, art work that incorporate pieces of the Belle to sell. The restoration team at Glacier Girl did the same thing as they sold many excess parts that were not needed after restoration. I know I would pay big money for an original discarded piece of the Belle. Just something to think about.

[APG85]

Great update!!!!

[Ken]

there is a chance of another B-17 that is outdoors going there instead.

You have hinted at this before. Is this just conversation amongst the volunteers or is it at the Curator/Director level?