B-17G "Chuckie" Update

[K5DH]

Hi Paul,

I should have said "world's only FLYING PFF ship".

[RAMC181]

Now you've got me worried about the accuracy of my data.
Is there a third, non-flying, PFF Fort survivor that I've missed off my list after 44-8543 "Chuckie" and 44-8846 "Pink Lady"?

The current status of my PFF Fort list is 313 aircraft, with some more 8AF and probably a lot of 15AF ones still to be identified.

All the best,
PB

[Second Air Force]

As far as I know, Paul, only Pink Lady and '543 survive. I'd sure like to get a chance to snoop around on '846 to check for all the tell-tale holes in the radio room!

Dean,

Bill actually found a radar altimeter antenna on the web somewhere, but I don't recall if it was for sale or just being displayed as a reference piece. It is a pretty simple installation to fabricate duplicates of.

S

[Second Air Force]

The shipper just dropped off our newest piece of kit for the radar/radio room. I found this on an auction site that we all know and love? and just decided we had to have it.


A NOS K-24 camera still in the original packing can't be all that common sixty-six years after it was produced...... Here are a few shots of the first time I started to unpack the accessories after receipt.












And here is a wartime shot of the same type camera mounted on the radar room aft bulkhead:



I'll have to construct the long "stovepipe" (that's what it's called in the radar operator guidebook) lens extension and find the radar scope repeater later.

I'll take a few photos of the camera on Sunday when we completely unbox it for the first time. I wanted to let the co-owner (CrewDawg) take part in the unveiling ceremony.......

Scott

[RAMC181]

Excellent snag Scott! That's the one with the 44-dated lens assembly IIRC.

I was keeping an eye on that one on the Bay to see what it fetched, as to find an genuine NOS K-24 all boxed is a rare treat.
I didn't mention it to you guys as I thought it would be over budget, what with the other gizmos I'd found for sale for the project.

All the best,
PB

[Second Air Force]

The K-24 came out of my piggy-bank (engine overhaul fund for our spamcan, actually) and Bill said he'd pitch in. We paid substantially less than the buy-it-now price, so I think we did okay. Getting this camera for '543 might make up for my absolutely terrible attendance at the Museum these last few months........

Scott

[hawkeyepoole]

I'm glad you bought that Scott. I looked at it a couple of days ago, possibly while you were. I even contacted the guy about donating it. Came too close to pulling the trigger, but my budget got the better of me. Glad you have it! What film do we need to test it? Or do we care if we can make it work?

[Second Air Force]

Hawkeye, I've been told that you can still get film for the K-24, but for our application it wouldn't be worth it. The set-up we're building only took photos of the radar scope attached to the end of the camera extension. Now, if we find somebody with a working H2X they want to fix us up with.........we might have to find some film!

[CrewDawg]

Scott, that is awesome!! I can't wait to see it, thanks for waiting to let me see the "unveiling". I know it's taking a lot of will power to hold off! I haven't told Doc about it yet, I figured I'd wait and we can show it to him.

Don't sweat your attendence, we know it's for reasons beyond your control.

[Second Air Force]

Here are a couple of photos of the K-24 camera after being unboxed today.





The next homework project I'm planning to start is the little instrument repeater panel at the radar operator's station. He had an airspeed indicator, altimeter, ammeter, and radio compass indicator to tend to, as well as an outside air temperature indicator that is mounted to the side of the fuselage. With a little snooping in the parts room I found these two, and I'd bet we have a spare ASI and altimeter also:


The original panel:


As we were leaving this evening Steve asked me if we were going to use Flight Following on the way home. I said I was, and he handed me this to drive the ATC radar crazy --it's a package of chaff, or "Window" that the RAF developed to mess up the German radars in WWII:

And, no, I did not chuck it out on the way home.........

Scott

[AKflier]

Mwaahahahahaha! I should have given you the whole brick... Surely that would have made for an interesting radio conversation!

[Second Air Force]

Regional approach/departure was having some "interesting radio conversation" without the addition of a brick of tinsel! I don't know how the controllers keep their sanity, but my hat is definitely off to them for the work they do!

S

[Django]

Isn't it amazing what turns up on ebay sometimes? That rules that you were able to acquire it.

[hawkeyepoole]

Some new footage from the Museum's recent activities. Three separate videos to be specific. A quickie showing the new K-24 Scott and Bill acquired, a little of us moving things out of the North Hangar, and footage of the new super cool B-26K Counter Invader that will be restored at our facility. Be sure and run up the bass on your speakers for that one!!

http://www.vimeo.com/channels/vfm

[CrewDawg]

Here's my latest net find and an appropriate one at that. A Radar Photography Manual that details the use of the K-24 Camera!





I found them on http://aafcollection.info/index.html. It's all free downloads and there are a lot of class photo albums on there from various pilot training bases around the US in WWII if anyone is looking for that kind of stuff. Mixed in are little gems like this! For you turret junkies, there is a couple of B-17 chin turret training manuals on there as well.