B-17 Flying Fortress/44-83735 ~ the Duxford resto thread

[ZRX61]

And that was the point I was trying to get across ~ with so few B-17's left ~ why do we need three to wear the same paint scheme ?

The same problem affects P51's... altho Yeagers personality seems to have taken care of the some of the Glamorous Glens we had...

[Sabremech]

That's why I really like our P-51 Baby Duck. There's only one of them out there and it isn't a blue or red nose!!

David

[wingman1]

And that was the point I was trying to get across ~ with so few B-17's left ~ why do we need three to wear the same paint scheme ?

The same problem affects P51's... altho Yeagers personality seems to have taken care of the some of the Glamorous Glens we had...

not to mention all the "Old Crow's",Shanga-La,s and the Petie the 2nd's!

[lmritger]

And why the he[[ do we have not one, but TWO "Double Trouble Two"s? Thousands and thousands of awesome, beautiful, attractive wartime schemes and so many current owners show a remarkable lack of imagination when it comes to which scheme they put on their aircraft.

But hey, at least they're flying, so I can't complain too much.

Speaking of interesting schemes, was "Nervous Energy" repainted from her gorgeous 325th scheme? Haven't seen that around in ages.

Lynn

[bomberflight]

Just a short update this week .....

The fuselage was moved out of the paint area on Monday and reunited with the rest of the airframe sections



In some ways it looks rather like to components of a giant scale model kit



Sections that need to be painted with "Zinc Chromate Yellow" can now be masked up .....



Taking a peek inside the wing shoulder ~ we find all sorts of colors



Similar detailing will also be performed on the rear fuselage .....





Another update will be along soon

[cooper9411]

How soon? I can't wait too long!!!!!

[bomberflight]

It's been a tad on the cold side this week at Duxford ~ so let's pop into Hangar 5 where it's relatively nice and warm



I've not taken that many pix this week to share with you I'll have to make more of an effort next time !

There's lots of detail work going on which may not be obvious to the casual visitor ~ like cleaning the control cable pulleys in the wing root
Who would have thought they would have been made by Formica ......



This area has now been covered up ready for spraying with "chromate yellow"



TV presenter Paul Martin visited the Conservation Hangar with a BBC film crew this week to add some background interviews for an
episode of the "Flog It!" series.



And before you ask ~ no ..... the B-17 is not for sale !



Members of the IWM conservation staff get a turn in front of the camera



And have their details recorded for the broadcast



Another update soon

[b29flteng]

The unsung heros!

[bomberflight]

b29flteng wrote .....

The unsung heros!

That's so true

[bomberflight]

Hmmmmm ~ now what can I share with you this Valentine's Eve .....

Can this be a stack of cards and presents for the B-17 ?



It's actually the holding bay for parts that ~



have been cleaned ......



Taken into the smaller paint room .....



where they'll be primed



and painted



Then allowed to dry thoroughly before .....



They're re-tagged and carefully wrapped for storage pending going back on the airframe.



In fact components are coming through the restoration process in several places in the Conservation Hangar ~







I figure that you folks don't need to be told those last pix were of the engine cowlings ~ but what on earth is this beastie .......







Up until this point ~ I never new he could play the bag pipes



The fourth and last engine is now undergoing restoration for display









Whilst work continues on preparing the fuselage applying "chromate yellow" to the wing root area



And finally .......

To mark February 14th ~ a snapshot of over 800 feet of B-17 heaven from Thunder Over Michigan 2010. ( Wingspan: 103 feet, 10 inches times EIGHT ! )



To Owners, operators, museums, staff and volunteers everywhere ~ thanks for taking care of all the remaining Flying Fortresses

More soon

[SPANNERmkV]

Pedro,
I think that hose junction thingee is for the leading edge De-icer boot.

Also, I was wondering why the top coat was put on the fuselage and then masked off so that the zinc phosphate could be put on second? It would seem to me that there would be all kinds of bad things that could happen to the pretty paint when the masking tape was removed, or in case any primer migrated under the crinkles of the tape.

The cheek gun mountings reminds me of ANOTHER day or three wasted at GCW as someone thoughtfully labeled three of our brackets and then separated the fourth one from the set.
It magically "re-appeared" and we were able to mount the cheek guns, but for awhile it looked like we were going to go with 11 guns.

Glad to see the LADS get some fame.

SPANNER

[The Inspector]

Properly applied and cured epoxy finishes are as easy to remove as the finish on the outside of your favorite saucepan. A little masking tape shouldn't lift it. If it does, a couple squirts with a detail gun should make it invisible since it's seems to all be of one batch.

[bomberflight]

SPANNERmkV wrote .....

I think that hose junction thingee is for the leading edge De-icer boot.

Yep ~ that's exactly what it is

Most of the posts from Hangar 5 at the Imperial War Museum at Duxford ~ have shown the conservation process that
will ensure this aircraft remains in good condition for future generations of people to come and visit.

Today we'll see the restoration of a small but significant component that defines this as a B-17 G model

We start the picture post with a snap of the bombardiers seat base .....

.

Photographic evidence of this aircraft's history show the chin turret was removed when it served as an executive transport for the
president of Philippine Airlines in 1948.

Whilst a chin turret and fairing were found and fitted during the aircraft's original restoration back in the 1980's ~
2012 marks the first time since then that the turret mechanism has been fitted



The mechanism is actually upside down in these images .....















And it's now fitted into the B-17 ~ with the seat base placed on top for reference

The legs align perfectly with the attachment bolt holes in the turret mechanism underneath



I'll conclude this post with a couple of shots taken from underneath ~ it's unlikely I'll ever get another opportunity to photograph
these details during the restoration of a Flying Fortress





Another update soon

[SPANNERmkV]

Lovely work on the chin turret mechanism.
We are thinking of putting ours back in. We have all the innards, we just have not taken the time to restore them and install them yet. So your pictures are mucho appreciated.
Even with drawings and blueprints it is so much easier to "see" if one can look at another installation.
So tell the Lads we are counting on them to get it right or there will be two B-17s with slightly off turrets.

SPANNER

[bomberflight]

Hi Spanner

I'm told but the guys that installed it ~ that the trick is to make sure it goes in the right way round so the front faces forward

Just behind the seat base center upright in this photo is a little black horizontal piece on top of the turret mechanism and that should be pointing forward