B-17G Forward Fuselage on a low, slow cross country

aerovin · **Posted:** Thu Apr 04, 2013 4:25 pm

Patrick McBride spotted B-17G 44-83387 loaded on a flatbed in Auburn, CA, on April 1, 2013 (no, not an April Fool's Day thing).

As per someone who knows, it turns out that Tom Wilson is moving the fuselage section from Auburn to Douglas, Georgia, where it will join the Liberty Foundation collection/restoration team located there. It is apparent that Don Brooks and group have obtained this B-17G from Bruce Orriss and his group. This B-17 was receiving work from Gary Larkins (and his group) at Auburn where, at one point, it was destined for the National World War II Museum at New Orleans, plans that unraveled last year.

So, at least the forward fuselage is going to Douglas, where another B-17G, 44-83790, is under rebuild. 44-83387 has enjoyed a static restoration so the ultimate fate of the airplane and if any of it will be incorporated into the restoration of the "Dyke Lake" B-17G remains to be seen.

Be on the lookout for the on the road between Auburn and Georgia. Should not be hard to miss.

Pat Carry · **Posted:** Thu Apr 04, 2013 4:45 pm

Interesting Scott, thanks.

Jerry O'Neill · **Posted:** Thu Apr 04, 2013 4:46 pm

Very exciting! I heard this was going to be a deal awhile back but have kept mum about it. Nice to see it going there. Now Don can have three B-17's under restoration at once!
Jerry

Pat Carry · **Posted:** Thu Apr 04, 2013 6:54 pm

Jerry O'Neill wrote:

Very exciting! I heard this was going to be a deal awhile back but have kept mum about it. Nice to see it going there. Now Don can have three B-17's under restoration at once!
Jerry

Jerry, I'm having a senoir moment, how is there three? I thought all the components there were being used to make the Dyke Lake B-17 whole again.

DryMartini · **Posted:** Thu Apr 04, 2013 7:44 pm

Haven't you heard?
Don is going to put together his own air force, in case
North Korea's leaders need some "what for" and "how come",
and the U.S. cannot spare time for a B-52 to do the job.

Jerry O'Neill · **Posted:** Thu Apr 04, 2013 8:05 pm

Perhaps "Liberty Belle" will be rising from the ashes.

Jerry O'Neill · **Posted:** Thu Apr 04, 2013 8:05 pm

Opps. Double post.

tulsaboy · **Posted:** Thu Apr 04, 2013 9:00 pm

What about the rear fuselage, I think from a B-17F, that Gary Larkins and group had? Wouldn't that plus this forward section come pretty close to an intact fuselage?

kevin

Kyleb · **Posted:** Thu Apr 04, 2013 9:05 pm

tulsaboy wrote:

What about the rear fuselage, I think from a B-17F, that Gary Larkins and group had? Wouldn't that plus this forward section come pretty close to an intact fuselage?

kevin

Good idea if you can find one, but since the Douglas crew is building a new forward fuse (cockpit, wing attach, bomb bay, etc) I'm betting an aft fuselage would be a relative piece of cake for them.

bdk · **Joined:** Sun May 02, 2004 1:16 am **Posts:** 11324

If Tom Wilson is moving it, he likely has more involvement than that (my guess). And if he's involved, it will be really nice!

CoastieJohn · **Joined:** Fri Feb 11, 2011 5:37 pm **Posts:** 1380

aerovin wrote:

This B-17 was receiving work from Gary Larkins (and his group) at Auburn where, at one point, it was destined for the National World War II Museum at New Orleans, plans that unraveled last year.

Did Gary fall thru or did the museum fall thru? Last time I spoke to him he said he was retired.

aerovin · **Posted:** Fri Apr 05, 2013 5:36 pm

The Auburn group was only working on the airplane on behalf of the Los Angeles group that owned it. It was slated to go to the museum in New Orleans but plans changed and that museum got the B-17E My Gal Sal from the Cincinnati group. So the Los Angeles group's forward fuselage is now on its way to the Douglas, Georgia, group, but the Los Angeles group still has a B-17 fuselage it is working on with a parts of a forward fuselage from a Florida group.

Simple, but short answer is that the Auburn group works on airplanes when the Auburn group can be talked into doing it; I think they are alive and well and happy that way.

CoastieJohn · **Joined:** Fri Feb 11, 2011 5:37 pm **Posts:** 1380

aerovin wrote:

The Auburn group was only working on the airplane on behalf of the Los Angeles group that owned it. It was slated to go to the museum in New Orleans but plans changed and that museum got the B-17E My Gal Sal from the Cincinnati group. So the Los Angeles group's forward fuselage is now on its way to the Douglas, Georgia, group, but the Los Angeles group still has a B-17 fuselage it is working on with a parts of a forward fuselage from a Florida group.

Simple, but short answer is that the Auburn group works on airplanes when the Auburn group can be talked into doing it; I think they are alive and well and happy that way.

Ooohh....that's confusing. California, Louisiana, Georgia and Florida.

JohnB · **Posted:** Sat Apr 06, 2013 1:16 am

The last time I saw anything almost as cool as that it was a Bf-108 on I-20.

Iclo · **Posted:** Sat Apr 06, 2013 2:13 am

What is the state of this fuselage ? It was restored for static display, no ?

Any body knows the plan of Don Brooks ? Restoring two B17 to airworthy condition ? :shock:

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B-17G Forward Fuselage on a low, slow cross country

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