Warbird Information Exchange

Hello,
Verry good news to see this project evolve to a team project considering its size. Hope to be able to follow their progress on their website.

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Sorry for my bad English:-(

Was that B-17 recovered from the forest?

I'm a little confused also. I've read (here?) that this is a combat vet that was shot down(?) or crashed(?) overseas that is being RESTORED. Is this accurate? If it was lost overseas, when & how did it make it back to the States? Also, if it is a combat vet, how much of the original plane is being used for the restoration?

I was under the impression that this was pretty much a new build plane with some original parts.

Thanks,

Mac

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WWII Naval Aviation Research - Pacific
https://www.ww2nar-pac.com/

In reviewing the latest edition of Scott Thompson’s Final Cut, I have to agree. Look, I’m as excited as anyone to see another B-17 take to the air and the effort is nothing short of Herculean but, I personally find website statements like this ..........misleading?

“This aircraft, Lucky Thirteen, was a Boeing B-17F and, when restored, will be the sole surviving aircraft to have participated in the bloody campaigns against Schweinfurt, Regensburg, and Stuttgart, Germany in the autumn of 1943.”

“Lucky Thirteen will indeed be a unique restoration. She will be one of only two surviving late-B-17Fs...”

Not trying to pick a fight as the owner and anyone else is free to think otherwise and I’d enjoy reading other points-of-view.

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Cheers,

Craig

Facebook Groups:

U.S. Marine Corps Sikorsky HRS / CH-19 Helicopter Database
U.S. Coast Guard Sikorsky HO4S / HH-19 Helicopter Database

Ditto Craig, not wanting to "pick a fight" or "berate" the owner. But in looking for details of the history and remains of THIS aircraft, the website gives one a general history of the Euro air war and the B-17 bloodline. A rather confusing and vague turn of words...

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He bowls overhand...He is the most interesting man in the world.
"In Peace Japan Breeds War", Eckstein, Harper and Bros., 3rd ed. 1943(1927, 1928,1942)
"Leave it to ol' Slim. I got ideas...and they're all vile, baby." South Dakota Slim
"Ahh..."The Deuce", 28,000 pounds of motherly love." quote from some Mojave Grunt
DBF

For the benefit of those who don’t own Scott’s book (and why don’t you? They make great Christmas gifts for yourself! There Scott. Did I earn a ride in the RV next time I come to Lincoln?), he lists this airframe under the chapter, “New Build Projects.” The project is using parts from 44-83316, 44-85313 and apparently parts recovered from the crash site of the actual 42-3455, aka Lucky 13.

Again, an astonishing and Herculean reconstruction.

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Cheers,

Craig

Facebook Groups:

U.S. Marine Corps Sikorsky HRS / CH-19 Helicopter Database
U.S. Coast Guard Sikorsky HO4S / HH-19 Helicopter Database

I bet you did....

But, further to the point, I think Ray is the first person who would not claim that this is a restoration of the crashed B-17F, but rather the build-up of a B-17F utilizing parts from numerous aircraft and some parts from the actual Lucky 13. Ray has expressed concern to me about what serial number this aircraft will be attributed to and a candidate is not 42-3455. I think Ray's intent is to quite rightly attribute the airplane serial to the largest and most significant components going into the reconstruction. Ray is refreshingly above-board and very open about his effort to build up this B-17F. Ray is doing some amazing work not only for his own project but also for the wider B-17 community.

I agree that the website as presented is a bit fuzzy on the heritage of the project. I'm not sure how directly Ray is involved in what this website is trying to say; I suspect when he gets more involved it will be clarified.

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Scott Thompson
Aero Vintage Books
http://www.aerovintage.com
WIX Subscriber Since July 2017

Thanks for the info, guys. I hope I wasn't coming across as trying to stir the pot. Just looking for a little clarification.

My hat is off to Ray for all of the work he's putting in on it. Heck, I haven't even been able to get a decent start on an airplane model in years. Get started on this one, move to another one, back to the first one & never get past the research stage, let alone actually starting to build something. Hellcat, TBD, Zero, now back to being interested in the TBD. I need a Solidworks instructor & some patience, I guess. Not to mention some sticktoitivnes.

Mac

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WWII Naval Aviation Research - Pacific
https://www.ww2nar-pac.com/

I am a huge fan of this project and am amazed by all of the work that Ray has been kind enough to share with us.

Cheers

Andy

Scott is dead on the money, I just seen this, lucky 13 is a "rebuild" of some of the original parts of 42-3455 and I am still trying to get the rest out of France, with pieces of other B17, with a lot of "New Parts" that I am making.