B-17s at Madras

[aerovin]

I just posted a brief update at aerovintage on the B-17s at the Erickson Aircraft Collection at Madras, Oregon: ex-Thunderbird, ex-Yankee Lady, and Ye Olde Pub.

https://www.aerovintage.com/2025/02/28/update-from-madras-february-28-2025/

[phil65]

There are only 2 airworthy B-17's in the U.S.

Phil

[Lynn Allen]

I just ordered a copy of The Final Cut and look forward to reading it.

Lynn

[Pat Carry]

Thanks for the update Scott.

[sandiego89]

There are only 2 airworthy B-17's in the U.S.

Phil

Yes, and within recent memory 3 written off, at least two of which were tragically primarily human factors related, and several withdrawn due to finances or major work needed. Fortunately, a few in the restoration pipeline.

[hurricane_yank]

Makes me feel lucky to have seen this:

[Warbird Kid]

Makes me feel lucky to have seen this:

Same. If future me showed up that day as my father and I were walking down the flightline of bombers and told me that by 2025 only one of those eight B-17s were still flying, I would have been gob smacked. I know four of the eight will fly again, With Aluminum Overcast being questionable if ever again, and of course the total loss of the other two...

We are clearly at a major low point for flyable B-17s in the timeline, but hopefully it will get better as the years progress and so do numerous projects.

Last edited by Warbird Kid on Tue Mar 04, 2025 9:29 am, edited 1 time in total.

[menards]

Makes me feel lucky to have seen this:

Same. If future me showed up that day as my father and I were walking down the flightline of bombers and told me that by 2025 only one of those eight B-17s were still flying, I would have been gob smacked. I know four of the eight will fly again, With Aluminum Overcast being questionable if ever again, and of course the total loss of the other two...

We are clearly at a major low point for flyable B-17s in he timeline, but hopefully it will get better as the years progress and so do numerous projects.

Three of the B-17s pictured in that flight line were a total loss.

[JohnB]

Looks like we're playing semantics.
If a fighter were similarly rebuilt (with either new build or existing components), it wouldn't be called "a total loss".

[Warbird Kid]

Looks like we're playing semantics.
If a fighter were similarly rebuilt (with either new build or existing components), it wouldn't be called "a total loss".

Exactly. Since Liberty Belle is being rebuilt I don't consider it to be a total loss, despite it being burned up pretty good.