B-17C Update

[DryMartini]

A little preview into some new-made parts for "Mary Ann".

Wing Tip rear spar web


Wing Tip front spar web



I'm planning on having a recognizable part of a shark tail B-17 done for
Thunder Over Michigan. Wish me luck - it is a big undertaking.

[Chris Brame]

Now that you've named her Mary Ann, and since she's a new build, will you list her serial with the FAA as "40-5564", or will the ID of a real B-17C be used?

[DryMartini]

Good question - I don;t have an answer for that.
I may wait until I have more than a wing tip spar web
to make that decision.

[AirBoss]

I am new to this forum, but I have been involved in the vintage aircraft movement for over 30 years. I am guessing the B-17C project is being accomplished along side Desert Rat. Here is a real possibility that should be explored, If it has not been done already I would contact the Air Force Museum and and offer to trade work on the Swoose. That airplane will need parts rebuilt and a good chance some tooling made to support the restoration. It is very easy to turn out two parts and borrow tooling once it is not being used. When I was in the Air Force they were looking for each Air Base to take a project for restoration. My maintenace squadron cammader fell down on the job at my base after I laid the ground work.

Also one of the survivors of the 19th BG in the Phillipines flying out of Mindanao ran out fuel and set down on a very sparsely in habbited in the PI on the way back to Del Monte. See Queens Die Proudly. It is a good chance that the airplane is still there!

I know for a fact that there are a lot of airplanes and airplane parts buried at former Clark Field Republic of the Phillipines, Wheeler Field Hawaii, and Hickam Field Hawaii. I was shown a portion of blue fuselage skin from a Boeing P-26 that came out the burial pile at Wheeler on one of my TDYs there.

I am a former Boeing employee who was good freinds with the present Historian Mike Lombardi. Engineering drawings from Boeing for a flying project will be an issue. Boeing helps with static projects, but flyers are another issue due to liability issues, and for good reason. When you are talking flying restorations using engineering drawings from the 30s, the legitament fear is a drawing critical to the safety of flight maybe missing.

I am currently out of work like so many others but would very willing to support a legitament project. I have contributed my expertise to aircraft restorers and museums world wide.

[DryMartini]

Without going into much detail, offers of help to museums are
often one sided affairs. They want X-Y-Z, and offer nothing
in return. I could show you at least 6 museum proposals I've made
in the past 4 years, all of which came to naught for that reason.
("We'll give you a tax write-off letter for your work". Yeah, right)

Mike has been doing this for years, and has shown progress.
Slow progress for sure, but progress none the less. And he is
doing it without any $$$ help, outside of the volunteers and
small $5/$10 contributions from visitors (Thunder Over Michigan
aside, where some very generous people donated more), and the sale
of models and other surplus equipment on ebay and alike.

People like winners. The B-17s that fly earn money and a steady
stream of contributions. (One B-17 owner once remarked that
he did not put a single penny of his own money into purchasing
or restoring one of his other warbirds, due to his B-17). I guess we
are not viewed by the community as a winner. If we had $100K,
the fuselage would be back together in a year. In these times, no
one seems to have money like that to throw around.

[AURktman]

Are you building jigs/molds from scratch or are you able to purchase/borrow some from others that have done similar work? In a parallel way some of the aluminum work can be sent out for others to do pretty cheaply. If you contact David Kirkham at Kirkham Motorsports, he can give you some info about the Polish engineers that fabricate his aluminum bodies for Cobra replica cars. Not sure if it would be cost effective for a single part, but for some of the parts that are really hard to get and everyone needs it may make some sense to have them build the molds and form these pieces. The guys over there built MIG's up until about 10-15 years ago, now they hand form car bodies.

ET

[sealo]

Hi,

How is the project going on. I'm just curious to know what's going on, cos this thread was not updated with latest happenings, since Dec 10, 2010.

An update would be appreciated.

Thanks.

[DryMartini]

I appreciate the interest. Here's what is going on right now:

Much of the work is currently being done on the computer, and not on sheet metal.
I've been working to clean up assembly drawings, and get drawing for all parts in
a sub-assembly to the point where we can work on that sub-assembly.

As we have no wreckage to work from, it is important that we understand the
drawings and in what order things need to be put together.

That being said, I have asked HANG THE EXPENSE to put his expertise to work on the following parts:




If anyone is able to make a part solely from a drawing, and would like to help out, please contact me.

[RobertL]

I'am new to this forum, never done this before!! Question what software are using to restore your drawings. I have complete set of YB-17 -B-17D microflim from the air & space Museum.
Thanks.RobertL

[DryMartini]

Hi -
I use Photoshop to clean the drawings up, and AutoCAD
for making drawings for the machine shop.
Some of the drawings are of REALLY BAD QUALITY, so good luck!

[RobertL]

Hi;
Thanks for your reply, This is going to be intersting?
Thanks,

[DryMartini]

I found some useful drawings. The microfilm scans
were crisp and clear. I now have several parts that are
ready for someone to fabricate. I also am looking for
nutplates - AN366F1032 / MS21078-3 .
Current prices are killing me.

Any help out there?

RobertL - Any luck on scanning and cleaning up the microfilm?

[DryMartini]

It has been a while since I posted an update. Here is a run-down on
all that is happening, or not happening, depending on your disposition:

Work on BLK #2 is progressing. The microfilm was scanned and cleaned up.
Parts and extrusions are being/have been purchased. The top, sides, and bottom
channel have been made.

Material for the cockpit floor and bomb bay is being obtained.

Many other parts and materials are in the process of being made/purchased.

Yeah, kinda scattered, but getting the material is the hard part.

[Lucky 13]

Here is station number 2 well under way.

[DryMartini]

Here is station number 2 well under way

SWEET!