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AERO VINTAGE BOOKS

2017 B-17 NEWS

2018 B-17 News
2017 B-17 News
2016 B-17 News
2015 B-17 News
2014 B-17 News
2013 B-17 News
2012 B-17 News
2011 B-17 News
2010 B-17 News
2009 B-17 News
2008 B-17 News
2007 B-17 News
2006 B-17 News
2005 B-17 News
2004 B-17 News
2003 B-17 News
2002 B-17 News
1997-2001 B-17 News

We're including this page as an update point for B-17 news. We'll post information garnered from any variety of sources, and notate that source at the end of the item. If anyone has anything they'd like to add, please let us know.

B-17 Tour Information

• The Collings Foundation B-17G Nine-O-Nine, 44-83575 (N93012), is nearing the end of its 2017 Wings of Freedom tour. Soon enough, it will be in winter maintenance in Florida. For the most current information, jump to here for schedule information.

• The Liberty Foundation is expecting a 2017 tour using B-17G Madras Maiden. For the most current information, jump to here for schedule information.

• The Commemorative (ex-Confederate) Air Force's B-17G Texas Raiders, 44-83872 (N7227C), has schedule dates posted. Jump to here for show dates and ride information.

• The CAF's other B-17G, Sentimental Journey, 44-83514 (N9323Z), has no tour dates currently scheduled but offers rides on a pre-arranged basis from its Mesa, Arizona, base. The Airbase Arizona's page can be found here for the only Wing information posted for Sentimental Journey.

• The Experimental Aircraft Association's B-17G Aluminum Overcast, 44-85740 (N5017N), has a few 2017 dates posted. Check for the most current information here.

• The Yankee Air Force out of Willow Run, Michigan, operates the magnificent B-17G, 44-85829 (N3193G), Yankee Lady. Jump to here for their most current information.

• The Lone Star Flight Museum offers ride in its B-17G Thunderbird. For the most current information, jump to here.

November 2017

• Apologies, Sort Of: To those who regularly visit these pages, I have to apologize for doing such a lousy job of keeping things up to date. However, for what it is worth, all of my extra time has been devoted to wrapping up the update to Final Cut, that being the Fifth Edition, which is now off to the printers.

  

  This new edition looks pretty good to me...32 new pages so it is now 288 pages with 484 or so photos, with everything updated. Well, everything but the price, which will stay at $24.95. The book will be available for purchase shortly... Keep tuned. But, enough about that. I'll mention that in the course of doing update research for the book, I've some tidbits to bring forth. Not all this month, because I want to get this put together and out, but some of the stuff that has been going on.

  So, we are playing a bit of catch-up.

• NMUSAF News: It was announced early in the year that B-17F 41-24485, better known as the Memphis Belle, will go on public display on May 18, 2018, at the NMUSAF in the World War II Gallery. Not quite as noted but also confirmed by a museum representative is that when the above noted B-17F goes on display, the currently displayed B-17G, 42-32076 (Shoo Shoo Baby), will go into storage until the NASM wants if for display for its collection at the Steven F. Udvar-Hazy Center located at the Dulles International Airport in Virginia. The NASM has not yet broached the subject about accepting the airplane, but when it does, it will be (no doubt) somewhat disassembled and trucked to Virginia for permanent static display.

• B-17 Restoration Nears Completion in Los Angeles: B-17G 44-83387 is nearing completion as a static display put together by the California Air Heritage Foundation at Los Angeles. Sometime later in November an announcement will be made as to where it will end up for permanent static display.

  

  It is expected to go somwhere and satisfy a long-time itch for an entity that has sought a B-17 for display. This airplane is a compilation of the forward fuselage of 44-83387, once a movie prop that was used in 12 O'Clock High (both 1949 movie and 1964-1966 TV series), along with the aft fuselage from B-17F 42-30681, inner wing panels that combine new-build structure and original wing components, and outer wing panels from other sources. It is likely to be an interesting destination for this B-17 and it should end up on display at a place where it surely will be appreciated. Details to follow...

• B-17G Somewhat Damaged: B-17G 44-83785 was ferried from McMinnville, Oregon, to New Smyrna Beach, Florida, for the Collings Foundation, its new owner, back in August (2017). It then became in the way of a Florida hurricane so it was quickly ferried out of harm's way to Mississippi. An incident then occurred in Mississippi that did some damage to the nose of the B-17. Not much is being said about this by people who know and I'm not going to spread rumors. Reportedly, the airplane has been or will be repaired enough to ferry it back to American Aero Services at New Smyrna Beach for more repairs and already scheduled work. Expect this B-17G spend a year or so in maintenance and then join the Collings Wings of Freedom tour group. Word on the street is that it will be painted and marked as Outhouse Mouse, B-17G 42-31636, another 91st Bomb Group Fortress with a distinctive combat history. Just what street is it where these words are said, anyways?

• March Field Museum B-17G Gets New Paint and Markings: B-17G 44-6393, displayed at the March Field Museum in Riverside, California, lost its camouflage scheme and was repainted to represent how it looked in 1945: a natural metal finish (replicated with aluminized paint) with the markings of Starduster and others it carried in 1945 when used by Gen. Ira Eaker as a transport. The volunteer group B-17 Archeology did the work in cooperation with the museum, and also provided this photo:

  

• Stuff Going on at Douglas, Georgia #1: So I made a bit of a whirlwind trip to the southeast in late September, with the driver of the trip being a stop at Douglas, Georgia, home of the Liberty Foundation. Don Brooks is the spark plug behind the Liberty Foundation and a real nice gentleman to boot. I had the opportunity to spend several hours with Don and also Chuck Giese, who works for the foundation at Douglas. The primary focus at Douglas is rebuilding B-17G 44-85734 (N390TH), which suffered a disastrous in-flight fire and off field landing back in 2012. That was bad enough, but the airplane continued to burn after the uneventful landing, while fire fighters stood by helplessly, unable to get to the airplane due to swampy field conditions around the airplane. But the goal of the Liberty Foundation is to rebuild the remains of 44-85734 into an airworthy airplane once again, no easy task given the challenges. But, the airplane is slowly coming together at Douglas in a long-term project.

  

  For anyone who has been following this project, there has not been a lot of visible progress over the past year or so, but there actually has been less visible progress. Much of the recent effort has been concentrated on the all-important center section where the wing structure carries through the bomb bay. This has to be exactly created because the wings attach points have to exactly fit the fuselage attach points. So much ground work and base structure has to be completed to move forward, and that process is well underway. The intent is to complete the forward fuselage assembly at Douglas (in a fuselage jig built by Ray Moore). The aft fuselage is being built up by Ray Moore at Asheville, North Carolina. The wings? Outer wing panels from 44-85734 are going to be used, and one of the inner wing panels from 42-32076, otherwise known as Shoo Shoo Baby is currently being rebuilt at Douglas for incorporation. There are plans underway for the other inner wing panel, so all the basic components will come together. All the parts are there: it will just take time and skill to bring it all back together to see Liberty Belle fly once again.

• Stuff Going on at Douglas, Georgia #2: On the back burner at Douglas is the restoration of what has become known as the Dyke Lake airplane, otherwise known as B-17G 44-83790. This B-17G was recovered with much difficulty from a lake in Labrador, Canada, by a team put together by Don Brooks. This airplane arrived in Douglas in 2004 and was evaluated for restoration. The wings are probably the most valuable part of the recovery because they will largely be usable for the flying airplane.

  

  The fuselage was more problematic. It has been pretty much disassembled for components that will be blended with new structure for the restoration effort. ­­­The fuselage will go into the jig that will be vacated once 44-85734 comes out. The work going in to create parts for 44-85734 are being duplicated for 44-83790, so the second effort should go much quicker than the first. The aft fuselage missing from the recovered 44-83790? Ray Moore will build that aft fuselage too, using components drawn from yet another B-17, that being 44-85813. It can be a bit confusing. Long story short: two B-17s are being rebuilt/recreated at Douglas.

• Much Goes On at Asheville, North Carolina: Speaking of Ray Moore, I was able to spend a very nice day with him at his shop located at the Asheville airport. Ray and I have talked a bunch on the phone but this was the first time I actually was able to meet him. Ray is known and is becoming well known for his work on producing B-17 components, a process that all started when he began the task of rebuilding, then building, up a B-17F to commemorate his great uncle's World War II service. I could write a bunch of stuff here, but let me just say that what he does in his shop is quite amazing and should be of great interest to B-17 aficionados. Ray's background is a lifetime spent in metal fabrication and he fairly seems like a magician to my untrained eyes in what he does to aluminum. Besides that, he has become a walking encyclopedia on B-17 structures, that is, all the little pieces of metal that come together into a B-17. And he can fabricate stuff. That is where the future is going to be for keeping B-17s in the air, because there are no more pieces left to draw into to rebuild airplanes or keep airplanes flying. It's not simple, either. There's a bunch of complicating factors such as types of aluminum alloy, hardness, heat treating, faulty drawings, paperwork trails of parts, research, planning, and trial and error, to mention but a few.

  The other thing that impressed me is that Ray is a "place for everything and everything in its place' kind of guy, which in not found all that often in his line of work. And I'm a bit that way myself, so it was nice to see. His shop is still a work in progress but, even so, it is spotless, organized, and set up to do the work at hand.

  The current work at hand is constructing the forward fuselage of a B-17F using original factory drawings, a pile of parts drawn from scrapped or otherwise dismembered B-17s, and a bunch of skill most people just do not have. He is also building up the aft fuselage that will go back into B-17G 44-85734 being rebuilt at Douglas (see above).

  So here is the B-17F forward fuselage, eventually to become Lucky 13. It will represent B-17F 42-3455, a combat veteran that flew with the 384th Bomb Group out of Grafton Underwood. (Quite a story about this airplane that can be found here.)

  

  It may not look like much right now, but Ray has slowly put together all the longerons, gussets, formers, stringers, attachments, fittings, and whatzits that will turn it into a fuselage. The parts are scattered about his shop ready to be incorporated into the assembly. This is a case of reverse engineering and working from drawings and pattern parts. Right now, Ray is concentrating of the complicated and all-important wing attach structure that combines with the bomb bay and wing-carry through assemblies. This work has to be done precisely for there is very little room for error. Exact measurements are being taken from an existing B-17 to make sure the wings will correctly attach to this fuselage.

  By the way, he also designed and built the jig, too, plus building a few others fuselage jigs that went to other projects. None of this is fast work because Ray pretty much works alone, quite happily and quietly doing his thing.

  And, here is the aft fuselage:

  

  This has a bunch of structure off the fire-damaged Liberty Belle, plus some new or other salvaged structure. You can see he has the skin off another aft fuselage, B-17G 44-83542 (N9324Z) fitted on the new sections. This skin is temporary; it is used for fitting and alignment. It is a pattern part that will be replaced by new skin eventually.

  I could go on about this; obviously I am impressed by Ray's work and his openness. A couple of things of note: he likes to be straight with people; he uses little machine nuts and screws instead of clecos to hold things temporarily together; and he does not like Photobucket. He really does not like Photobucket. He had a very nice forum posting going on the aerovintage.com forum that detailed, with very nice photos, all his work. Then Photobucket betrayed him. And it betrayed all of us too, because we cannot share (at this time anyways) all the Ray is doing.

  We plan on getting the all-important photos back into that posting but it will take time. Meanwhile, Ray plugs away at Asheville doing magic with metal. Cool.

April 2017

• HBO's Mighty Eighth Getting Close to Production: Tim Bivens sent in a link to a War History Online page that reports that the much anticipated, much delayed Steven Speilberg/Tom Hanks production of The Mighty Eighth for HBO. The series is reported to be ten episodes in length and the headline for the page states that a $500 million budget has been set. The site notes that the author of the book upon which the series is to be based and the scriptwriter were in England at the end of February, ostensibly scouting out locations. How much, if any, is going to be filmed in the UK and which, if any, actual B-17s or B-24s might be used in the filming, remains elusive information.

• 44-83690 at Warner-Robins: Matt Sharkey from Florida Warbirds sent me some recent photos of B-17G 44-83690 that is being restored for static display at the Museum of Aviation at Robins AFB near Warner Robins, Georgia.

  

  As can be seen, the B-17 has been disassembled and the exterior stripped of paint. Interesting view here showing remnants of the original USAF markings carried when the aircraft was being operated as a DB-17P drone controller.

  

  This airplane is being restored 'in situ' right in the display area. Shown here is the instrument panel completed and ready for reinstallation.

  

  As trackers of surviving B-17s well know, 44-83690 was a long-time resident of Bunker Hill AFB in Indiana, later renamed as Grissom AFB. The B-17 was retired from active USAF duty in 1960 and it remained on outside display until July 2015 when the NMUSAF reassigned it to the Museum of Flight at Robins AFB as a restoration project for eventual display indoors at the museum facility.

• Nothing New Update on ex-Evergreen B-17G: A check in with the Collings Foundation on its plans to bring B-17G 44-83785 (N207EV) up to flight status for a ferry flight from McMinnville, Oregon, to Florida reveals that plans for early spring action have been delayed. The plan now is to wait the completion of the two overhauled Allison engines for the new Collings P-38 to be completed and then send one crew to complete both tasks: finish up the P-38 for flying and prepare the B-17 for ferrying. No dates yet on when that might start.

• New Stuff About CAF B-17G: Roger Cain passed along a copy of the March edition of the Commemorative Air Force's On The Fly newsletter which announces a few updates about one of the CAF B-17Gs, 44-83872 (N7227C), better known as Texas Raiders. The airplane, operated and maintained by the CAF's Gulf Coast Wing, has been repainted and its nose art has been reapplied and updated a bit.

  

  Well-known artist Gary Velasco of Flying Colors painted the nose art.

  

  Also, the airplane has been moved from its old home at Wayne Hooks Memorial Airport (KDWH) to a new base at General Aviation Services on the north side of Lone Star Executive Airport (KCXO) at Conroe, Texas, about nineteen miles north as the B-17 flies.

  The CAF has operated Texas Raiders since 1967. Its earlier history was as a U.S. Navy PB-1W (1945-1956) and, later, as a civil survey aircraft (1957-1967).

• Madras Maiden Touring with Liberty Foundation: As noted in the February 2017 update, the Liberty Foundation has leased the Erickson Aircraft Collection B-17G 44-8543 (N3701G) and is touring with the airplane. Here is one of Roger Cain's cool photos, this of the airplane landing at the Bay Area's Hayward Airport on Saturday, March 25.

  

  I had a chance to spend a bit of time with the group, led by Scott Maher, when they passed through the Mather Airport in Sacramento the week prior. They have some big plans for touring this B-17 and possibly some other expanding opportunities in the near future. Stand by for more on that.

  For those a bit unfamiliar with Madras Maiden, its prior moniker was Chuckie when it was operated by the Doc Hosper's group in Texas and, later, with the Military Aviation Museum at Virginia Beach, Virginia. It enjoyed active use with the AAF and USAF (1945-1959) and spent its early years as a fire ant bomber with Dothan Aviation in Alabama (1963-1979).

  In the background of the Liberty Foundation connection with B-17s, though, is the ongoing effort to bring the very badly damaged B-17G 44-85734 (N390TH) back to life as a flying airplane. The effort is moving forward and may come together sooner than anyone thought possible. Also on the group's plate is the restoration of the Dyke Lake B-17G 44-85790. These are two projects I hope to get more information on in the near future and perhaps post some good updates.

• Don Brooks To Be Inducted Into the Georgia Aviation Hall of Fame: And, speaking of the Liberty Foundation, the foundation's founder, Don Brooks, is being inducted into the Georgia Aviation Hall of Fame at a banquet on April 29, 2017, to be held at the Museum of Aviation at Robins AFB, Georgia. As per the Hall of Fame website, Don has the following qualifications:

  Elton D. (Don) Brooks, Jr. (1950- ) While working for his father business in Georgia, Don Brooks developed a deep appreciation for the sacrifices made by our military veterans. Combined with a love of aviation, Brooks has worked tirelessly to preserve the heritage of military aviation in Georgia. This includes starting a foundation dedicated to preserving the WWII Primary Flight Training base in his hometown of Douglas, Georgia. Don has also recovered and restored numerous vintage military aircraft, and started another foundation to ensure these aircraft were able to travel around the country to honor our veterans, preserve our aviation heritage, and educate generations to the high price of freedom.

  Congratulations are in order to Don Brooks. Thanks to Hamilton Halford for this tidbit.

• Aluminum Overcast Is Out There Too: I feel a moral obligation to take a look at any of the B-17s when them come through town, and the EAA B-17G 44-85740 (N5017N) did just that when it passed through the Nut Tree Airport at Vacaville, California, a few weekends ago. I stopped by and had a good look at the airplane and the good crowd that came out to see it and fly on it. The airplane is currently touring the west coast. Roger Cain took another great photo and passed same along to me to show just what that airplane looks like in operation.

  

• Fuddy Duddy at Lyons Air Museum: Roy Long sent in a few photos of B-17G 44-83563 (N9563Z), otherwise known as Fuddy Duddy, as displayed at the Lyons Air Museum at Orange County Airport in Santa Ana, California

  

  Not much changed here: the airplane is pretty much in a non-flight status but remains a well-cared for static display at the museum.

• Tulare B-17: Rick Jackson sent in a few recent photos he took of B-17G 44-85738 residing alongside Highway 99 in Tulare, California.

  

  The notable addition is the wire screens placed around the engines at the cowling, an effort to discourage the ever-present pigeons from getting inside the cowlings to build nests, or do whatever pigeons do inside cowlings (actually, I don't want to know what they do in there). Airplane looks tired and sad, but there it is. Been there since August 1958, thus pushing its 60 year anniversary at the spot. This B-17G is still owned by the NMUSAF and its still on loan to the local AMVETs chapter and there are no known plans to change either. There you go.

• Coming Soon: An Opportunity to Help With a B-17E Restoration and a B-17C Creation: We are working with the guys at the B-17E 41-2595 restoration/B-17C new-build effort underway at Marengo, Illinois, to try and jump start some fund raising for some specific necessary but expensive parts that need to be created. This is a bit of a tentative effort, but I'm going to create a specific page here at Aero Vintage Books that will allow visitors to specifically fund these parts.

  

  We are hoping that if some tangible and specific needs are made known, perhaps we can get the ball rolling on funding these parts with a bit of help from our friends. These two projects could be a whole lot further along if some funding streams were created. There are upsides and downsides to any funding stream creation, but for my part, I can assure any and all that every dollar contributed to this project will go to the exact part that is needed. More to come in the near term, so stay tuned.

• Fifth Edition of Final Cut in the Works: Yep, just a head's up that I am actively working on an update to the sold out 4th edition of Final Cut. Still has a ways to go but if things work out it will go to press late in 2017 and be available early next year. Depends, but I hope to add some more pages and update all the content. I plan to have a pre-publication special out there to before too long. Keep it in mind...

February 2017

Well, it's been many months since I did any updating on these pages. Fortunately, there is a vibrant, small community that keeps things interesting on the Aero Vintage Forum pages. What it lacks in volume makes up in quality...some good stuff about stateside B-17s during the war and some other items that should be of interest to B-17 guys like you and me.... But, here is a short compilation of stuff going on, some new and some of which has been covered elsewhere in the web world, but I'll mention here in passing:

• Ex-Evergreen B-17G To Be Moved To Florida: The B-17G displayed at the depleted Evergreen Air and Space Museum at McMinnville, Oregon, should be moving this spring to Florida for overhaul and restoration. This B-17G, ostensibly Douglas-built 44-83785 and registered as N207EV, was obtained by the Collings Foundation as part of a complicated deal after years of Evergreen bankruptcy proceedings. The plan, as revealed last year by the Collings Foundation, is for 44-83785 to be overhauled and used to replace the other long held Collings B-17G, 44-83575 (N93012), better known as 909, on the foundation's Wings of Freedom tours. That will allow N93012 to enjoy a period of restoration and some TLC without the tour suffering the loss of its B-17. The Collings Foundation provided this very recent update on the immediate plans for the Oregon B-17, as follows...

  We have a team headed to OR in early March to start addressing the B-17. We hope to have it moved from OR to FL in late Spring 2017, but that all depends on what they find when they arrive in OR. If removal of outer wing panels to get it out of the museum, removal from museum and engine runs go without any major issues, it will be moved to FL for further work including the wing spar AD. We pulled the carbs for overhaul in 2016 and they are now complete, so removal from the museum and engine runs are the next step.

  The AD, or airworthiness directive, that this refers to is a FAA mandated action "...that requires inspections to detect cracking and corrosion of the wing spar chords, bolts and bolt holes of the spar chords, and wing terminals; and correction of any discrepancy found during these inspections." This AD dates from 2001 and is still required to be completed on this B-17, so a ferry permit will be needed to move the B-17 from Oregon to Florida. Presumably, Florida means American Aero Services at New Smyrna Beach, which performs the heavy aircraft maintenance requirements for the Collings Foundation. We look forward with much interest to see this long dormant B-17 return to the skies.

• Windshield Glass for Ex-Evergreen B-17 Surfaces: In something related to the ex-Evergreen B-17, Robert Kropp sent in some photos and information about something he uncovered. He was going through some unidentified crates of B-17 parts when he came across some boxed armored windscreen and side sliders off of what was then the Intermountain Aviation B-17G, then flying as N809Z.

  

  

  Robert noted:

  These boxes contained some armored "bulletproof" front windscreens and sliders. I was surprised to find a parts tag inside of a couple of them that contained a 49-year old mystery almost to the day.

  A couple of the boxes had yellow parts tags dated 12-08-1967 and the former owner was Intermountain Aviation, Inc. of Marana, AZ.

  Anyway, these old boxes of windscreens also contained some Plexiglas panel replacements for the nose section in addition to the original glass. Looks like they kept not only the armored windscreens and sliders "just in case" but why they kept some of the dreadful front "ice window" systems I'll never know.

  Seems to me when Intermountain operated the airplane they were in warmer spots (which might explain a desire to keep the bulletproof glass!) but why they kept the ice windows I sure don't know. All part of the Intermountain secrets.

  44-83785 had a long and obscure utilization with the U.S. covert operations with the CIA, probably, and a CIA front company (Intermountain). It may not actually be 44-83785 but rather 44-85531, but proof of either identity is speculative at this point.

• B-17E Desert Rat Status: With some measure of fanfare, it was announced last summer that the restoration project of B-17E 41-2595 was to be moved, at least partially, to the new Vintage Aviation Museum at Salt Lake City, Utah. Not much has surfaced since then, but an update from the project at Marengo, Illinois, suggests that such pronouncements may have been a bit premature. It turns out that the Vintage Aviation Museum approached Mike Kellner, the Desert Rat owner, with a proposal to help out with the restoration effort, and affording the plane a home base of operation upon completion. Looking to speed up the effort, Mike agreed in principal to the offer. The VAM is just starting out, and does not currently have building. They have just recently acquired a PV-2 Harpoon, and so are experiencing some traction in their efforts to become a viable museum. It is accurate to describe this as being a paper partnership to date, as the B-17 restoration effort remains with Mike in northern Illinois, and will for the foreseeable future.

• B-17C Project By Who??? In a somewhat related topic, the decades long B-17C project spearheaded by Bill Stanczak and underway by the Desert Rat team at Marengo sort of got attributed to the new Vintage Aviation Museum in a late January 2016 WarbirdRadio.com interview. At least that was the impression I was left with after listening. I won't say any more than this: Bill Stanczak has had everything to do with the B-17C Project and the Vintage Aviation Museum has had little, if anything, to do with the B-17C project.

  For those not familiar with this project, it has a goal of constructing a new-build B-17C and much of the work on the B-17E known as the Desert Rat has allowed a parallel project to move alongside it. The fuselage jigs and some components are usable on both fuselages, so this very long term B-17C project is on the back burner but proceeding as resources allow. I commend Bill and his dedication, and the skill and persistence of a several others in Illinois and Georgia that keep this ambitious project moving forward. There is a whole Aero Vintage Forum dedicated to this subject, for further information.

  For me, I think it's great that the Vintage Aviation Museum is putting forth the effort but it needs to recognize and properly attribute its role in both these projects lest people get the wrong idea.

• Erickson B-17 To Tour With The Liberty Foundation: Last fall it was announced that B-17G 44-8543 (N3701G) owned and operated by the Erickson Aircraft Collection at Madras, Oregon, as Madras Maiden is going to tour for the Liberty Foundation. The Liberty Foundation, based at Douglas, Georgia, is currently rebuilding B-17G 44-85734 (N390TH) and restoring another B-17G, 44-83790, but wants to continue touring with a B-17 in the meantime. It had leased B-17G 44-83546 (N3703G) in prior years. Complications with FAA approval for its Living History Flight Experience programs have hindered tours for the group, but perhaps that is now behind them. The Liberty Foundation website announces a tour schedule beginning in February 2017. Stand by for more details.

• The UK B-17G Sally B Soldiers On Despite Challenges: The saga of the sole flying United Kingdom B-17G, 44-85784 (G-BEDF), better known as the Sally B, continues as it starts its 42nd year as an flying memorial.

  

  The B-17G is safely tucked away in a hangar undergoing winter maintenance, but it remains challenged by new world politics and increasing CAA regulation. Apart from the uncommon and quite imposing problems of privately operating a 72-year old four engine bomber, increasing regulation of British airshow participation and the unknowns of the Brexit have imposed added challenges to the continued airworthiness of this B-17G. In particular, new CAA restrictions on flight displays at UK airshows have caused some appearances scheduled for 2016 to be canceled. Nonetheless, B-17 Preservation, Ltd, the bomber's operator and, particularly, Elly Sallingboe, remain committed to the goal "...to keep this B-17 airworthy and in the UK as long as humanly possible, as a Flying Memorial to the many young men of the Mighty Eighth who gave their lives for our freedom."

  For the latest on what is going on with this venerable B-17G, or maybe to help out with some $$$ (actually, pounds, or quids, or something like that), go to the website.

• B-17F To Go On Display at the NMUSAF: On January 16, 2017, the National Museum of the USAF announced that B-17F 41-24485, better known as the Memphis Belle, was going to be placed on display at the museum on May 17, 2018.

  

  The significance of the date is that it will be the 75th Anniversary of the Memphis Belle completing its 25th combat mission on May 17, 1943. After that, the celebrated bomber returned to the U.S. for a War Bond Tour and was the subject of a wartime Hollywood documentary, but faded into obscurity and was slated for scrapping at Altus, Oklahoma, when rescued by the city of Memphis in 1946.

  This most famous of B-17s has been undergoing a slow restoration at the museum since it arrived from Memphis in 2005. The effort has culminated in one of the most authentic B-17 restorations as far as preservation of original equipment, systems, and configuration.

  The facility, located at Wright-Patterson AFB in Dayton, Ohio, currently holds three B-17s in its immediate collection: the B-17F, B-17G 42-32076 currently on display, and B-17D 40-3097 that is also the subject of a long-term restoration.

  There is some minor fluttering on the usual web forums about the fate of the B-17G when the B-17F goes on display. There were rumblings about the B-17G going to the NASM in Washington as part of the deal when the NMUSAF obtained the B-17D. However, that has never really been confirmed as part of a deal and a good guess, in my humble opinion, is that B-17G Shoo Shoo Shoo Baby will remain on display in Dayton for the forseeable future. And, no, it would not ever be flown again even if it was moved to Dulles. C'mon guys.

• French B-17 Taxies: Late in December 2016, long dormant B-17G 44-8846 (F-AZDX) was seen taxiing about the French airfield at Amicale Jean-Baptiste Salis Aérodrome de Cerny. This sparked rumors that perhaps the B-17, grounded since 2011, might be seen to fly again in the near future. No, it turns out. The airplane was taxied in an ongoing effort to keep the aircraft systems at least somewhat active pending a future, unscheduled and unfunded, overhaul and restoration that might, someday, return it to the air. For now, it has taxied about on two engines, a video of which can be seen right here.

• Urbana B-17G Making Great Progress: We watch with much interest at the restoration progress of B-17G 44-85813, otherwise known as Champaign Lady, moves forward. There is not really any news to report other than the fuselage structure is about complete, and work is moving forward quickly on the wings. What is worth mentioning is the steady progress this restoration team at the Champaign Aviation Museum has been making for many years, and a close perusal of the group's website is in order. As detailed on the website, this restoration effort involves much new construction and, besides the 'official' B-17 airframe of 44-85813, parts and pieces of four other B-17s have worked their way into this airframe. It's not even majority rules as far as what airplane gets to claim the heritage; it is what airframe has an FAA registry history that will make the paperwork flow.... Check it out and, hey, make a donation.

• Lone Star Flight Museum's B-17 Available For Flights Again: The Lone Star Flight Museum's B-17G, 44-85718 (N900RW), otherwise known as Thunderbird, is available for Flight Experiences again. This was relayed to me many months ago, back when I was doing updates, but it was not posted on the museum's website when I checked at that time. Well, it is now, so it is available for scheduling. Details are available on the website.

• USCG PB-1G Got Wet: Nick Vernonico passed along this sorta sad 1953 photo of a PB-1G that he bid for on eBay.

  

  This ill-fated PB-1G was USCG 77253. On August 26, 1953, it ran off the end of a runway at (long closed) NAS Sand Point in the Seattle area, and ended up in Lake Washington in this embarrassing pose. As the caption states, the five crewmembers escaped the accident with minor injuries.

  This PB-1G was built by Vega as B-17G 44-85827 in July 1945, and went to the Coast Guard via the Navy shortly after delivery. It was converted for air-sea rescue and served from 1947 until its 1953 demise. It lived on, however, at least in part. After the accident, the wreckage was purchased by Bob Sturges and hauled in pieces to his Columbia Airmotive facility at Troutdale, Oregon. It was disassembled for parts over the years to support Sturges' B-17 parts supply business through the 1960s with the remaining airframe components eventually scrapped.

• Okay, I might be able to keep going, but will end this update right here. I will try to do a better job this year of keeping the updates coming...check back soon.

2018 B-17 News
2017 B-17 News
2016 B-17 News
2015 B-17 News
2014 B-17 News
2013 B-17 News
2012 B-17 News
2011 B-17 News
2010 B-17 News
2009 B-17 News
2008 B-17 News
2007 B-17 News
2006 B-17 News
2005 B-17 News
2004 B-17 News
2003 B-17 News
2002 B-17 News
1997-2001 B-17 News

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