Rebuild of B-17F 42-3455 "Lucky 13"

[Lucky 13]

I started on this skin for station (3) Saturday evening about 3 o'clock, I finish it Monday morning about 10 o'clock, so 26 hour's later here we are

[Lucky 13]

I have finish all three .020 skin's on station (3) and the two .032 gussets on the two upper corners.[/URL[URL=http://s956.photobucket.com/user/384-13 ... e.jpg.html]

[terveurn]

Hoping that you do NOT go all modern and paint all this Alclad zinc chromate.

Like seeing the panel markings -- looks like how the they were built in 1943 - bare metal with the Alco visible.

[cptsmith]

The markings were different back then, those markings will have to be stripped and new ones applied.

[Lucky 13]

Tereurn, I will not be painting the skin's, they were not painted on Lucky 13, also I am putting the correct red stencil on the skin's, I am painting the plane like they did it back when it was originally built, some part's were sprayed and some were dipped, I am trying to put it back as original as I can, these splice plates were dipped, also Tom Wilson made them, but they were one piece, so I had him make me another set so I could cut them and make it correct, That is like the Longerons, I could have left them one piece but that is not the way there were, because Lucky 13 was a late built B17F and at that time they had started building them in sub assembly, so I cut them and then spliced them right back together, witch takes a good bite more time, I am glad that they are guy's out there like your self, that also want to see things right, I have done a lot of research and I am still doing a lot of research, LOL, trying to make it right and I would appreciate any info that you guy's may have, to help me make it correct.

[menards2]

A couple of questions... Are you only one guy doing all the work or do you have a team of employees or volunteers? Is "Lucky 13" currently under a 501c3 museum where people can donate/contribute to the effort or is this solely your own private effort?

[Lucky 13]

I do it all myself and I do not have the 501,I do it for the love of the B17 and the men of the 384 BG

[384thBG]

Amen to that Ray!

[Lucky 13]

Here is a little update of what I have been up too, I have been working on station (4), some of it is off of 44-83316 and the other is new build[URL=http://s956.photobucket.com/user/384-13 ... a.jpg.html][URL=http://s956.photobucket.com/user/384-13 ... l.jpg.html]

[Lucky 13]

I have also made a few brackets for station (3)[url=http://s956.photobucket.com/user/384-13 ... c.jpg.html]

[Lucky 13]

I have also started drilling the bomb bay section of 44-83316 apart, to help set station's 4 and 5 and also get the airworthy parts out, that I will use on Lucky 13[URL=http://s956.photobucket.com/user/384-13 ... x.jpg.html]

[Lucky 13]

One more

[aerovin2]

Ray,

As always, thanks for posting the photos and information. Always of great interest to see this process. Much more complicated and involved than most people would think.

[terveurn]

pretty interesting to see that the under laying structure is in pretty good condition.

[384thBG]

Great stuff Ray! Your posts keep our appetite whetted.

I sure would like to visit your shop and see your work.