B-17 Carry Through Spar Tubes

[DryMartini]

Attention!
Is your B-17 suffering from corrosion or cracks in the
carry through spars? Are you rebuilding bulkheads 4 or 5?
Are you stuck taking round X4130 tubes and machining them
square?

Well, I have the answer for you!

My colleagues and I have found a major mill that
will produce brand new carry through spars
in a quantity smaller than a 5000 piece run,
all in the name of keeping B-17 flying for another
50 years. I feel that this will be a one time opportunity,
so contact me by PM for details.

Remember that Murphy lurks. When you need them,
they won't be available!

[DIK SHEPHERD]

I truly admire what your operation is doing to bring back this aircraft.

But for crying out loud, why can't you guys come up with a better name than "Desert Rat"?

That name sucks, big time!

[DryMartini]

That was the name we found on the nose after
scraping off several layers of OD Green....

It was gonna be "Naughty but Nice" until that time.

[DIK SHEPHERD]

Well, since it will no longer be the XC-108, why don't you come up with a better name.

"Naughty but Nice" isn't any better than "Desert Rat".

But whatever it's called just don't let some guy with an airbrush paint the name. Airbrushing always makes nose art paintings look to modern and unrealistic.

[hang the expense]

I dont see anything wrong with the name Desert Rat and the art work is really cool and looks period to me. It seems to me some people have nothing positive to say and it becomes a real bore.When you get your own b-17 name it whatever you like.

[DryMartini]

Speaking of your own B-17,
I have the frame to BLK #3 and
some carry through spars,
if you are interested. <Grin>

[DIK SHEPHERD]

Here's a thought:

Why not rename it "MUSTANG", like the one in the SWPTO, and apply all of the markings and such.

Then, approach the Ford Motor Company to sponser the rebuild and five or ten years of operational costs (negotiable).

Call it - The Honored Past Greets The Exciting Present.

For a commerical - Visualize the rebuilt B-17 positioned on the horizontal, engines turning (but there's no sound), wind and smoke blowing past it.

Next, we see a close-up of the cockpit, with the pilot and co-pilot in their seats, and as the camera pans back to reveal the nose art, words appear on the screen . . .

"IN WORLD WAR TWO THE MUSTANG BATTLED IT'S WAY ACROSS THE SOUTH PACIFIC WITH POWER AND GRACE."

Then, as the camera pans back further, a camera crew appears in the shot, then arc lights appear, and then the whole scene shows the filming set-up and the director motions to cut (still no sound, just background music).

In the next scene the engines have stopped, the front hatch swings open, and out jumps the Hollywood pretty boy pilot who walks over to a new MUSTANG convertible, with the beautiful girl sitting in it, and on the screen appear the words

"NOW YOU CAN FEEL THE POWER AND GRACE OF A MUSTANG, GET A NEW (whatever year) MUSTANG AT YOUR FORD DEALER NOW."

Also, whenever you go to airshows you can call ahead to the local FORD dealer to see about borrowing a new Mustang to display next to the plane.

It's just a thought.