TEXAS RAIDERS

[SPANNERmkV]

PB...

I am just learning a lot of the lingo myself...

Those are old "original" rivet heads that were drilled out to make the repairs for the AD or some other previous repairs.
Since they are the part of the rivet that met the bucking bar they are called "the shop heads." If they were the round part they would be the "manufacturers head." Or sometimes, "The Factory Head."

The Diagonal tubes and longerons are sandwiched together with what are called gusset plates or tie plates.
Some of those had some corrosion and were replaced.
Usually the workmen like to remove all the shavings and the pieces of rivets from their repairs so they don't "migrate" into moving parts and jam them up.
In this case it would most likely have interfered with the bomb-bay door mechanisms or the hinges.

That kind of crepe annoys them that knows better.
In this case it was done by an outside "specialist" at GREAT expense.
Our code phrase whenever we see such spoor left on the B17 is,
"Another fine example of commitment to excellence!"

[ramc181]

Thanks for that.

Keep up the good work.

All the best,
PB

[Guest]

Just got my education furthered.
they are also called buck tails or buckheads.

The funny thing is I wasn't even looking for debris when I found them.
I was blowing off paint that was peeling off in droves when all of a sudden those bits just started flying out of the bottom of the tubes.

Fortunately there doesn't seem to be anyplace that I might have driven them deeper into.
Obviously we will be inspecting for that more.

[hang the expense]

Hey Spanner,Did you find any evidence of cad platting on the steel tubes?

[SPANNERmkV]

Hey Spanner,Did you find any evidence of cad platting on the steel tubes?

HOWDY HANG,
Dry Martini... are you taking notes???

It appears as if there IS cad plating on the bottom tubes (front and aft) but NOT on the top tubes. Ours is a Douglas manufactured plane.
The top tubes have more surface rust as a result.
If I was rebuilding a plane to stand the tests of time I would plate both tops and bottoms.

I have ordered a set of the tubes on speculation, but it is only if we ever have to have them.
I would be inclined to make them available for any of the three flyable B17s in my life.
TEXAS RAIDERS
THUNDERBIRD
or SENTIMENTAL JOURNEY
as needed.

Now where exactly I am going to keep them stored until needed is yet to be determined.

How are things going on your end?

SPANNER

[DryMartini]

Yep - I have my note pad out.

The tubes have three finishes specified:
1) BF3-43, BF3-186, & BF3-68 (Sand blast, prime outside, and prime inside tube)
2) BF3-35 & BF3-68 (Cad plate outside and prime inside tube)
3) BF3-135 & BF3-68 (Zinc plate outside and prime inside tube)

As we were going for the least expensive solution, we opted for
finish #1. The primer should keep them well for years on the shelf.

[hang the expense]

Hey Spanner,hows tricks?To answer your question on where to keep them.Why under your bed of course.They are some sweeeeeeeeeeeeeeet parts are they not?

[SPANNERmkV]

Coolest task at the hangar last night.
It was Tuesday worknight and the Maintenance Officer decided we needed to blow compressed air through the fire suppression tubing up to the firewalls to clear out any crud.
The first engine we blasted out did have some fur-balls in it so that set the precedent for running two full tanks of air through them.

While the job in itself was kind of a yawner, interspersed with crawling into awkward postions in THE PIT, what was neat was getting in the copilot's panel and turning the selector to the various engines.
Since we weren't discharging CO2 we left those two handles alone.

BTW- does anyone know any companies that refurbish the original style CO2 valves?
If not, we are looking at replacing the CO2 systems with halon.
Before anybody cries FOUL! Halon is still legal in non-crew areas of airplanes.

So anyway, I was so jazzed I went home and watched most of 12 O'clock High... Until I HAD to go to sleep.

Keep Em Flying

SPANNER

[hang the expense]

Hey Spanner,dont forget to tuck the tubes in and kiss them good night.

[SPANNERmkV]

Hey Spanner,dont forget to tuck the tubes in and kiss them good night.

Will do Hang Dawg!

But seriously if you get done with everything and you need a paid (working) vacation to scenic Houston, Tejas we can put you to work.

You can even sleep in the spare bedroom with the bed with tubes under it, when I get them from Dry Martini.

Or should that be you can sleep UNDER the bed with the tubes???

SPANNER

[DryMartini]

They be done, Spanner.
Put the finishing touches on the primer
today. Now, to get them to Texas
without it costing an arm and a leg.

Know any CAF guys coming to Chi-Cago
any time soon?

[hang the expense]

Would like to do that Spanner.

[SPANNERmkV]

Next cool job started...
We went through the B17 and tested all the radio/intercom positions.
At first only the waist gunner's stations had clear 2 way comms.

Once we discovered the Intercom Amplifier on the bulkhead opposite the Navigator's station was left unplugged we were able to get most stations operational.
Oddly enough the Radio Room operator's station wasn't working.
The station by the rear crew door was broadcasting but not receving.
All fixable.

Then on to double checking gauges in the cockpit.
The oil temp for #3 engine was reading 15 C while everything else was around 30ish, which matched close enough to our balmy 80 F...
And the problem moved over when we plugged the same intsrument into the #1 and 2 plug.

All four real props are to be hung next week or the week after.
We are anticpating trying a slow taxi test during May.
This will have to be during a slow time at Hobby Airport.
But just the idea of moving and hopefully stopping the beast under her own power has got me jazzed!

SPANNER

[SPANNERmkV]

Yesterday San Antonio Props came in and we had a prop hanging party!
Unfortunately someone moved/lost one of the brass governor valve gaskets or we would have #2 engine's dome on. That will most likely get taken care of next week.


The props are feathered to allow the pre-oiler to get juice out to the domes.
Slowly but surely!

[SPANNERmkV]

Last Sunday, in between rain showers TEXAS RAIDERS moved for the first time in seven years under her own power.
We did a slow speed taxi test and engine run-up to cycle the prop governors.
While there is a whole list of sqwuaks, from instruments that quit working after being freshly over-hauled, to one governor that didn't drop the required RPM it was a success in that that was the kind of things we were looking for.

The brakes worked... All four engines were turning at the same time. It made all the prerequisite smells and noises.
All in all a GREAT DAY!