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B-17's that are still outside...
Posted: Mon Oct 24, 2016 7:01 am
by menards2
Going through the list of surviving air frames, paying particular attention to the ones that are on display outdoors, there seems to be a mismatch of air frames outside and museums with indoor floor space they would wish to fill. Is the next round of warbird restorations going to be smaller museums petitioning the USAF to move these planes inside for sake of preservation?
Re: B-17's that are still outside...
Posted: Mon Oct 24, 2016 5:20 pm
by terveurn
never going to happen.
For the past 40 years, numerous groups have attempted to get the Tulare B-17 and the AFM steadfast's refuses to move this aircraft.
There are a couple of B-17s sitting on static outdoors that are full of corrosion but the AFM refuses to get them undercover.
The only way any of these aircraft will get moved is if the base closes.
Lackland still has several rare aircraft sitting outdoors and the AFM will not place them undercover.
It took McQuire AFB almost 30 years to relocate there P-38 to undercover.
My impression is the AFM really does not care -- the AFM has right now, the largest collection of B-17's (as well as other historic aircraft) sitting outdoors and moving this collection indoors is a major money drain.
Re: B-17's that are still outside...
Posted: Tue Oct 25, 2016 6:09 am
by menards2
terveurn wrote:never going to happen.
For the past 40 years, numerous groups have attempted to get the Tulare B-17 and the AFM steadfast's refuses to move this aircraft.
There are a couple of B-17s sitting on static outdoors that are full of corrosion but the AFM refuses to get them undercover.
The only way any of these aircraft will get moved is if the base closes.
Lackland still has several rare aircraft sitting outdoors and the AFM will not place them undercover.
It took McQuire AFB almost 30 years to relocate there P-38 to undercover.
My impression is the AFM really does not care -- the AFM has right now, the largest collection of B-17's (as well as other historic aircraft) sitting outdoors and moving this collection indoors is a major money drain.
IIRC, the Amvets in Tulare have had a similar arrangement that the Memphis group had with the Belle. The AFM all of a sudden wanted the Belle back, and they took it. The Tulare B-17 is in pretty bad shape. The Castle one wasn't much better when I saw it. Its just sad there are a ton of museums with indoor space and these few are wasting away out in the elements not being properly looked after.