Fuddy Duddy for sale...
Posted: Mon Oct 24, 2005 10:47 am
Another chapter in the life of flying B17 Fuddy Duddy may be written soon...it is now listed "For Sale" at Courtesy Aircraft: http://www.courtesyaircraft.com/
The EAA has been flying Fuddy Duddy on its tours since Aluminum Overcast had that unfortunate landing incident a while back. So, this aircraft really is a "flyer". Someone more knowledgeable than I am will have to comment on what additional non-cosmetic work remains to be done on Fuddy Duddy. My memory (from a few years back) is that you might have a "bit" of work to do to restore the interior to something more closely approximating "military" configuration.
I did not look closely enough when I saw Fuddy Duddy at Oshkosh this summer, but, my memory (and photo's from a few years back) indicate that the ball turret is not retractable, but fixed in place. Was this changed sometime in the past few years? The listing on Courtesy's web site clearly states "retractactable ball turret"...just asking.
I hope that this B17 is acquired by someone or some group that will keep it flying safely for many years to come. I think we have enough, good quality, static B17's on display in museums as it is right now and we don't need to ground another Flying Fortress.
Just my thoughts...
The EAA has been flying Fuddy Duddy on its tours since Aluminum Overcast had that unfortunate landing incident a while back. So, this aircraft really is a "flyer". Someone more knowledgeable than I am will have to comment on what additional non-cosmetic work remains to be done on Fuddy Duddy. My memory (from a few years back) is that you might have a "bit" of work to do to restore the interior to something more closely approximating "military" configuration.
I did not look closely enough when I saw Fuddy Duddy at Oshkosh this summer, but, my memory (and photo's from a few years back) indicate that the ball turret is not retractable, but fixed in place. Was this changed sometime in the past few years? The listing on Courtesy's web site clearly states "retractactable ball turret"...just asking.
I hope that this B17 is acquired by someone or some group that will keep it flying safely for many years to come. I think we have enough, good quality, static B17's on display in museums as it is right now and we don't need to ground another Flying Fortress.
Just my thoughts...