Scratch Build of B-17G 43-38083 "Happy Valley Express"

[FoCoB17G]

Thanks for the push through.

I'm currently working on generating a complete CAD model of a B-17G-80-BO, based off of 43-38083 "Happy Valley Express." I am also helping the Desert Rat team by providing CAD models for parts they come across requiring CNC machining from a CAD file. I'm happy to help others, too.

Hopefully if this thread gets started I can post updates on the forum as well as our social media.

-Eli Josephs

[FoCoB17G]

I'll officially start out this thread with an update about what my goals are, and what has been achieved.

The ultimate goal is to build a brand new B-17G in the 80-BO block, using 43-38083 as our template. Bill from the Desert Rat team helped me decide on this block, to match 1944 drawings which include offset waist gunner windows and the enclosed radio hatch. I am working on modelling bulkhead 3 and bulkhead 5 at the moment. The assembly as a whole is sparse, but growing every day. To date, we have modeled 409 unique parts, from STA. 1A through 2C, bulkhead 1, 2 3 and 5, as well as a large start on the throttle quadrant.

The 80-BO block contains 199 aircraft, from 43-38074 to 43-38273. I have gone through every serial number in the series and recorded the named aircraft, eventually deciding on 43-38083 "Happy Valley Express." One notable aircraft from the series is B-17G-80-BO 43-38192 "Half Pint" which was rebuilt to look like B-17F "Pink Lady." Our website has a "History" section which contains the first quarter of the list.

Hopefully posting pictures will work, I'm not sure if there is a minimum post requirement to do so.

HVEColor.jpg

HVEArt.jpg

rsz_11rsz_currentassy-6-19-17.png

[aerovin2]

Eli,

Welcome to our forum and thank you for participating. Yours is the third such project I am aware of that is starting from very little....the B-17C project that Bill Stanczak is shepherding, and the Ray Moore B-17F project that is also posted on our forum here. You have already worked with Bill and hopefully you and Ray have also been in contact. I look forward to your posts.

Scott Thompson
Aero Vintage Books

[FoCoB17G]

Scott,

Thank you very much! I haven't been in contact with Ray Moore, I will have to send him a message.

-Eli

[FoCoB17G]

Maybe this isn't the best place to ask, but I'm hoping that one of you may have a few BAC extrusion sheets. Bill has given me scans of several, but he's unavailable for the next week and a half.

I'm looking for the following:

BAC-1507
BAC-1520
BAC-1614
BAC-1490

BAC-1507 (TT extrusion) takes priority, as it is used as the circumferential stiffener in bulkhead 3. I'm having a hard time trying to work around not having it.

-Eli

[aerovin2]

Not a bad place to ask but you might want to review the postings in this forum for the B-17C project and the B-17F rebuild of "Lucky 13" (Ray Moore's project) as there is stuff about the various extrusions in both. Extrusions have been a problem and Bill is your man for solutions. Good luck.

[aerovin2]

Do a search of "extrusions" on the forum and you'll find some postings.

[FoCoB17G]

Thanks Scott. I did a search but didn't find what I needed. I may just have to wait until Bill gets back, which won't be too bad. Really just hoping to get a headstart.

I am also in need of a few parts/assembly drawings. I'm not sure if Bill will have them, as they seem to be B-17G exclusive. They are as follows:

9-9189

9-5639
9-5640
9-5671
9-5642

These are all related to bulkhead 3. They appear to be covers or mounts, below the copilot's floor on the right hand side. They appear to be on the forward side of the bulkhead, and above the navigator's floor. They may also have shock mounts, it's hard to tell from the assembly drawings.

I've been using AirCorpsLibrary as my resource for most of the drawings, but they are far from having a full collection.

[FoCoB17G]

Today I was able to complete the majority of the RH rear side of bulkhead 3. No web, but it's getting close enough for that to be modeled. Not having the circumferential stiffener means that the ends of extrusions can't be shaped to the proper size.

[Chris Brame]

Color photo at what I believe to be Cheyenne

More likely overseas? Weren't the codes and colors applied after the plane was delivered to the squadron?

[FoCoB17G]

Chris,

I just did a quick search. Photo is Bassingbourn, January of 1945. Updated the photo's caption.

[FoCoB17G]

The basic frame of bulkhead 3 is completely modeled, except for the forward section which reaches up into the 2 series circumferential stiffeners.

Ray from Lucky 13 brought a good point to my attention. I will be focusing on acquiring parts for the aircraft, and prioritize that above the 3-D models. However, I will still continue generating the complete 3D model of the aircraft, simply because the drawings can be hard to decipher or simply have errors. By modelling it in Solidworks, I can work out the kinks with no cost of materials or wasted time, and it helps to envision how construction of an assembly could be handled. As a bonus, all parts can be CNC machined. (If any of you need CNC parts, I will gladly send 3D models)

[FoCoB17G]

I'd like the aircraft's cockpit to be as close to original as possible. I'd like to employ an original altimeter, but I need to rebuild it...

I've been trying to figure out how to disassemble the instrument for many months, but I can't figure out how. After removing the two screws keeping the bezel on, I need to remove the knob which allows for adjustment. I can't figure out how to do so. The shaft appears to screw into a nut on the back of the knob, but there is no way to keep the shaft position locked in order to remove the knob.

Immediately next to the knob is a screw flush with the bezel. Removing this allows a small V shaped peg to slide out of a hole in the side of the instrument. The hole leads to the shaft, so I assumed that this was intended to lock the shaft. However, I can't determine how. The force to lock the shaft from moving would likely just break the shaft altogether.

Do any of you know how this operates?

[Chuck Giese]

Thanks Scott. I did a search but didn't find what I needed. I may just have to wait until Bill gets back, which won't be too bad. Really just hoping to get a headstart.

I am also in need of a few parts/assembly drawings. I'm not sure if Bill will have them, as they seem to be B-17G exclusive. They are as follows:

9-9189

9-5639
9-5640
9-5671
9-5642

These are all related to bulkhead 3. They appear to be covers or mounts, below the copilot's floor on the right hand side. They appear to be on the forward side of the bulkhead, and above the navigator's floor. They may also have shock mounts, it's hard to tell from the assembly drawings.

I've been using AirCorpsLibrary as my resource for most of the drawings, but they are far from having a full collection.

Of the drawings that you posted, only 9-5639, 9-5640 and 9-5642 are in the G collection of blueprints.

[FoCoB17G]

Thanks Scott. I did a search but didn't find what I needed. I may just have to wait until Bill gets back, which won't be too bad. Really just hoping to get a headstart.

I am also in need of a few parts/assembly drawings. I'm not sure if Bill will have them, as they seem to be B-17G exclusive. They are as follows:

9-9189

9-5639
9-5640
9-5671
9-5642

These are all related to bulkhead 3. They appear to be covers or mounts, below the copilot's floor on the right hand side. They appear to be on the forward side of the bulkhead, and above the navigator's floor. They may also have shock mounts, it's hard to tell from the assembly drawings.

I've been using AirCorpsLibrary as my resource for most of the drawings, but they are far from having a full collection.

Of the drawings that you posted, only 9-5639, 9-5640 and 9-5642 are in the G collection of blueprints.

All of the drawings came off of the G series assembly drawing for bulkhead 3. A few may simply be geometric references, I'm not sure.