Next B-17 Restoration Rebuild to Fly?

[menards2]

of the B-17 rebuild/reconstruction/restorations that are taking place...which has the best chances to be the next to fly?

Champagne Lady?
Desert Rat?
Liberty Belle?
Labrador?

[terveurn]

you might look into the Erickson collection's B-17 44-8543 which is being converter to a B-17F (this sucks)

Then you also have the B-17 that ran into a hanger 12-18 months ago that is also under restoration.

Then you have Collings Foundation Nine-O-Nine, which is scheduled for long term maintenance / restoration starting the end of this year and scheduled for 3-5 years.

[jmkendall]

Just my opinion, I don't know any of these people, but it wouldn't surprise me that Mr. Allens recent passing could have acted like a wake up call, that maybe you don't have all the time in the world.

Crystal Ball, pie in the sky time.

Two of Brooks B-17s by the end of this year, or beginning of next. The third within 2 years of the last of the other two taking to the air.

Desert Rat; 3 years. They are doing good work, but much of it is volunteer work. A paid crew would get it done much faster but is beyond their means.

Lacy Lady; about the same timeframe. I think they are going at a much faster time frame than we are used to.

Champaign Lady.... 2 years. I think the Fusilauge is mostly complete, structurally. The wings are what is holding it up now. ( this one I could be way off on)

Chino: Real long term. I know they have a dedicated crew, but it is small and the money is very slow to trickle in. Probably the day after the MAAM P-61 is done,.....late 22nd century.

Lucky 13: Once the paid work is done with Mr Brooks, then I think he will go crazy on his airframe. Especially with all the practical experiance and parts made. So....7 years from today. '

There are rumours of an Austrialian B-17 being built by a really enthusiastic and somewhat well financed group. There are also rumours, for what its worth, that the Black Cat Pass B-17 is being recovered for a museum. Probably nothing to do with each other, but hey. We could see an airframe from this group within 7 years, being really optimistic.

The Paul Allen B-17E, I understand that Mr Allen was not that enthused with his B-17 as it was not as rare as some of his other aircraft. I understand...but really....it's a B-17E! Triple Six....or a Pacific Tramp! With his passing that might move things around in the que. I understand that there are some slight indications that work might have begun again on it. So, being really, really optimistic...7 years.

I have intentionally left out the B-17s that have previously flow and are more or less in heavy maintenance.

I think the only way would could have a real surprise is if someone with really deep pockets got the South American Bird, that is in deep reserve for a museum, and brought it back up here. It is substancially complete.

Again, I know NOTHING.....lmao...and I'm sure I'll be taken to task for some of this. But' it's all in fun...right?

[menards2]

Just my opinion, I don't know any of these people, but it wouldn't surprise me that Mr. Allens recent passing could have acted like a wake up call, that maybe you don't have all the time in the world.

Crystal Ball, pie in the sky time.

Two of Brooks B-17s by the end of this year, or beginning of next. The third within 2 years of the last of the other two taking to the air.

Desert Rat; 3 years. They are doing good work, but much of it is volunteer work. A paid crew would get it done much faster but is beyond their means.

Lacy Lady; about the same timeframe. I think they are going at a much faster time frame than we are used to.

Champaign Lady.... 2 years. I think the Fusilauge is mostly complete, structurally. The wings are what is holding it up now. ( this one I could be way off on)

Chino: Real long term. I know they have a dedicated crew, but it is small and the money is very slow to trickle in. Probably the day after the MAAM P-61 is done,.....late 22nd century.

Lucky 13: Once the paid work is done with Mr Brooks, then I think he will go crazy on his airframe. Especially with all the practical experiance and parts made. So....7 years from today. '

There are rumours of an Austrialian B-17 being built by a really enthusiastic and somewhat well financed group. There are also rumours, for what its worth, that the Black Cat Pass B-17 is being recovered for a museum. Probably nothing to do with each other, but hey. We could see an airframe from this group within 7 years, being really optimistic.

The Paul Allen B-17E, I understand that Mr Allen was not that enthused with his B-17 as it was not as rare as some of his other aircraft. I understand...but really....it's a B-17E! Triple Six....or a Pacific Tramp! With his passing that might move things around in the que. I understand that there are some slight indications that work might have begun again on it. So, being really, really optimistic...7 years.

I have intentionally left out the B-17s that have previously flow and are more or less in heavy maintenance.

I think the only way would could have a real surprise is if someone with really deep pockets got the South American Bird, that is in deep reserve for a museum, and brought it back up here. It is substancially complete.

Again, I know NOTHING.....lmao...and I'm sure I'll be taken to task for some of this. But' it's all in fun...right?

Which South American bird are you reffering too?

And this is all for fun. Id like to see a group offer up the necessary restoration to get Pink Lady operational again. If though it has "recently flown" to my knowledge its in need of a full restoration...

[Chris Brame]

Which South American bird are you referring to?

Probably 44-83718/FAB 5408 stored in Rio de Janeiro.

Would Kermit Weeks' other B-17, the composite Fantasy of Flight display which is mainly 44-83542, be another viable candidate since that part of the museum has closed?

Another thought: Are any other organizations that would be financially able to field a flyable B-17 if they could find an airframe?

Finally, has the U.S. Naval Aviation Museum at Pensacola ever expressed a desire to get or build a PB-1?

[terveurn]

Which South American bird are you referring to?

Probably 44-83718/FAB 5408 stored in Rio de Janeiro.

Would Kermit Weeks' other B-17, the composite Fantasy of Flight display which is mainly 44-83542, be another viable candidate since that part of the museum has closed?

Another thought: Are any other organizations that would be financially able to field a flyable B-17 if they could find an airframe?

Finally, has the U.S. Naval Aviation Museum at Pensacola ever expressed a desire to get or build a PB-1?

There are a bunch of South American B-17's if you know where to look and have deep pockets

Brazil has the stored B-17H, as well as the B-17H on outside display.

Then you have a whole bunch of " wrecks " that were crashed during the South American meat market. South America was one of the largest private users of B-17's and a whole bunch crashed and never found -- so if your spanish is any good (or portugese) and you want a challenge you just might find a few wrecks.

As far as a PB-1W -- the USN disavows any knowledge of using B-17's (and just try talking the CAF out of giving-up Texas Raiders).... You might have a better shot asking the USAFM to obtain Collings Foundation B-17H as she was a true B-17H with 5 confirmed Air-Sea Rescues as well as being a nuke target. But then again, the AFM needs at least another 10-15 years just to do something with Ol' Betsy.

There are other B-17's potential - Russia (maybe), Switzerland (Lake Geneva) (Maybe), Iceland (Maybe), Newfoundland (maybe), China (ex-CIA, ex Taiwan) (Maybe) plus the numerous TB-17's wrecks that can give-up a dataplate or two.

How about closer to home -- how about the three possible Oklahoma City B-17's buried that I posted numerous times in the clay pits (these are the ex-flying-in combat vets).

Now to just win the lottery (500 million will go a long way)

[cfin2001]

Which South American bird are you referring to?

How about closer to home -- how about the three possible Oklahoma City B-17's buried that I posted numerous times in the clay pits (these are the ex-flying-in combat vets).

I've seen a lot of mentions of these and I could've sworn I saw some images of a general area that it's been narrowed down to.. Is there any further information to be gathered on these planes? I would love to prove their existence.

[terveurn]

[/quote]

I've seen a lot of mentions of these and I could've sworn I saw some images of a general area that it's been narrowed down to.. Is there any further information to be gathered on these planes? I would love to prove their existence.
[/quote]

I photos I seen was of a very deep clay pit and a general location of 10 ST & Villa, oklahoma city.

How much of the rumors are / were true, don't know; I should point out this was in the early 1980's and this gentleman was also telling me of aircraft (P-39's, Hurricanes and Bf109's ect) in Russia which turned out to be true. Same person was telling me that the Russian continued using B-24 until the early 1970's (as a converison trainer to some of the Russian designed based on the TU-4) along with stored B-17 (and other WWII aircraft) - the Russians tended (like the chinese) not to throw-out any thing if it might have a use in the future.

On Google earth, 10 ST & Villa, oklahoma city is still a Brick yard, still manufacturing clay products and has been in business since 1881; Oklahoma city was a big produce of bricks with deep clay diggings.

But the answer still is if you are looking for warbirds, and have deep, deep pockets then there are plenty of projects

Acme Brick.JPG

[cfin2001]

I photos I seen was of a very deep clay pit and a general location of 10 ST & Villa, oklahoma city.

How much of the rumors are / were true, don't know; I should point out this was in the early 1980's and this gentleman was also telling me of aircraft (P-39's, Hurricanes and Bf109's ect) in Russia which turned out to be true

On Google earth, 10 ST & Villa, oklahoma city is still a Brick yard, still manufacturing clay products and has been in business since 1881; Oklahoma city was a big produce of bricks with deep clay diggings.

But the answer still is if you are looking for warbirds, and have deep, deep pockets then there are plenty of projects

Acme Brick.JPG

Any further details? How deep they were buried? Who owns the property now, or did then?

[menards2]

I've seen a lot of mentions of these and I could've sworn I saw some images of a general area that it's been narrowed down to.. Is there any further information to be gathered on these planes? I would love to prove their existence.
[/quote]

I photos I seen was of a very deep clay pit and a general location of 10 ST & Villa, oklahoma city.

How much of the rumors are / were true, don't know; I should point out this was in the early 1980's and this gentleman was also telling me of aircraft (P-39's, Hurricanes and Bf109's ect) in Russia which turned out to be true. Same person was telling me that the Russian continued using B-24 until the early 1970's (as a converison trainer to some of the Russian designed based on the TU-4) along with stored B-17 (and other WWII aircraft) - the Russians tended (like the chinese) not to throw-out any thing if it might have a use in the future.

On Google earth, 10 ST & Villa, oklahoma city is still a Brick yard, still manufacturing clay products and has been in business since 1881; Oklahoma city was a big produce of bricks with deep clay diggings.

But the answer still is if you are looking for warbirds, and have deep, deep pockets then there are plenty of projects

Acme Brick.JPG
[/quote]

This is interesting. I searched the sight for mentions of "Oklahoma City B-17s" and Ive seen it mentioned but no pics. Any pics that can be shared? I looked at historic aerials of the area in question...it apears to be a pit and then the pit was filled in the late 70/80s. Never a pic of planes on the property though.