Restoration of B-17E 41-2595 "Desert Rat"

[PineCastleAAF]

Bill,

What's the plan for the Rat this spring/summer? Any new pictures or news to share? How is the fuselage coming along?

Thanks!

Clint

[DryMartini]

Funny you should ask, Clint.

A horizontal stabilizer spar


Oil Cooler Intake - Need to make new intakes as this one has numerous cracks, welds, and repairs


B-17E Nose glass frame piece, needing replacement


Check out the B-17C page for some other pictures.

Working toward Thunder Over Michigan!
Come see our booth - Support the effort - Buy a T-Shirt!

[hang the expense]

I see the typical attire for marengo 10 months out of the year.Move south you hard headed yankees.Being a southerner,I cant believe I just wrote that.

[gary1954]

I see the typical attire for marengo 10 months out of the year.Move south you hard headed yankees.Being a southerner,I cant believe I just wrote that.

I can believe you Said that Tom

[Second Air Force]

Bill,

When y'all get ready to start making those intake fairings let us know. We've got some on Chuckie that are a little rougher than I'd like.

Scott

[hang the expense]

Scott,you are not alone.Most 17 intake ducts are for crap.Just old as the hills.Those pieces are going to be tough to reproduce.Not impossible but tough.

[Second Air Force]

Yep, most of the leading edge ducts I've seen are pretty dinged up. We actually have a couple of nice-ish spares but they appear to have been drilled to fit each individual aircraft. I've given thought to bumping out new ones on the shot bags........

Scott

[hang the expense]

That piece will require a couple of dies and remember,you dont want to wear out your wrist from the shocks of the hammering. .I am experiencing the result of many hard years doing sheetmetal and its starting to tell on me.But what the hell give it a try.

[DryMartini]

Yeah, those ducts are interesting.
3003 Aluminum
3 pieces, welded together
Of course, each of the 4 duct assemblies are different.

Scott, The Rat needs all of them herself. That one in the
picture is the best looking one. 2 are missing, and the 4th
looks like an accordian. We should talk.

[jsrhem]

I found an older posting that referenced B-17D #40-3061 and wondered if I could get an update on that conversation. My father flew in that plane in the Philippines as radio operator, "Rosie" O'Donnell as pilot most of the time...I was curious what photograph you were referring to - I have found only one that shows the serial number and tail number

Would love to hear....

JSR

[ruday]

any new update for desert rat?

[DryMartini]

Yes, as a matter of fact, I think an update is long overdue.

I'll look to get some recent pictures up on this site in the next few
days. We're making progress. Slowly, but progress none-the-less.

We've had more volunteers come out, learn, and then continue to
show up! That makes things much easier, as we're not constantly
teaching and overseeing. We owe much to those who come to help.

[aerovin2]

Well, I'll point out that a Rat updated was posted a few weeks ago right here: http://www.aerovintage.com/rat-1.htm...

[DryMartini]

Well, I'll point out that a Rat updated was posted a few weeks ago right here: http://www.aerovintage.com/rat-1.htm...

Absolutely, Scott! But you know what they say, that was a few weeks ago.

I have more picts. That stabilizer we took to TOM is (almost) all riveted up,
and it does look nice (if I do say so myself).

We have two ammo boxes assembled now, and are working on even more.

And, some fuselage work has been restarted.

[aerovin2]

Cool!