Dik Shepherd & B-17F 42-3374

[OldBillB17F]

Great photos! Thanks for sharing on the recent update.

Do you have anymore pictures of the bird in this state? Any interior pics? It's hard to imagine that this B-17 was still carrying around turrets and wartime colors by the 1970s. It looks like it even has the pilot's armor plating in the cockpit. Amazing.

[DIK SHEPHERD]

I sent Scott a shot looking through the missing co-pilot's window, there were no seats or anything else.

Also, as I told Scott, I was there with another guy and we were told NOT to climb around in the aircraft, so I didn't get any interior shots.

The bottom of the nose section was missing and was fabricated at The Air Museum, when the aircraft was hauled back to Ontario.

[hang the expense]

Dik, let me say thanks for posting the 17 pics.Beautiful.

[ww2John]

Thank-you Dik for the B17F pix you sent to Scott.

I believe that Scott has some shots of this B17F as currently displayed (gate guard - outside & unprotected) that I shot last July and sent to him, that he could post here (for "before & after").

OK Scott? If you need more pix, I can send them to you, just have never figured out that "posting" thing...

[aerovin2]

Well, I thought of using a current photo in the update but it was getting pretty long. I had the pleasure of seeing this B-17F at Chino and later at Beale when it was displayed there. The complete story of the airplane is pretty well covered in Final Cut (http://www.aerovintage.com/final.htm).


Here is the photo John is referring to of the airplane as it is currently displayed at Offutt (outdoors as noted).

[hang the expense]

Ha! it looks as if it needs the pitot mast. Anybody got a close up of that area of the bird.I have just finished the tooling for the internal mounts. Dry Martini has the tubes and Im sure the heads are available as well. Damn shame its a static.

[OldBillB17F]

Here's a close-up. Looks like it is in need of pitot tubes.

http://flickr.com/photos/jimwlamb/512971082/

I'm curious to know where that stock upper-turret went from your 1969 pics Dik. It's evident in this recent photo that it no longer carries a real turret.

[hang the expense]

Thanks OLDBILL, looks like the area where they mount was not put back in when it was repaired.The sheetmetal could stand to be nicer but they were probably tickled it came out that good.I know picky,picky,picky. Thanks again,HANG

[DIK SHEPHERD]

Okay, after a lot of trial and error, and not trying to error a lot.

Here are all of the photos of the MGM Lot 3 B-17.







The circled item is the early B-17 nose piece that is supposedly now on the "SWOOSE".



These last two pictures aren't of the MGM lot, but I thought they were interesting enough. They both show the right waist gunner's position. The first of (I believe) an "E" model and the second (obviously) a "G" model. Notice all the differences, particularly the armor plate, and all of the bright shiny metal in both shots.