Rebuild of B-17F 42-3455 "Lucky 13"

[OldBillB17F]

Great stuff! Can you explain what an "outer compression strut" assembly is, and where does it go? Also, is the last piece you post part of the underside nose structure? Thanks.

[ericatpw]

Hey Ray,

It's Eric Miller with Project Warbird Salvage/Museum up in Asheville. I just found this forum with your project from someone posting it on WIX. AWESOME work!!!!!! Did the parts you bought from me work out? I have a few boxes of parts in my shop that I don't know what they go to. You can dig through them if you want. I also would love to come down and see Lucky 13.

Eric Miller
Project Warbird
Salvage/Museum
http://www.projectwarbird.com
1-888-504-5777

[DryMartini]

Great stuff! Can you explain what an "outer compression strut" assembly is, and where does it go? Also, is the last piece you post part of the underside nose structure? Thanks.

Tim,

That's the truss structure on the sides of the bomb bay.
The bottom strut is where the bomb bay doors attach.

Oh, and I have DVDs for you.
Contact me via email.

-Bill

[OldBillB17F]

Thanks Bill. Email sent.

[SPANNERmkV]

Ray,
It never ceases to amaze me what all you have accomplished and where all these parts are going to.
Keep HANG THE EXPENSE busy and try and keep him from cussin' too much.

Uncle Marvin sure would be proud!

Don

[hang the expense]

Spanner, Your tagline is one of the reasons I cuss so much.Its dang perfect.

[Lucky 13]

I have finished drilling the pilot holes in the bottom outer compression strut tubes,they are for the bomb bay door hinges.All 567 of them.I will be working on the bomb bay door hinge brackets next.Also picked up a set of rudder peddles for lucky

[384thBG]

Well done, keep pecking away! Always amazes me the volume of work you do.

[OldBillB17F]

Mad skills.

[Lucky 13]

I have all of the bomb bay door hinge brackets cut for all six planes I have all so started milling them to the right size

[DryMartini]

And mill them with precision!

(Digital calipers reads ".881" - Part dimension is .88 +/- 1/64

[TAdan]

Impressive update!

[hang the expense]

Come on Ray, don't make a career on those brackets.

[DryMartini]

Ray has texted me a bunch of photos, and asked me to post them here.
Enjoy!

Bomb Bay Door brackets by the dozens....


Gusset plates for the compression trusses, and the catwalks


Sorting through all that material


Compression struts in the making


Another angle


More to come!

[DryMartini]

Here are some images from Ray's shop move.
If it is anything like his last place, you can eat off
both the floors AND the walls.

Machinery - Milling the end off a longeron


Compression struts in the jig


Moving some of his prized wreckage


Nose keel in the jig


Another view of the nose keel