Urbana, B-17 project..

[Brett_Henderson]

Not as much progress as I would have thought.. but when you look around; you realize what a monumental project this is... they've been at for three years..  :o

[Ravang]

Are they restoring it or building it from scratch?

I've been helping build a Titan P-51 kit and I can tell you when you think your 95% done, you've still got 95% to go...

This is the most recent picture I've got, right now she is untied from the hanger and sitting on her wheels. 8-)

[Brett_Henderson]

Pretty much from scratch, yeah. You can see that it's getting all new skin. As for the aluminum framework (and this is just a gues), they've had to rebuild most of it...  The guy I talked to on this visit said that they're sending frame part to Seattle for heat-treating.

From what I can guess.. they put all the existing framework into place, and then have been removing/repairing/replacing it, a little at a time.. and then the skin get s riveted on. On one of my first visits.. I was told that it might have been easier/faster to LITERALLY start from scratch.. as in build a B-17 from plans alone.. no old parts.

The whole thing is overwhelming.. I'm just glad there are people with the desire and means to keep doing stuff like this !

[flyboy 28]

Thanks for the update, Brett. She's coming along!

[Mushroom_Farmer]

They could definitely use a few Rosie the Riveters.

[The Ruptured Duck]

3 years is not alot of time for restoring a B-17.  Here in Wichita they have spent 10 years finishing the B-29, and its still not done, and it still doesn't have a hangar.

[Brett_Henderson]

[quote]3 years is not alot of time for restoring a B-17.