Bomber_12th
November 30th, 2012, 09:05
The latest B-17/B-25 update on the Aero Vintage web site has been posted. As a big fan of both aircraft types, it's always fun to read the latest "goings on" in the world of B-25 and B-17 restorations and operations.
December updates:
B-17: http://www.aerovintage.com/b17news.htm
B-25: http://www.aerovintage.com/b25news.htm
Some notables -
The B-25 "Super Rabbit" being sold to Brent Hisey (The Oklahoma Museum of Flying), which means that this aircraft should have a great, flying, future ahead of it. Besides owning and flying the P-51D "Miss America", Brent Hisey also has a P-51C under restoration to fly in the next 1-2 years, as well as a few other vintage warbirds. There is also mention of an up-coming update on the restoration work being done on the gunship B-25 "Sunday Punch" at Aero Trader, which I am really looking forward to. This aircraft was sold to Ron Fagen earlier this year, and will be based at the Fagen WWII Museum in Granite Falls, MN, when work is completed, joining the collection's P-38L, 2 P-51D's, P-40's, Helldiver, and other WWII aircraft. I'm hoping that some of the work being done is to increase the amount of authentic hardware installed in the aircraft, along with hopefully adding a functioning upper and tail turret (personally I would like to see a new paint scheme applied to it as well, but that's just me).
On the B-17 page it is great to see such progress being made on the "Labrador" B-17, otherwise known as Don Brooks' "second B-17". If I recall correctly, this aircraft is being restored completely separate from the "Liberty Belle", with the aim of keeping the remains of "Liberty Belle" confined to that aircraft alone, with the goal of getting that aircraft flying again in the future as well, and not just pooling the two airframes together.
It's really something to see so many B-17 projects underway, to airworthy, with their size and complexity, and having to rely on so much new production (litterally having to be reproduced from the factory drawings and template parts in large percentages) - in each case an incredible feat. For those that didn't know, besides working on restoring the B-17E "Desert Rat", some of the individuals involved with that restoration are also currently working on completing drawings (and even some early parts) to produce an airworthy B-17C.
December updates:
B-17: http://www.aerovintage.com/b17news.htm
B-25: http://www.aerovintage.com/b25news.htm
Some notables -
The B-25 "Super Rabbit" being sold to Brent Hisey (The Oklahoma Museum of Flying), which means that this aircraft should have a great, flying, future ahead of it. Besides owning and flying the P-51D "Miss America", Brent Hisey also has a P-51C under restoration to fly in the next 1-2 years, as well as a few other vintage warbirds. There is also mention of an up-coming update on the restoration work being done on the gunship B-25 "Sunday Punch" at Aero Trader, which I am really looking forward to. This aircraft was sold to Ron Fagen earlier this year, and will be based at the Fagen WWII Museum in Granite Falls, MN, when work is completed, joining the collection's P-38L, 2 P-51D's, P-40's, Helldiver, and other WWII aircraft. I'm hoping that some of the work being done is to increase the amount of authentic hardware installed in the aircraft, along with hopefully adding a functioning upper and tail turret (personally I would like to see a new paint scheme applied to it as well, but that's just me).
On the B-17 page it is great to see such progress being made on the "Labrador" B-17, otherwise known as Don Brooks' "second B-17". If I recall correctly, this aircraft is being restored completely separate from the "Liberty Belle", with the aim of keeping the remains of "Liberty Belle" confined to that aircraft alone, with the goal of getting that aircraft flying again in the future as well, and not just pooling the two airframes together.
It's really something to see so many B-17 projects underway, to airworthy, with their size and complexity, and having to rely on so much new production (litterally having to be reproduced from the factory drawings and template parts in large percentages) - in each case an incredible feat. For those that didn't know, besides working on restoring the B-17E "Desert Rat", some of the individuals involved with that restoration are also currently working on completing drawings (and even some early parts) to produce an airworthy B-17C.