2010 EAA B-17 "Aluminum Overcast" California Tour

DougRobertson

April 6-7, Murrieta/Temecula, French Valley Airport F70

April 9-11, Torrance, Zamperini Field TOA

April 13-14, Chino, Chino Airpott CNO

April 16-17, Van Nuys, Van Nuys Airport VNY

April 20-21, Oxnard, Oxnard Airport OXR (tough entry) Stay tuned

April 23-25, Santa Barbara, Santa Barbara Municipal SBA

April 27-28, Bakersfield, Meadows Field BFL

April 30-May 2, Hayward, Hayward Executive Airport HWD

May 4-5, Watsonville, Watsonville MUnicipal Airport WVI

May 7-9, Napa, Napa County Airport APC

May 11-12, Chico, Chico Municipal Airport CIC

May 14-16, Sacramento, McClelland Airfield MCC

INFO: pre-booking reserved seats, www.b17.org or call 1 (800) 359-6217

Pre-booked flights $359/EAA members, $399/non-members

Walk-ups $383/EAA members, $425/non-members

Bluedharma

I can't wait until it gets to Colorado this summer.

Doug, are you going up in it this year?

Best Regards,

Paul

DougRobertson

No Paul, but I was in a US Navy PB-1W Fortress version in the mid-1950s. This was modified from a B-17G. My remembrances are mainly how low to the ground the tail dragger was, and having to duck under the wing. The interior was cramped and it was not easy to move about. Paint was dark blue overall. No weapons or opening bomb bay. Instead, a large radome was below the fuselage. Incidentally, the ride was free then. Gave me a greater appreciation of the WWII aircrew who flew B-17s over Europe on long distance bombing missions.

Further incidental: 2010 is the 75th year since the Boeing B-17 first flew, and the exact date of the 75th Anniversary first flight will be celebrated at EAA Airventure 2010 this year between 26 July and 1 August. July 28 is the exact date of the 75th Anniversary. The EAA is expecting 4 B-17s of the remaining 15 or so that are airworthy to be at OSH, including their own "Aluminum Overcast", purchased as war surplus for $750. Total number of B-17s built: 12,726 among Boeing and Douglas/Lockheed (Vega).

DougRobertson

Edited, Added Watsonville, Napa, Chico and Sacramento. This completes the scheduled California visits.

BTW, different sources give different numbers of B-17s still flying-about 12 or less to 15 probable; and also numbers of B-17s built varies by source. Some were converted from new B-17Gs to other configurations with other nomenclature.

TimothyAanerud

I was part of a work party on 2/27 from EAA Chapter 237 (KANE) that volunteered our time performing tasks on Aluminum Overcast. There was 10 in our group. We cleaned the belly, engine nacelles and wheels of oil residue; removed some of last years bugs of the leading edges, reapplied wing walk paint on the top of the wings, touched upped chipped paint in the cockpit.

With a large group we always get plenty of time with the rag wrench. It's fun doing something on B-17, even if your just cleaning lug nuts.

Pilot training was scheduled for this week. They'll put on about 10 hours before departing on the tour. One member of our group topped off the oil tanks before we left. Each engine has a 37 gallon oil tank.

Two engines have been swapped out this year so getting the oil off will help with finding any oil leaks with the new engines. Engine #2 was one of the engines replaced. Behind it was the worst oil residue.

The elevators have been swapped out with newly recovered ones. Polystitts likes to have something to work on during the convention, so the shop put them to work recovering the replacement elevators. They'll probably get the old set to work on this year.

Timothy