User Panel
Posted: 4/17/2023 9:10:09 PM EDT
B-17 airworthiness directive possibly imminent. "On 15 April 2023 the Yankee Air Museum, owner of Boeing B-17G 44-85829, (N3193G) to most people known as ‘Yankee Lady’, announced that it has grounded the plane with immediate effect. According to their Facebook page recent inspections of other B-17s have revealed wing spar issues. As a result a mandatory Airworthiness Directive (AD) is expected to be issued by the FAA in the next few weeks regarding the matter. This AD could be the result of what has been found on the Experimental Aircraft Association owned B-17G, 44-85740 (N5017N/‘Aluminum Overcast’), wing attach structure that caused it to be grounded in April 2021. The directive of the FAA is forthcoming and operators have been notified to fly their B-17's to whatever location they wish before the AD becomes effective and the aircraft can't fly. The measure will most likely not only affect the last airworthy US based B-17s ‘Ye Olde Pub’ (N3701G) and Sentimental Journey(N9323Z), but also the British ‘Sally B’ (G-BEDF)." |
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So glad I got a ride on Aluminum Overcast when I had the chance.
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Sentimental Journey has had its wing spars replaced before. Full on machine shop that keeps that bird flying.
There is a shop somewhere in California that made brand new spars for a Helldiver. |
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So sad but we all knew sooner or later, their time would come.
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They were never intended to last very long when they were built.
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I've only gotten to do a walk through tour on one but it was awesome.
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Just listened to No Bullets Fly by Sabaton and then I see this thread.
It is sad to see them grounded. |
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Everything made for the war effort was disposable. That we have been able to see -17s, -24s, and -29s fly in our lifetime is wonderful.
But none of them were made to last forever. |
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Yeah, it's kind of sad to see the planes that freed a lot of people grounded. But it's better to see them in a museum than see them scattered across the country side when a wing folds up.
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I went to college in Kalamazoo when the air museum was still flying their collection, and warbirds flew in almost every day. I was very fortunate to see B-17‘s in the air quite a bit. I remember seeing one far off on the horizon, I could only see the silhouette, but that gigantic tail made it instantly recognizable. if you haven’t seen one in person, you don’t appreciate just how disproportionately large the tail fin looks.
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Quoted: Sentimental Journey has had its wing spars replaced before. Full on machine shop that keeps that bird flying. There is a shop somewhere in California that made brand new spars for a Helldiver. View Quote I'm sure, depending on the requirements of the AD it will be possible to keep them flying, but it will probably be very cost prohibitive. |
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Olivia Newton-John - Please Mr.Please |
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Quoted: You can engineer yourself out of [almost] every situation with enough money. They'll fly again. View Quote View All Quotes View All Quotes Quoted: Quoted: I suppose it will just be a question of money. You can engineer yourself out of [almost] every situation with enough money. They'll fly again. Send me the drawing numbers (hell, the drawings are probably still in some repository somewhere) and a charge line. We'll get you some spars. They might be composite... But they'll work. |
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Quoted: It's all just different now https://www.historynet.com/wp-content/uploads/2022/11/Dallas-Air-Crash-scaled-1200x900.jpg View Quote |
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Ground 'em and preserve them. We're not building any more B-17s.
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Tag for interest. My grandfather flew 27 combat missions as tail-gunner on B-17s. I miss him dearly. |
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I’m thankful they kept them flying long enough for my grandfather to see them fly right up till the year he died at 98yrs old in 2019. The smile it brought to his face was priceless. Dear lord he loved those planes right to the very end. He was a top turret gunner/flight engineer that did his 25 missions in the B17 in 1943-44 and then taught aerial gunnery in England for another year after that. I”m also thankful that I got to see them fly with him. Some great memories for me.
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All of them grounded?
Attached File If so, that partially restored one for sale for $9M is going for less I'd bet. Quoted: It's all just different now https://www.historynet.com/wp-content/uploads/2022/11/Dallas-Air-Crash-scaled-1200x900.jpg View Quote That one is grounded for sure. You can see the spar twisted from the impact. |
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Quoted: All of them grounded? https://www.ar15.com/media/mediaFiles/61952/Screenshot_2023-04-17_9_15_45_PM_png-2786880.JPG If so, that partially restored one for sale for $9M is going for less I'd bet. That one is grounded for sure. You can see the spar twisted from the impact. View Quote |
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At this point, I’d imagine most of the WWII warbirds will be grounded before too long.
It has now been 80 years since most of them were built. It is amazing they are still around. |
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I flew on Sentimental Journey the last time it was out here. I think its coming back out soon. Will have to take another ride on it and the B-25.
B-17G Sentimental Journey visiting Chino Airport Planes of Fame Air Museum from 5-13-3022. |
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Quoted: There are plenty in museums. I say keep the airworthy ones flying as long as it can be done in reasonable safety. View Quote View All Quotes View All Quotes Quoted: Quoted: Ground 'em and preserve them. We're not building any more B-17s. There are plenty in museums. I say keep the airworthy ones flying as long as it can be done in reasonable safety. |
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My dad and I flew on one a decade ago. It was the liberty belle. It ended up crashing.
Glad we went as I guess it won't be possible anymore. |
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Quoted: All of them grounded? https://www.ar15.com/media/mediaFiles/61952/Screenshot_2023-04-17_9_15_45_PM_png-2786880.JPG If so, that partially restored one for sale for $9M is going for less I'd bet. That one is grounded for sure. You can see the spar twisted from the impact. View Quote Naw. Grab the nameplate and build an airplane around that. |
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Looks like Sentimental Journey is out here starting on 4-27-2023.
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I'm sure glad we finally got our ride in the Yankee Lady a few years back...
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Quoted: B-17 airworthiness directive possibly imminent. "On 15 April 2023 the Yankee Air Museum, owner of Boeing B-17G 44-85829, (N3193G) to most people known as ‘Yankee Lady’, announced that it has grounded the plane with immediate effect. According to their Facebook page recent inspections of other B-17s have revealed wing spar issues. As a result a mandatory Airworthiness Directive (AD) is expected to be issued by the FAA in the next few weeks regarding the matter. This AD could be the result of what has been found on the Experimental Aircraft Association owned B-17G, 44-85740 (N5017N/‘Aluminum Overcast’), wing attach structure that caused it to be grounded in April 2021. The directive of the FAA is forthcoming and operators have been notified to fly their B-17's to whatever location they wish before the AD becomes effective and the aircraft can't fly. The measure will most likely not only affect the last airworthy US based B-17s ‘Ye Olde Pub’ (N3701G) and Sentimental Journey(N9323Z), but also the British ‘Sally B’ (G-BEDF)." View Quote Cool to see Ye Old Pub is still flying for now. Interesting history behind that plane, and the crew. eta: I guess it's not the original aircraft, but still. |
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Rode Ye Olde Pub when it was Madras Maiden. One of the best things I’ve ever spend money on. It’ll be a damn shame if they ground them all and nobody can experience that.
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Quoted: It's all just different now https://www.historynet.com/wp-content/uploads/2022/11/Dallas-Air-Crash-scaled-1200x900.jpg View Quote Swing and a miss |
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Quoted: It’s not THE Ye Olde Pub, just a mock-up. Was Madras Maiden before with a chin turret, and I think some other name before that. View Quote View All Quotes View All Quotes Quoted: Quoted: Cool to see Ye Old Pub is still flying for now. Interesting history behind that plane, and the crew. It’s not THE Ye Olde Pub, just a mock-up. Was Madras Maiden before with a chin turret, and I think some other name before that. I just read that too. Makes way more sense. I imagine the original was scrapped not long after it got tore up by AA. |
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Well, shoot. Sentimental Journey is coming out here end of August, I'm hoping to take my son on a ride.
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Quoted: That plane came apart because it got hit by another plane. It didn't just break up on it's own. View Quote View All Quotes View All Quotes Quoted: Quoted: It's all just different now https://www.historynet.com/wp-content/uploads/2022/11/Dallas-Air-Crash-scaled-1200x900.jpg This^ |
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Quoted: I flew on Sentimental Journey the last time it was out here. I think its coming back out soon. Will have to take another ride on it and the B-25. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=u69YfO3aRLc View Quote I've twisted a few fasteners on her. I have some pretty cool video of her. I have to upload it one of these days. |
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Quoted: B-17 airworthiness directive possibly imminent. "On 15 April 2023 the Yankee Air Museum, owner of Boeing B-17G 44-85829, (N3193G) to most people known as ‘Yankee Lady’, announced that it has grounded the plane with immediate effect. According to their Facebook page recent inspections of other B-17s have revealed wing spar issues. As a result a mandatory Airworthiness Directive (AD) is expected to be issued by the FAA in the next few weeks regarding the matter. This AD could be the result of what has been found on the Experimental Aircraft Association owned B-17G, 44-85740 (N5017N/‘Aluminum Overcast’), wing attach structure that caused it to be grounded in April 2021. The directive of the FAA is forthcoming and operators have been notified to fly their B-17's to whatever location they wish before the AD becomes effective and the aircraft can't fly. The measure will most likely not only affect the last airworthy US based B-17s ‘Ye Olde Pub’ (N3701G) and Sentimental Journey(N9323Z), but also the British ‘Sally B’ (G-BEDF)." View Quote <----- Don't forget Fuddy Duddy. Not sure if the current owner is flying her anymore or not. |
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If the EAA can keep their Ford Tri-Motor flying, the Forts will be in the air a bit longer.
Attached File Attached File Attached File |
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I flew on the Nine-O-Nine with my grandfather who himself had took 24 trips to Germany and France on one previously.
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