Enjoy Aluminum Overcast! She's a sweet plane; worked on her in the
early 80's while spending 14 years restoring the EAA's B-25 here in
Burlington. Hey, we only worked Wednesday nights and Saturdays. The
Mitchell originally was given to Barbara Hutton's Latin boyfriend and
eventually ended up as the "Berlin Express" in "Catch 22" on one side
and a combat plane on the other; 2 planes for the price of one! One day
we were outside stripping off the seven coats of paint (350 gallons of
Methylene Chloride...more than Frank would use in a lifetime) and we
heard this 4 engine rumble. I looked out the right waist port and saw
this enormous tail. I was out of the plane in a flash and in time to
see a B-17 on final at our small 2500' FBO field. It was Kermit Weeks
and I think Jimmy Leeward bringing her in for a check up. Turned out we
needed to change a jug. I was truly jonesin'!! Yes I actually entered
the plane from the from hatch by flipping myself in. Always wondered if
I could do that. Later we went to Milwaukee to run a gear retraction
test as a tire blew on landing; 626 cranks by hand to raise the gear and
we did it twice!
Never got a ride in either plane except the 25 on taxiing. I had tears
in my eyes as I had done some checking and my Dad had helped build the
plane when he worked at North American....way cool. Moral....whatever
it costs, take a ride and take a young person with you and pass on the
history.
Sorry for the nostalgic rambling.
Dave
59 :{)
59 MGA 1500
05 MCS
Burlington WI
Bill Gilroy wrote:
> Along the same lines you can get a ring on Aluminum Overcast, a B-17 that
> makes the round ever year. See http://www.b17.org/ for more information. I
> took a ride almost 10 years ago back in NJ. We went south to the shore and
> then alone the coast. At the time I think it cost $350 and was worth every
> cent. I was amazed by how the the B-17 is. The bomb bay is tiny. No
> wonder they had to make some many trips. Also those planes tend to attract
> some of the bomber crews that are still alive. Makes for an interesting day.
>
> -g
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