New kid with a question

[ATSF5997]

Hey guys, I bought Call of Duty: United Offensive for the PC a few months back, and ever since playing the air fight level, I have been interested in WWII Aviation, specifically the B-17. I was wondering if there were any groups in the Dallas/ Fort Worth area of Texas working on the restoration of one of these beauties! I might be too young to help out, seeing as I'm 14, but I have slight experience, because as of right now I am working at the Museum of the American Railroad and we're working on the brakes of one diesel and after the State Fair we'll put a turbocharger in another diesel. I want to help preserve the history of WWII planes.

Also, I went to my first airshow today at Alliance Airport in Ft. Worth, and I got to see the inside of a B-17 for the very first time (well, in real life anyways).

Any help is appreciated!

Also, a quick pic, me with the tail gun of a B-17 today.

 

[Matt308]

Good pic! Wish I could help. Contact your local flight museum. Or contact Boeing public relations. They too likely have a club that does restoration. I know they do in Seattle.

Welcome to the forum.

 

[Thorlifter]

Cavanaugh Flight Museum in Addison had a B-17 many years ago. I don't know if it's still there.

Cavanaugh Flight Museum Home Page
972.380.8800

Good luck

 

[syscom3]

The CAF is in Texas.

 

[DerAdlerIstGelandet]

I think it is great that you want to help restore WW2 aviation history. First step is to get an A&P Liscense and a Degree in Aeronautical Engineering would definatly be a major plus.

Keep it up man!

 

[the lancaster kicks ass]

little extreme for a hobby don't you think, especially for a 14 year old adler but there should be plenty of B-17s in Texas you should be able to find one and these places are normally crying out for helpers, although until you really get to know your stuff they wont let you do anything major...........

 

[Soundbreaker Welch?]

Great to see you in the forum!

The B-17 tail looks smaller than I expected it to be next to a person.

I can see how cramped that tail gunner must have felt.

 

[ATSF5997]

Thanks guys! Does anyone know if my experience with train restoration will help at all? I mean, it teaches me a whole lot about mechanics and electrical wiring and such...

 

[syscom3]

Thanks guys! Does anyone know if my experience with train restoration will help at all? I mean, it teaches me a whole lot about mechanics and electrical wiring and such...

You bet it does.

The mechanics you learn with trains is the same mechanics you can apply to an airplane.

 

[DerAdlerIstGelandet]

little extreme for a hobby don't you think, especially for a 14 year old adler

I was talking about in the future Lanc. Basically a stay in school and get good grades and move on to great things...

 

[DerAdlerIstGelandet]

You bet it does.

The mechanics you learn with trains is the same mechanics you can apply to an airplane.

For the most part, but aircraft mechanics is much more precise and with less tolerances and many more specialized tools.

 

[ATSF5997]

I understand what you mean about precision, DerAdler! We're putting in a turbocharger into one of our trains after the State Fair and everything has to be lined up just right or a coil of some sort will twist indefinetly out of proportion, screwing the engine up.

 

[the lancaster kicks ass]

on the farm we hit things with hammers

 

[cheddar cheese]

Yeah thats cos you dont know any better

 

[the lancaster kicks ass]

but it works most of the time

 

[Matt308]

Thanks guys! Does anyone know if my experience with train restoration will help at all? I mean, it teaches me a whole lot about mechanics and electrical wiring and such...

Zak, don't be discouraged. There is probably a lot more sweeping and picking up trash that will occur before you will be tearing down Pratt engines or rigging flight controls. Find a museum, local club, or restoration activity. Beg, plead and borrow to just get around the airplane. Tell them you will clean toilets, wash equipment, sweep, and generally perform the crap jobs just to be around the restoration. Everyone has to start at the bottom and there are so many technically qualified people, most with little heart, and too few planes. You'll get there. But only if you are focused, consistent and willing to make some serious sacrifices.

Just to put things in perspective, there are WWII B-17 pilots who visited this forum who volunteered for years as living history curators and they too were not allowed even a free ride on a restored plane.

 

[Thorlifter]

on the farm we hit things with hammers

What about bailing wire......everyone on a farm uses bailing wire to fix stuff.

True story.....My family on my dad's side are all farmers in Minnesota. My uncle was working on the hay bailer when his wrench slipped and he gashed his forearm wide open. It was pretty deep, about 5 or 6 inches long, and bleeding like crazy. After some carefully chosen curse words, he took off his T-shirt, wrapped it around his arm, grabbed some bailing wire and wrapped it around the shirt to hold it in place. He finished working on the bailer so his son get back out in the fields, went to the hospital and got a ton of stitches to close it up. Never would have believed it if I hadn't seen it myself.

 

[the lancaster kicks ass]

haha, i believe every word of it- i've seen things like this happen! and yes all farmers- myself included always carry baler twine with them as it has infinate uses.........

 

[Soundbreaker Welch?]

A local cattle Rancher in the small town near my place wrote about bailing wire in the Local newspaper and all about it's wonderful ways of fixing tractors and other stuff. Except he says it's getting rarer and harder to find, and when it's no longer to be found, a way of life will be gone forever.

 

[FLYBOYJ]

Now we have velcro and crazy glue...