Service Manual?

I will be the first to admit I know next to nothing about technical information. My interests with aircraft is more along the lines of their shapes, forms and colors. Oh, I can tell the differences between the various models of the the same make, I just don't know how things work and Im not particularly interested in the engineering of Aircraft. Subs/U-boats, thats something different all together.

Anyway I recently went to a Yard sale (Great things Yard Sales. Never know what you'll find) I got lucky and came across a box of books from the early 40's thru the early 50's with almost all of them on Subs and U-boats. Christmas came early for me. 10$ and my library jumped by 23 books.

Remember when I said "Almost all"? Well one book, Ive never seen before and my collection of Aircraft books from the war is now at a total of 4. One Aircraft book in the box. Yeah, Ive figured the books existed of the type I found, they would have had to. Ive just never seen one til now.

What I have, well heres the full title....

Field Service Manual
Boeing Model B-17F
Restricted

Condition on this is pretty much NOT what Id expect of a Field Manual. Its like its only been opened a few times and the leather cover is just outstanding (in my opinion). Is this an original or reprint? Im PRETTY sure its original due to some things things stamped inside the cover.

My question for the people that know the tech and/or the manuals of the various aircraft, What should I do with this book? Is it worth keeping it in my collection or offer it to the local library for their annual book sale? As I say Im interested in aircraft, just not anywhere near the obsession that subs/u-boats are.

Thanks for any help/advice.

Me personally, I would hang on to it and dont give it away. Can you post a picture? If it is in a good of shape you say it is (and original), it is a great collectors item. If I could find something like that, I would be extatic (wouldnt want to trade it would ya)


Over all I would say hang on to it, and keep it in your personal collection.

Wish I could post a photo of the book. No scanner and no digital camera no cell phone either so cant do a photo from that. Ive no real use for them so I never got any of them. I know a few people that might help me get a photo if they have a digital camera. May take a few days. I dont know.

I went searching for a photo online of the manual I have, but I cant find one. Rather I cant find one for this model. I can find them for a couple other models, just not the b17f.

Believe me, Im very happy to have found this book, Im just not sure exactly what I have yet.

Nice score!

Hi
Me personally, I wouldn't give it to a library, or museum, to many things get lost..

Options I think are,

buy a scanner.

scan it,then sell the cd's on e bay.
or
scan it, then sell the original manual on e bay.

trade it for a book on sub's.
Incidently if you are after u boat information,
almost all the U boat manuals, were translated post ww2 for the Royal Navy and made into B.R.'s ( book of reference).
I saw the lot once in a previous job, Sorry I no longer have access before you ask.

Cheers
Jerry

First off great score, like most aviation fans we all would love to get our hands on a manual like that.

Second, make sure its what you want to keep.

Third if you want to donate it to a musuem more then likely like Jerry said it could get lost unless you donate it to a aviation musuem. Less likely to get lost and more likely to get used on display or used in the musuems private library.

Last but not least there is ebay, trade with some one for something your intersted in and such.

Best of luck
Paul