B-17 Flying Fortress

Here's a look at a variety of B-17 examples I saw on display during my visit to England in February 2008. Photos were taken by Steve Heeb, and are intended as reference to assist model builders in creating accurate representations of this fine aircraft. There are more than 70 shots from a wide variety of angles. I kept the photos pretty big so that they can be used as references by model builders who do not have access to planes like this. Hope these shots will be of some help.

Some captions and details may be included to the right of the photos. I do not claim to be an expert (by any means) but have pointed out a few items that I found interesting. Please forgive any inaccuracies on my part.

Note: these planes were on display in England at the Royal Air Force museum  in London and the Imperial War Museum at Duxford, and some details may have been altered from their original operational condition. The "Sally B" (at Duxford) is a flying example and was in their maintenance hanger when I saw it. It represents a B-17 from the 447th BG based at nearby Rattlesden, where my grandfather Loran Heeb flew 30 missions aboard "Ol' Scrapiron" during 1944. The other example from Duxford is the Mary Alice, representing a plane from the 401st BG based in Deenethorpe, where my brother-in-law's grandfather flew out of during WWII. The NMF (bare metal) example was at the RAF museum which had many American planes that played significant roles in the history of the Royal Air Force.

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The Mary Alice in the "American Exhibit" at the Imperial War Museum in Duxford.
Looking back to the tail
Ball turret
Ball turret
Right main landing gear
Right main landing gear
Left main landing gear
This job sucks! But how cool it would be to have the responsibility of cleaning the B-17.
The B-17 at the RAF museum in London
Yes, that is a two-seat FW-190 in the background. Don't worry, there'll be shots of that posted soon.
My grandfather was the top turret gunner aboard "Ol' Scrapiron" and was the flight engineer for the crew.
Cheek windows
 
 
Counting rivets?
 
Mess of wiring below the cockpit flooring as seen through the bombardier's station up front
Speaking of the bombardier...
 
 
Right main gear (looking forward)
Massive piping for the turbocharger on the right outboard engine. Note the dihedral of the wing
Hey buddy, why the big grin?
Rear access door
More rivets. Radio room window.
 
Right wing
Turbocharger on right wing
Main landing gear
Inside of left main gear
Up into the right main gear area
Up into the right main gear area
Not by the twin .50's on my chinny-chin-chin...
Top Turret on "Sally B", the Imperial War Museum's flying B-17.  My grandfather had this position for his 30 missions out of Rattlesden.
Radio room window (hole) viewed from behind plane
Left side gun position. Not sure if they had the wind deflectors on B-17s with the windows, or if the clear panels were added as a comfort feature for the crew that currently flies the plane.
Ooh La La!
A little cleaner than the B-17 out on the display floor.
I like the teddy bear on the nose cone...
The crews in the restoration hanger do a great job on the B-17 and several dozen other awesome projects.
 
 
Tail detail and the Cheyenne tail guns
Tail gun detail
Back to the main "American Exhibit" at Duxford.
A mannequin performs maintenance on the right inboard engine.
Cheek windows with armament installed
Reflections on the nose is from the impressive glass face to the huge modern hanger that houses the American Exhibit
Probably the front of the left wheel well
Probably inboard side of left main wheel well (left of photo would be forward)
This must be the left main gear well (top of photo would be toward front of plane)
This must be the left main gear well (looking outward from center of plane, so right side of photo would be front of plane)
This must be the left main gear well (top of photo would be front of plane)
This must be the left main gear well (looking slightly outward from center of plane)
Blocked off ducting for the wing... not sure where exactly yet.
Left inboard engine
 
Left outbard engine
turbocharger on the left outbard engine
turbocharger on the left outbard engine
Triangle-S markings of the 401t BG out of Deenethorpe
Note the "face" artwork on the tail gun and the massive greenhouse when compared to the tail of the "Sally B" example shown earlier
This ought to help your detailing work of the tail section
Inside looking forward toward the ball turret support. Glare is caused by shooting this through protective Plexiglas inside the plane.
Inside looking forward toward the ball turret support. Glare is caused by shooting this through protective Plexiglas inside the plane.
Louvered panels on the wing. Sorry I couldn't get a better angle for these.
Wiring along the top of the interior (bottom of photo is toward the rear gunner's station)
Looking back towards the tail. Structure in the foreground is part of the retractable tail wheel assembly
Right side gunner's station
Inside looking forward toward the ball turret support. Glare is caused by shooting this through protective Plexiglas inside the plane.
Access for the public to view the interior was cut into the right side of the plane which formed a bottomless Plexiglas box that you could essentially walk into.
Inside looking forward toward the ball turret support. Glare is caused by shooting this through protective Plexiglas inside the plane.

 

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