WANTED: B-17G Flying Fortress radio equipment

This is a long message... please read it all!

The Vintage Flying Museum of Fort Worth, Texas, home
of B-17G N3701G, "Chuckie", is seeking DONATIONS of
any kind of radio and radar equipment that would have
been used aboard B-17G's built from early-1944 on.

Our airplane is a B-17G-70-VE, serial number 44-8543A.
She was built in January, 1944, by the Vega division
of Lockheed (B-17G's were built by Boeing, Douglas,
and Vega). She was converted to a "pathfinder" model,
which means she had a radar set installed in place of
the ball turret which allowed bombing through overcast.
Very few Forts were converted for this mission, and it
is possible that our Fort saw combat time over Europe.
The combat records of the pathfinder Forts are still
classified, so we may never know for sure.

Right now, the only original radio gear installed in
the airplane is a BC-348-P receiver and shock mount.
We need everything else. Some of the specific items
we seek are the BC-375-E transmitter, tuning units
TU-4B through TU-10B, BC-306 antenna matching unit,
the wooded tuning unit storage rack that mounts to the
rear bulkhead, ceramic feedthrough insulators, power
and control connectors, and cables. We're also looking
for command set transmitters, receivers, racks, cables,
control boxes, spline cables (the LONG ones that will
reach the flight deck ceiling), modulator, and so on.

Obviously, we are looking for NICE equipment that is
in display condition because we display the airplane
both in the Museum and at air shows and fly-ins. We'll
certainly accept donations of "parts units", but the
primary focus is on acquiring gear that looks good
enough to be installed in the airplane. We want to
impress our tour guests at the air shows with a great
looking radio room! Do you have some surplus military
WW2 airborne radios stashed in your garage or attic?
Would you like to see them go to a good home? Please
donate your equipment to VFM and help us restore the
radio compartment in our beloved B-17! Any radios and
accessories that we don't use in the airplane will be
either put on display in the Museum's exhibit hall or
sold off to generate money to help finance the effort
(no matter how much gets donated, we'll still end up
having to buy some stuff to complete the job!).

We are a small museum, and we have very limited funds
available to spend on things that don't actually help
us to keep the airplane flying. We are looking for
DONATIONS of equipment. We are a 501-c-3 tax-exempt
charitable organization, and we will provide a tax
receipt for your donation.

"Chuckie" is one of approximately 15 B-17s worldwide
that are still in flyable condition, and one of about
10 that is flown regularly. Please don't "bash" me
if my numbers are off by a plane or two; the numbers
go up and down as some Forts come out of restoration
and others go down for heavy maintenance or retirement.
She participated in the fabuluous Thunder Over Michigan
air show in 2005 in which EIGHT of the remaining B-17
population were not only present at the show, but flew
together! It was the largest gathering of civilian
B-17s in history, and it may never be repeated.

Please visit the Museum's web site:

http://www.vintageflyingmuseum.org

I have been authorized by the Museum to be the focal
point for this effort. Please address your messages
directly to me.

We're also looking for a complete chin turret if you
happen to have one stashed in your barn! Actually,
we will graciously accept donations of ANY B-17 parts
that you might have lying around.

My final request is this: If you have nothing nice to
say about this effort, please say nothing. If you are
not a warbird fan, if you believe our effort is a waste
of time and money, if you think we're "glorifying" war,
if you think operating antique warplanes is dangerous
and should be outlawed, etc, etc... you're entitled to
your opinion, but I respectfully ask that you keep it
to yourself.

Thanks and 73,
Dean Hemphill, K5DH
Vintage Flying Museum member

In rec.radio.amateur.boatanchors =K=5=D=H= wrote:

My final request is this: If you have nothing nice to
say about this effort, please say nothing. If you are
not a warbird fan, if you believe our effort is a waste
of time and money, if you think we're "glorifying" war,
if you think operating antique warplanes is dangerous
and should be outlawed, etc, etc... you're entitled to
your opinion, but I respectfully ask that you keep it
to yourself.

Up to this point I agree with everything you have to say.

But I'll say what I please about your efforts, and defend to the death
the right of others to say it, as well.

You don't have to like it, and you don't have to read it, either, but
everyone else is as entitled to state his, her, or its opinions on old
warbirds as you are.

That said, I hope you're successful in your quest.

--
Mike Andrews, W5EGO

Tired old sysadmin

For crying out loud Mike, was that TRULY necessary?


"Mike Andrews" wrote in message
...
In rec.radio.amateur.boatanchors =K=5=D=H= wrote:

My final request is this: If you have nothing nice to
say about this effort, please say nothing. If you are
not a warbird fan, if you believe our effort is a waste
of time and money, if you think we're "glorifying" war,
if you think operating antique warplanes is dangerous
and should be outlawed, etc, etc... you're entitled to
your opinion, but I respectfully ask that you keep it
to yourself.

Up to this point I agree with everything you have to say.

But I'll say what I please about your efforts, and defend to the death
the right of others to say it, as well.

You don't have to like it, and you don't have to read it, either, but
everyone else is as entitled to state his, her, or its opinions on old
warbirds as you are.

That said, I hope you're successful in your quest.

--
Mike Andrews, W5EGO

Tired old sysadmin

In rec.radio.amateur.boatanchors notallhamsareassholes wrote:

"Mike Andrews" wrote in message
...
In rec.radio.amateur.boatanchors =K=5=D=H= wrote:

My final request is this: If you have nothing nice to
say about this effort, please say nothing. If you are
not a warbird fan, if you believe our effort is a waste
of time and money, if you think we're "glorifying" war,
if you think operating antique warplanes is dangerous
and should be outlawed, etc, etc... you're entitled to
your opinion, but I respectfully ask that you keep it
to yourself.

Up to this point I agree with everything you have to say.

But I'll say what I please about your efforts, and defend to the death
the right of others to say it, as well.

You don't have to like it, and you don't have to read it, either, but
everyone else is as entitled to state his, her, or its opinions on old
warbirds as you are.

That said, I hope you're successful in your quest.

For crying out loud Mike, was that TRULY necessary?

I think it was. Usenet is in many ways the equivalent of Speakers'
Corner in Hyde Park, London. omeone trying to foreclose comment on
his project, after he posts about it on Usenet, is in the position
of telling the folks around him at Speakers' Corner that they can
listen or not, aas they please, but they aren't to comment.

I've been doing this Usenet stuff, for work (mostly) and play since
1983 or so, well before hoi polloi had access to the big-I Internet,
and I want to keep its open flavor intact.

You have the right to have a different opinion, and (unlike k5dh), I
won't ask you to keep it to yourself.

--
Mike Andrews, W5EGO

Tired old sysadmin

Good luck, I hope you are successful in your search.

On Mon, 20 Mar 2006 21:34:28 -0600, (=K=5=D=H=) sent into
the ether:

WANTED: B-17G Flying Fortress radio equipment

This is a long message... please read it all!

The Vintage Flying Museum of Fort Worth, Texas, home
of B-17G N3701G, "Chuckie", is seeking DONATIONS of
any kind of radio and radar equipment that would have
been used aboard B-17G's built from early-1944 on.

Our airplane is a B-17G-70-VE, serial number 44-8543A.
She was built in January, 1944, by the Vega division
of Lockheed (B-17G's were built by Boeing, Douglas,
and Vega). She was converted to a "pathfinder" model,
which means she had a radar set installed in place of
the ball turret which allowed bombing through overcast.
Very few Forts were converted for this mission, and it
is possible that our Fort saw combat time over Europe.
The combat records of the pathfinder Forts are still
classified, so we may never know for sure.

Right now, the only original radio gear installed in
the airplane is a BC-348-P receiver and shock mount.
We need everything else. Some of the specific items
we seek are the BC-375-E transmitter, tuning units
TU-4B through TU-10B, BC-306 antenna matching unit,
the wooded tuning unit storage rack that mounts to the
rear bulkhead, ceramic feedthrough insulators, power
and control connectors, and cables. We're also looking
for command set transmitters, receivers, racks, cables,
control boxes, spline cables (the LONG ones that will
reach the flight deck ceiling), modulator, and so on.

Obviously, we are looking for NICE equipment that is
in display condition because we display the airplane
both in the Museum and at air shows and fly-ins. We'll
certainly accept donations of "parts units", but the
primary focus is on acquiring gear that looks good
enough to be installed in the airplane. We want to
impress our tour guests at the air shows with a great
looking radio room! Do you have some surplus military
WW2 airborne radios stashed in your garage or attic?
Would you like to see them go to a good home? Please
donate your equipment to VFM and help us restore the
radio compartment in our beloved B-17! Any radios and
accessories that we don't use in the airplane will be
either put on display in the Museum's exhibit hall or
sold off to generate money to help finance the effort
(no matter how much gets donated, we'll still end up
having to buy some stuff to complete the job!).

We are a small museum, and we have very limited funds
available to spend on things that don't actually help
us to keep the airplane flying. We are looking for
DONATIONS of equipment. We are a 501-c-3 tax-exempt
charitable organization, and we will provide a tax
receipt for your donation.

"Chuckie" is one of approximately 15 B-17s worldwide
that are still in flyable condition, and one of about
10 that is flown regularly. Please don't "bash" me
if my numbers are off by a plane or two; the numbers
go up and down as some Forts come out of restoration
and others go down for heavy maintenance or retirement.
She participated in the fabuluous Thunder Over Michigan
air show in 2005 in which EIGHT of the remaining B-17
population were not only present at the show, but flew
together! It was the largest gathering of civilian
B-17s in history, and it may never be repeated.

Please visit the Museum's web site:

http://www.vintageflyingmuseum.org

I have been authorized by the Museum to be the focal
point for this effort. Please address your messages
directly to me.

We're also looking for a complete chin turret if you
happen to have one stashed in your barn! Actually,
we will graciously accept donations of ANY B-17 parts
that you might have lying around.

My final request is this: If you have nothing nice to
say about this effort, please say nothing. If you are
not a warbird fan, if you believe our effort is a waste
of time and money, if you think we're "glorifying" war,
if you think operating antique warplanes is dangerous
and should be outlawed, etc, etc... you're entitled to
your opinion, but I respectfully ask that you keep it
to yourself.

Thanks and 73,
Dean Hemphill, K5DH
Vintage Flying Museum member




I've learned that I don't suffer from insanity, I enjoy it! (That is what my X-wife told me)

Remove the x for e-mail reply
www.outdoorfrontiers.com
www.SecretWeaponLures.com
A proud charter member of "PETAF", People for Eating Tasty Animals and Fish!!!

ORIGINAL MESSAGE:

=K=5=D=H= wrote:

because we display the airplane
both in the Museum and at air shows and fly-ins.



*********** REPLY SEPARATOR ***********

I'm appalled to see your group is flying this priceless airplane.
Sooner or later someone will crack it up and there will be one less for
future generations to see. Please put pressure on your group to ground
it permanently and preserve it forever so out great-great grandchildren
and all future generations can have the opportunity to see the real
thing and not some replica.

73, Bill W6WRT

Unreal...... Lemme guess, you collect boatanchors, restore them, then refuse
to power them up?
Someone once told me ham radio is a 'condition', not a hobby. I'm starting
to think he was right.
rb




"Bill Turner" wrote in message
...
ORIGINAL MESSAGE:

=K=5=D=H= wrote:

because we display the airplane
both in the Museum and at air shows and fly-ins.



*********** REPLY SEPARATOR ***********

I'm appalled to see your group is flying this priceless airplane.
Sooner or later someone will crack it up and there will be one less for
future generations to see. Please put pressure on your group to ground
it permanently and preserve it forever so out great-great grandchildren
and all future generations can have the opportunity to see the real
thing and not some replica.

73, Bill W6WRT

ORIGINAL MESSAGE:

Woody wrote:

Unreal...... Lemme guess, you collect boatanchors, restore them, then
refuse to power them up? Someone once told me ham radio is a
'condition', not a hobby. I'm starting to think he was right. rb



*********** REPLY SEPARATOR ***********

Get real, rb. If someone powers up a boatanchor, it will never end up
splattered all over a hillside somewhere. Get it?

Bill, W6WRT

Heh, I'm as real as it gets, brother.
So you do collect boatanchors? Do you also have an attic full of empty radio
boxes? I'm betting you do.
But that's your choice, now isn't it? And nothing wrong with it.

On the power-up thing,
I disagree, citing that it depends on how much power is applied to it.....
:-)
Or it could catch fire and burn to the desk... or the ground... or if it
were donated to a B-17 restoration, it could very
well end up splattered all over a hillside somewhere... LOL.

And yes, *I* get it.... enjoy what you have or what's the sense in having
it??
Moth-ball a vintage plane in Tucson, AZ or some museum, and I'll NEVER get
to see it. Fly it to my local fly-in and I do...
[said while gazing up at the photo of my daughter sitting left-seat in the
Texas Raiders 17g when it was HERE at a fly-in.]

Everything is disposable and it certainly doesn't transgress to the 'other
side'.

Use it or lose it; 'cuz cars are for driving, radios are for driveling into,
and an aircraft is for flying.

There's a fine line between being a
keep-the-box-because-it-matters-to-other-boxkeepers packrat, and preserving
history.

Do *you* get it??
rb


"Bill Turner" wrote in message
...
ORIGINAL MESSAGE:

Woody wrote:

Unreal...... Lemme guess, you collect boatanchors, restore them, then
refuse to power them up? Someone once told me ham radio is a
'condition', not a hobby. I'm starting to think he was right. rb



*********** REPLY SEPARATOR ***********

Get real, rb. If someone powers up a boatanchor, it will never end up
splattered all over a hillside somewhere. Get it?

Bill, W6WRT

ORIGINAL MESSAGE:

Woody wrote:

There's a fine line between being a
keep-the-box-because-it-matters-to-other-boxkeepers packrat, and
preserving history.

Do you get it??
rb



*********** REPLY SEPARATOR ***********

Absolutely, I get it.

You and the two or three posters who agree with you are self-centered
pigs who care nothing about preserving history. Your temporary
adrenaline rush is much more important, and the risk of splattering a
priceless aircraft means nothing beside your momentary thrills. How sad
that people like you are allowed to own such an aircraft.

A hundred or five hundred years from now, if your ilk prevails, people
will be saying "Gosh, I wish someone had kept a B-17G preserved
somewhere. I would have really loved to see the real thing".

I hope and pray there are not many like you.

Bill T.