B-17
The workhouse bomber of World War II. Design work first started in the mid 1930's and was plagued by design problems and there were many prototype variants and the design cost overruns almost bankrupted Boeing. However by the onset of World War II the design flaws were fixed and over 12,000 were made. After the war most of these planes were ruthlessly torn apart for their value in scrap metal and now there are less than 10 that are certified safe to fly and less than 40 that are in whole condition. The particular day I was at the museum it was quite and I talked to one of the curators of the museum said this particular plane if it was rewired, had fresh batteries and some minor parts replaced with no doubt in his mind could be made airworthy again. It's all a matter of cost.
B-17
The workhouse bomber of World War II. Design work first started in the mid 1930's and was plagued by design problems and there were many prototype variants and the design cost overruns almost bankrupted Boeing. However by the onset of World War II the design flaws were fixed and over 12,000 were made. After the war most of these planes were ruthlessly torn apart for their value in scrap metal and now there are less than 10 that are certified safe to fly and less than 40 that are in whole condition. The particular day I was at the museum it was quite and I talked to one of the curators of the museum said this particular plane if it was rewired, had fresh batteries and some minor parts replaced with no doubt in his mind could be made airworthy again. It's all a matter of cost.