"My Gal Sal" Restoration Progress
Wings, Stabilizers, and Other Restoration
Part of the restoration under way in Cincinnati, Ohio.
Click on an image to enlarge.
"Sal's" main landing gear.
OK......Where do we start ?
Cincinnati volunteer crew working on vertical stabilizer.
More volunteers working on left wing trailing edge.
WW II veteran, Bruno Yoka, who was in Greenland when "My Gal Sal" crashed, working on a nacelle.
One of "Sal's" ailerons.
"My Gal Sal" had wood control wheels. These were pretty well broken and rotted. When she was recovered, new ones were made exactly like they were in 1941.
Top turret restored waiting for new plexiglas.
Sal's restored center bomb rack.
Hours and hours of work was put into re-building the nose structure. Waiting for new plexiglas.
One of our "behind the scene" supporters. Bert Hoover is welding one of the many ribs he has done over the past year. This project's success is due to the many volunteers who have given so much. Thanks Bert!
Outboard Nacelle was ripped off by the winds of the Greenland icecap. Its final stage is being attached.
This was a tremendous challenge to put the Nacelle back together and attach it to the wing. A special thanks to Andy, Bert and JD !
WW II Vets working with a huge amount of pride to help put "Sal" back together.
Bottom of left main wing section is shown with "Army" painted on. Bottom of the right main wing section when completed will have "U.S." painted. Not too many 17’s were painted with "U.S. Army".
Lots & lots of detail work has to be done to complete the 40' aft section
New furrings being made for the horizontal stabilizer
Not sure whether restoration team is trying to make an executive decision or trying to decide where they are going to lunch.
New oxygen system being installed.
Our new security guard affectionately called Charlie.
Just a great shot of how the Cincinnati restoration is going.
For the past few months we have been working on the interior of the front section. The work has been going slowly, but this part of a restoration on a 60 year-old airplane that spent 53 years on an icecap in Greenland usually does. When you look at the before and afters you can see how much work had to be done by our volunteers. They have done a magnificent job. We still have a lot more to do; the control cables, hydraulic lines, the antenna system to name a few.
In addition to the aircraft restoration, we have been working on the display area where “Sal” is now located. Until the new building is built, we have tried to set up an area so that visitors will have an opportunity to see the history and the restoration of “My Gal Sal”. The following pictures give you a good idea of what we have accomplished.
(The Resurrection of History)
We are now in a phase of the restoration that is focused on more detail. We have spent the last year working on the interior of "Sal". There is so much detail that you begin to wonder whether we will ever get it all. Time will tell. These photos may let you think that we are done. Let me assure you, we are not. We will probably be changing this and adding that for at least another year. What our volunteers have accomplished to this point is a miracle. I am so proud of these people and I know they are proud of their accomplishment. They truly are the greatest.
"My Gal Sal's" nose section is very close to completion.
2nd Lt. Don Bone, bombardier, positioned with his Norden Bombsight, as he would have looked on many missions.
2nd Lt. Ralf Stinson sitting at the controls of "My Gal Sal".
A good shot of the cockpit of "My Gal Sal". Can you imagine what it was like just before they bellied-in on the Greenland icecap?
After months of work the oxygen system is complete, color labels and all.
Looking at the top turret from below. Not much room for that top turret gunner.
The bomb bay is almost finished. Looking from the cockpit - the bomb bay was one of the most difficult parts of the restoration.
Bomb bay looking from the radio room - a few more pieces to be added before it's complete.
Bomb bay looking from the radio room.
The earliest B-17's radio room and navigation / bombardier sections were insulated and covered with a canvas-type fabric. This photo shows the beginning of this part of the restoration - very difficult and labor intensive.
Radio operators also had the responsibility to man a .50 cal. machine gun.
New Photograph Section Below ( 6 / 24 / 03 ) :
The radio room is almost complete. The next phase is to install the camera bay located under the floor of the radio room.
Navigator, Lt. Leo Frazier and Bombardier, Lt. Don Bone are at home in their newly restored workstations.
Sgt. John Patrick stands guard over the #4 prop that he cut the tips off of to free the prop from the ice. When we assemble "Sal" this and the other three bent propellers will be mounted on their engines.
The heart of the hydraulic system has been installed. "Sal" had a thermos stowed in the same area as the hydraulics.
Sgt. Tom Laskowski, radio operator and Sgt. Wayne Heckendorn, asst. radio operator, in the aft section of "My Gal Sal".
Lt. Stinson looks like he is happy with the restoration of his area. The cockpit is complete. If "My Gal Sal's" crew was able to see her one more time, I hope they would say, "Great job guys, great job".
We have had many visitors to see "Sal". One very special visitor left the restoration team a message.
More Coming !
