New B17 Airworthiness Directive after wing found on one to have moved 2 inches from the fuselage

Sally B now cleared to continue ops. Noted on FR24 earlier overflying Cambridge Airport on crew training.

An aircraft in a museum on its wheels will incur stress. Remember that the B17, like so many other aircraft, was built to compete for a contract. I doubt it was over-engineered. I agree with ‘pogo’.

These aircraft surely would have been built to survive high stresses , impacts , torque and acceleration and weight bearing issues , not to mention attempting survival for the crew. Nowadays these aircraft are not flown to any of these extremes.

MFowler. I don’t agree, in fact all the WW2 aircraft components I have worked on have all been beautifully designed and built, to the point where I have wondered why such high standards were still being adhered to under the pressure of wartime. Things like finding two inspection stamps on a small unimportant bracket, why.

Obviously no one, eighty years ago, expected the things they were making to be still in use now but if well cared for they will go on for another eighty years.  

According to a post on WIX, a Faceache post says the inspection has been carried out and they’re awaiting paperwork.

It seems like the wartime expediencies of “build it fast, build it cheap” are finally starting to catch up with a lot of WWII hardware – planes, ships, tanks, etc.

Oh blimey , that’s not good, no updates on Sally B’s page yet. They are due to fly in the next week or so.