For Bob Parks and any other lovers of the Boeing B17

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adorably insane

 

I have drawings of how to apply the paint and markings if your interested.

 

Man…..impressive, inspirational, motivational, incomprehensible, and unbelievable all rolled into one jaw dropping sammich! Very nice work!

cheers
Dave

 

Just curious why that particular technique?

Since they are not visible on the finished product would not glue and machine screws have been lighter/easier/faster with the required strength? Especially in wood where a large washer could be used to distribute clamping load over a large area?

 

This appress to be a boat or something other than a B-17 structure.

 

If not visible question remains the same. And I'll add another. If indeed a boat why copper rivets? Never seen that technique on anything. I assume I am missing something important because it seems on the face of it to not be as strong as other methods.

 

Copper rivets are very common in smaller wooden boat structures. Once it's driven, the stem is turned back secured next to the head. I know that this is a poor explanation but I have seen it accomplished. The manufactured head of universal head aircraft rivets are about 3/16th" in diameter and for me, when I look at a full size B-17, I don't see the rivets. I suppose that it does add interest to the model though. Good stuff.

 

Never seen it and I know some collectors of wood power boats. Have to pay more attention I guess.

 

The boat rivets a little different in how it is set. Aircraft rivets are set with a gun and a bucking bar in hard metal. In a wooden boat the rivet is also set but peened over and spread over a washer opposite the head side. They call it a rove.

 

For a 3/32 dia rivet. Smallest structural rivet on a 777 is a 3/16 (except for system brackets which might use a 5/32 in some instances), which will have a head dia of approx 3/8". The driven (upset) side should be 1 1/2 to 2 times the shank dia.

 

I am guessing one of those is all flush rivets? I am guessing on a B17 they didn't figure that was necessary.

 

Lots of protruding hd fasteners on the 777, just not in the airstream re B-17, probably not any flush, if for no other reason than it's a lot of work to cnsk or dimple.

 

But it might have given them 3 more knots.

 

There were no flush rivets on a B-17. With a cruise speed of 160-170 it would be foolish and expensive.

 

How did escorts stay with them? I am told best altitude for range was up to 22500 and best speed for range up there was quite a bit faster. Range was all important to them.

Sorry about the topic drift.

 

It has been 62 years since I taught beginner mechanics how to rivet and probably 44 years since I was doing detail drawings so I was estimating with my ol' head about rivet head size. The first time that I visited the 787 line I thought that somethings wrong when I couldn't hear the riveting clatter. The real torture chamber was the 747 wing panel line where the stringers were being put on. I think that I remember 3/8 dia. rivets and 10X guns. Bad as a cal. 50 war going on.

 

The fighters criss-crossed above the formations usually.

 

That consumed some fuel.

 

That was pure torture, not only the noise but the job itself. One guy with the gun on one side of the panel and on the other a guy holding a bucking bar. Hit it. Next. Hit it. Next. .... All day, except breaks. No thanks.

 

Yay for drop tanks! In the early stages of the assault on Europe that fighter cover only went as far mid France and then the hell broke loose. The P-51's soon fixed that, helped by P-47 strafers and P-38 squadrons that did both strafing, and fighting, with even some bombing thrown in.

 

Once they got smart and did away with the requirement for fighters to stay in close escort of the bombers, the fighters ranged ahead, behind, and to the sides of the bomber formations. That allowed them to pick off interceptors before they could make contact with the bombers.