Photo of a B-17 from the Yankee Air Museum
A possible airworthiness directive is rumored for the B-17 after the Yankee Air Museum decided to proactively ground its Yankee Lady when inspections of other B-17s led to the discovery of wing spar issues. The museum sent out an email, which was relayed in a B-17 fan group on Facebook, saying it expects an AD from the FAA in the coming weeks regarding the concerns, temporarily halting flights with the warbird until it receives instructions from the FAA on repairs and inspections.
While the news came to a disappointment to fans and aviators, many felt it was better to ground the plane than to lose lives or an iconic piece of aviation history. Hangar Thirteen, which is restoring its own B-17, posted on Facebook about the grounding of its sister B-17, the Yankee Lady. The post noted that wing spars are a common issue within the B-17 community, citing a 2001 AD from the FAA concerning cracking and corrosion of the wing spar chords, bolts and bolt holes of the spar chords and wing terminals, and a correction of any problems found during inspections.
The B-17 Yankee Lady, from the Yankee Air Museum
With the Yankee Lady will be out for the 2023 season, the museum is refunding all purchased flight experiences and still has its B-25, C-47 and helicopter flying. The museum did not say that the aircraft had any of the wing spar issues, but it was grounding it preemptively out of caution and to wait for instruction from the FAA.
The EAA has its own B-17, the Aluminum Overcast, which was recently sent from Florida to Oshkosh after a routine inspection revealed a crack stemming from the left sheer web, a secondary support structure for the wing. In order to repair this, the wing had to be removed, which revealed other damage. While waiting on specially manufactured parts, the aircraft sustained damage during Hurricane Ian and narrowly missed destruction during tornadoes a short time after. With the Aluminum Overcast out for repairs, the EAA has not commented on the potential AD.
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Hangar Thirteen stated in its Facebook post, that the community needs to work together to preserve the B-17’s history and with more people working toward a goal, the goal is more likely to be accomplished. Its original announcement sharing the news of the Yankee Lady grounding discussed the past AD and the stress it caused on the community. With the previous AD, many airworthy aircraft were grounded as a result of the nearly impossible nature of recreating the specific parts needed, the wing spars.
The wing spars on the B-17 were unusual, with each aircraft carrying eight spars, four upper and four lower. Each was made with a 2.688-inch square tubing with a .75-inch corner radius. The inside was tapered and began with a .125-inch wall thickness on one end, tapering to a .5-inch wall thickness on the lower spars or a .53-inch wall thickness on the upper spars. The eight spars were roughly 304 inches long, according to Hangar Thirteen. The Hangar reported that few U.S. mills are capable of reproducing the necessary materials and some will refuse to do so for a limited run, forcing many to look internationally.
It can cost up to $500,000 to outfit one B-17, which burdens the numerous nonprofits that work to preserve these planes. The cost to maintain this WWII-era plane grows to a staggering price when factored in with inspections, maintenance and insurance. The next AD could potentially permanently ground some of the B-17 models being restored if the costs overwhelm the individuals and groups restoring the plane. With so few B-17s left flying, this AD could mean the future of the Flying Fortress is in jeopardy.
According to Aero Vintage, there are now only four operational B-17s left. While there may be 46 total complete airframes and 18 registered in the U.S., many are currently being restored or used as display pieces.
One of the formerly flying B-17s was destroyed in the Wings Over Dallas midair collision in November. The crash involved a B-17 and P-63 and killed all six people on the two planes. The B-17 Flying Fortress destroyed in the collision was the fifth in flying condition. This tragic event not only killed six people but an aircraft that represented a great age in aviation and flying.
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The AD is thought to be due to the damage found on the Aluminum Overcast wing attach structure that grounded it in April 2021. Aero Vintage reports that the problem was on the aft wing attach point, fuselage side, at the middle solitary bolt. The EAA had revealed that the problem was identified on the fuselage-side shear terminal, one of the three attach points for the two wing spars on each wing. The EAA reportedly replaced all the fuselage wing-attach fittings for both wings.
The damage on the Aluminum Overcast was not specific to the wing spars, but without a released AD, the community has speculated a wide range of possible outcomes if one is released by the FAA. The FAA has not released an AD, but the community preserving the B-17 is hoping for safety for all involved and the potential to get back up in the air.
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