A man builds his own B-17e Bomber A 2016 restoration update WWII Veteran

[@jacksonbiggs4291]

My dad was B-17 Pilot based in England in '43. He flew missions into Germany. The Shot down by head on attack by Messerschmitt ME 109 on his 8th mission. A crew survived the bailout, all were captured by Germans was were POW's until Patton liberated the POW camps in '45. He returned to the U.S.and lived a great life. Passing away in 2003. . Lt.Col. Carroll G Biggs USAFR Ret. R.I.P. dad

[@williamcharles9480]

My God what a man that we have in our veteran, Ted Micci. I hope that this very lucky man is still with us at this time. This restoration project is so extensive that it boggles the mind. Thanks, Chuck for sharing this with us.

[@RideswithChuck]

If you ever have a chance to visit this project do it. There are always very interesting people to meet and things to see.

[@kennysherrill6542]

Outstanding Gentleman, I was a Sgt. In the Marine Corps when I first heard of the find, I had heard it was a D model but better Info told it was an E. You are doing a great job.

[@steveross8326]

Nothing but admiration for the guys that flew these machines during WW2. Also to the people who put these things back together for us all to enjoy.

[@patrickkavanagh5335]

Thanks you sir excellent to hear from that gentleman. Thanks for your service sir

[@terriecotham1567]

Thanks for posting love old things like this that come back to life and hearing stores from people who were there

[@maxsmodels]

What an amazing undertaking by so many dedicated volunteers. I love America.

[@austingode]

How those guys went into that hell ... day after day ...such extreme bravery

[@moremoneyfordreadnoughts1100]

XC-108, one-of-a-kind, being "turned back" into a B-17E. Still, thank God for such dedication.

[@hdatema7652]

Wat has God to do with it.

[@tractorhead04]

I really appreciate this video series. My Uncle had seen this plane when they were hauling it home. Its so awesome to see it coming back to life.

[@dat2ra]

Thank you for your efforts to re-build this plane, and especially thanks to the air crews who flew them and to the ground crews who kept them aloft. My father flew 39 missions with the 8th during the thick of it, including Schweinfurt and Berlin. My greatest respect to all of you.

[@endwood]

I've been driving planes for 40 years, I can't for the life of me understand how these brave young men would go out flying day after day in such a high risk environment being shot at! We owe so much!

[@phooesnax]

TED is a great man. I cannot imagine how difficult that must have been.

[@RideswithChuck]

+phooesnax It's hard to imagine how many didn't survive the ordeal.

[@louiswager2629]

great job Sir, thank you for restoring this part of American History!

[@johnritchie4801]

This stuff and these men are never boring to me

[@haraldpettersen3649]

A fantastic project, good luck to the big lady and those who help here 🧐

[@srercrcr]

Thank you, Ted!!!

[@RideswithChuck]

+srercrcr Ted appeared to be in better condition than me, Damn!

[@srercrcr]

RideswithChuck haha you both look good

[@RideswithChuck]

+srercrcr But he's 25 years older......

[@srercrcr]

RideswithChuck What can I say? You age like fine wine!!

[@trainroomgary]

A very historic project & the Ted story brings it all together. • Cheers from The Detroit & Mackinac Railway 🚂

[@Zaku-x109]

B-17 is my favorite plane in the world, I wish I could own my own when I get older, but that is probably never going to happen just because the cost alone would be a lifetime T_T. A work of art and masterful engineering that helped bring back crews when flying dangerous mission.

[@brandyf4088]

Dream big my friend. 🙏

[@highwatercircutrider]

My grandmother worked at ‘Willow Run’ during the war as a ‘Rosie the Riveter’ on the B24 during the war. She used to tuck notes of encouragement behind the ribs ( they were concealed in sticks of chewing gum).

[@Rickugg]

Hello: Thanks Chuck. I can't remember what I had for breakfast but I remember previous video or is was it 2 videos on this plane. Have a good one.

[@styldsteel1]

I tell you. God bless this man. I can't help but wonder if he ever asks himself...what the hell have I gotten myself into. Probably every day I"d imagine. Good lord. Keep up the good work because this generation certainly couldn't care less. Hell, they won't even look up anymore.

[@MCTeck]

I live in Orange County California..Every year at this Time ,@ John Wayne Airport Has the B-17 and B-25 ... No B - 24 this year... They fly over my house ..so Cool! Got some Vids... Short .. When I Lived In Seattle ,53-62 [Before Jets] hearing the piston planes take Off.. As I am posting this a B-256 Flew over! I am surprised that they still offer rides Today on Monday.Last Year Gone on Monday....

[@RideswithChuck]

+MCTeck This sounds like it might be The Collings Foundation.

[@Legitcar117]

+RideswithChuck just saw their planes back in March, they came near my hometown, the b-17 is beautifully restored.

[@sirboomsalot4902]

B-256?

[@AirborneRenegade]

Yes I'm interested I flew on the Texas raiders b17g earlier this year knowing it was a 72 year old plane. Also have them bring this thing to millington municipal airport for a air show. I'd love to see the b17e

[@keithlucas6260]

farmerboy 777 ........ I'm with the Texas Raider B-17G out at CXO Conroe. I've got quite a few videos and photos of her.

[@garvinhooper]

looks a lot different now than when I was salvaging control cables out of this plane in 1956 for my soap box derby racer in Lagrange Maine

[@haraldpettersen3649]

garvinhooper -- 👀👀👀👀👀

[@sleepingdogs8939]

The title of the video is a bit misleading. It's not building his own B-17E it's restoring his own B-17E

[@hotrodray9884]

I had to look, click.

[@michaelcolgan3182]

Do you spell check also ?

[@shelbyseelbach9568]

@@michaelcolgan3182 don't have to spellcheck, to know that BS is BS.

[@gibson617ajg]

A guy in Britain, Morris Hammond built his own P51 from scratch. Fabricated every single piece, he built his own Merlin. That's right, he didn't refurbish a Merlin, he built one. Brand new. He called her Janie.and flew it from Hardwick Airfield which hosted, amongst others, the 310th and 93rd Bomb Groups during the Second World War. Sadly it crashed during a cross-wind landing in 2016 - his passenger was sadly killed.

[@JamesF63]

Thanks for the update. Great video!

[@michaeldavis8999]

After being drug to Portland Oregon on or about 1960. And turned into n human pin cushion by an doctor of questionable repute and dubious antecedents My father took pity on me by way of re fueling in Oregon City. The station had the biggest. airplane propped over the roof that I had ever seen.It was my first look at a B - 17 of course.whats more. There was a big ladder going up through the bottom turret. Free to all. My father took my mom next door to a furniture store leaving me to spend an hour crawling around in that plane. Nose to tale as it were. With stops in the top turret. Which I was able to turn 360 degrees by way of my foot. Stopping then at the bomb bay. And on to the waist. Though the glass was cloudy and some gauges were missing or broken. It remains one of the best memories of my life. Somewhere in the nineties I was standing in the turret of the CAF B - 17. and was told that The mechanism and or the glass was the same I played in Lo those many years ago. Wowee! May the wind be at your backs. Michael J.Davis

[@hotrodray9884]

Isnt that old plane still there?

[@TacticalTerry]

@@hotrodray9884 If it is the one I am thinking of, it's nose section was touring around gathering funds for restoration.

[@jarikinnunen1718]

Safety tip: Use crash proof fuel tanks for prevent fire. It's common with B-17`s

[@thurin84]

wow! amazing!

[@znaz9012]

they need some women who worked assembly lines

[@tylerbonser7686]

blackmetalofnorway1 unclothed would be best. Osha probably wouldnt like that though

[@Allan62T]

I want to help. This was right before the chin turret F model.

[@hotrodray9884]

They would be 95 yrs old.. duh.

[@l.cressey6806]

Allan62T I though the G was the model that introduced the chin turret

[@allenhuddleston4616]

Hi Chuck . I very much enjoy your videos . Especially the coverage of the Desert Rat restoration. Would you have an idea when you will check on her in 2017 ? Thanks in advance .

[@RideswithChuck]

I was there last Saturday. There will be a new video in a week or so. Thanks for watching!

[@allenhuddleston4616]

Hello RideswithChuck . Thanks very much for the kind reply . I hope it was a pleasant journey for you .I belong to a small group of local coordinators in Maryland that give Mac and the crews with the Collings Foundation an assist when they fly into Carroll County Regional every October . 13th , 14th and 15th this year. Ergo , very excited about any B-17 or other Warbird being restored . Thanks again for what you do.

[@motleyhoople3657]

Is there any back story on this plane, where it flew and if it saw action in WWII, and how it ended up in the woods in Maine? Apologies if this was covered elsewhere.

[@RideswithChuck]

This might help. www.historynet.com/desert-rat-reborn.htm

[@motleyhoople3657]

@@RideswithChuck That was excellent, thank you!

[@RideswithChuck]

@@motleyhoople3657 Welcome!

[@starlife7750]

Did this aircraft fly for the 13th Air Force in WWII?

[@GamePlayWithNolan]

MARENGO ILLINOIS????????????? I LIVE NEAR THERE!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

[@hotrodray9884]

Congratulations.. Now you get 100% gun registration preceeding confiscation.

[@SWAviatorII]

First, thanks for all you do. Secondly, is there any chance of a C or D model restoration?

[@fw1421]

Bob Kemper the Air Force Museum in Dayton has an early B-17,the Swoose in storage. When it will be restored I don’t know. They finished the Memphis Belle last year after a 10+ year restoration to a pretty much as new condition. It will never fly though,as it’s a static artifact. It takes tens of thousands of hours and millions of dollars to restore one of these birds,a daunting task.

[@rickhigson3881]

Nice!

[@taigacruiser]

Hut ab!Respeckt!

[@Sammakko7]

taigacruiser learn english

[@supercow61]

Made in U.S.A. THE BESTS !!!!!

[@fatcat3211]

i want to donate

[@tbugher62]

Restore it,fly it,and then crash it,like the 909 plane.Please just restore it and keep it on the ground so the plane can be around more than a few more years.

[@shelbyseelbach9568]

He's not building a b17 he's REBUILDING a b17.

[@Barsabus]

Yeah that's much easier

[@MrBook123456]

cool

[@zoesdada8923]

Is this finished?

[@edwardeverson7039]

Nice USA 1.

[@SKYHOOK_DRONE_IMAGING]

Do you have somebody working a Go Fund Me for the restoration?

[@machia-mw1lm]

🇺🇸👍

[@kennedysingh3916]

I which I their to help

[@johnplaid648]

He would have to be at least 90 years old. I call BS. 2015 - 1945 + 20 = 90

[@RideswithChuck]

I ran into Ted at the EAA's Berlin Express event in Aurora, Illinois a couple months ago. I believe he is over 100 yo now.

[@tbugher62]

Ted looks a little too good to be in his 90's,if he was really in WW2.

[@johncook1885]

What a tremendous waste of money some people got more money than they know what to do with. The money wasted on this project should be used to help the less fortunate that's the moral thing to do

[@hotrodray9884]

He is. He is helping posterity enjoy the past.

[@dougcronk1615]

Wasted $ would be Californias failed high speed rail .the B -17 represents America's exceptionalism and ability to come together as a nation .

[@kennysherrill6542]

The poor yea shall always have, the B-17E just a short time. Billions spent on the poor and yet they still hold out their hand and sit on their fat asses.