“Homesick Angel” receives tender loving care

By Staff Sgt. Hillary Stonemetz, 55th Wing Public Affairs / Published November 10, 2008

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OFFUTT AIR FORCE BASE, Neb. -- Jim Battig, an aircraft sheet metal mechanic with the 55th Maintenance Squadron, drills out rivets on a horizontal stabilizer from a B17 Bomber static display Nov. 5. The staff members from the 55th Maintenance Squadron's body shop are doing a complete frame-off restoration of this historic airframe. U.S. Air Force Photo by Josh Plueger

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OFFUTT AIR FORCE BASE, Neb. -- Warren Darr, an aircraft structural maintainer and squadron information manager assigned to the 55th Maintenance Squadron, grinds down rivets on the horizontal stabilizer of a B17 static display aircraft in order to remove corroded sheet metal to ensure structural integrity of the historic air frame as part of a lengthy frame-off restoration. U.S. Air Force Photo by Josh Plueger

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OFFUTT AIR FORCE BASE, Neb. -- Warren Darr, an aircraft structural maintainer and squadron information manager assigned to the 55th Maintenance Squadron, grinds down rivets on the horizontal stabilizer of a B17 static display aircraft Nov. 5 in order to remove corroded sheet metal to ensure structural integrity of the historic air frame. This effort is part of a lengthy frame-off restoration of this historic aircraft located by the SAC gate. U.S. Air Force Photo by Josh Plueger

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OFFUTT AIR FORCE BASE, Neb. -- Walter Chapman, an aircraft sheet metal technician with the 55th Maintenance Squadron, works on the access panel of a B17 Horizontal stabilizer Nov. 5. All the corroded metal was replaced and primed as part of a lengthy frame-off restoration on this historic air frame located near the SAC gate here. U.S. Air Force Photo by Josh Plueger

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OFFUTT AIR FORCE BASE, Neb. -- Walter Chapman, an aircraft sheet metal technician with the 55th Maintenance Squadron, works on the access panel of a B17 horizontal stabilizer Nov. 5. All thel corroded metal was replaced and primed as part of a lengthy frame-off restoration on this historic air frame located near the SAC gate here. U.S. Air Force Photo by Josh Plueger

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OFFUTT AIR FORCE BASE, Neb. -- Walter Chapman, an aircraft sheet metal technician with the 55th Maintenance Squadron, works on the access panel of a B17 horizontal stabilizer Nov. 5. The corroded metal was replaced and primed as part of a lengthy frame-off restoration on this historic air frame located near the SAC gate here. U.S. Air Force Photo by Josh Plueger

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OFFUTT AIR FORCE BASE, Neb. -- A piece of American history, Offutt's static display B-17 "Homesick Angel," is undergoing structural repair and repainting through June 2009.

"We inspect the airplane every year, but this time around we found some major repair work needed to be done," said Walt Chapman, 55th Maintenance Squadron aircraft structural repair craftsman. "When we opened it up, we found that the lower surface ribs were almost gone."

"The water gets in and corrodes the metal," he said. "Over time, it deteriorates back to its natural state. If the plane isn't maintained, it basically rots."

The damage is not the result of neglect, said Bob Dean, 55th MXS fabrication section chief, but, it is an 80-year-old airplane that has been exposed to the elements for a long time.

"Offutt's B-17 has a dual life," he said. It has the life it actually had and the life of its namesake.

Offutt's "Homesick Angel" never left the United States and was named after a B-17 that crashed during WWII.

According to "B-17, Fortress of War," by Roger Freedman, Offutt's B-17 was originally assembled in 1943 and was transferred to Metro-Goldwyn-Mayers Studios for use in the film "Footprints in the Sky." However, the film was never produced and the B-17 sat in MGM Studios storage until the 1960s.

After being moved and stored at various locations in southern California until the early 1980s, the B-17 was given to the Air Force and displayed at Beale AFB, Calif.

In 1989, Offutt AFB acquired the B-17 as a gate guardian and christened it "Homesick Angel."

The location of the original "Homesick Angel" remains unknown.

The goal is to put the "Homesick Angel" back into very good display condition, said Mr. Dean. Volunteers are welcome to assist with the repainting phase of the restoration this June.

The aircraft's restoration timeline is:
November - Dec. 12 Repair/reinstall stabs and elevators
April 27- May 22 Fuselage longeron repairs
May 24 - June 5 Sanding and miscellaneous repairs
June 6-7 SAC Gate closure for static display reassembly
June 6-12 Complete repaint