Aluminum Overcast Disassembled for Trip to Oshkosh

The EAA’s B-17, “Aluminum Overcast”, is on its way home back to Oshkosh, Wisconsin after undergoing repairs following damage from Hurricane Ian.

The aircraft sustained minor damage near Punta Gorda, Florida last year while it was parked for an inspection while out on tour. Recently, the aircraft was disassembled so it could be returned back home, where suitable parts and loving restoration experts maintain an appropriate nest for Aluminum Overcast. The team reports that she’ll be back home and flight worthy as soon as they can complete the job.

The plane had been in Punta Gorda since March of 2021, when a routine pre-flight check revealed a crack in the left sheer web - a secondary support structure of the wing. The only way to repair the area is by removal of the wing itself. Like any repair, however, EAA techs found additional pieces to fix once they began to ‘get under the hood’. Since September, the EAA has been hard at work fabricating the appropriate replacement parts for the plane.

Back then, Jack Pelton, CEO of the EAA, said that the group was “incredibly fortunate that the aircraft did not suffer any major damage.” He expressed particular gratitude to local businesses and friends that went out of their way to secure the flightless bird. “Our thanks to Arcadia Aerospace Industries for looking after the airplane and taking all the precautions they could prior to the storm’s landfall and during the event.”

FMI: www.eaa.org