Epic road trip... we took our polishers!

[Joe@Superior Shine]

Preston’s Pride is a World War II era Boeing B-17 Flying Fortress that was placed on display near Route 99, in the city of Tulare in Central California in 1958, as a monument to California veterans.
Being that she’s bare aluminum, she is subjected to the elements of heat, cold, rain, wind and anything else mother nature can throw at her. Her skins had become rough, dull and badly oxidized.

Do you think she can be polished? If so, who would be crazy enough to attempt it?

[LSNAutoDetailing]

Anything can be polished... is this a call for volunteers?

Or is this a “stay tuned...”

Sent from my iPhone using Autogeekonline mobile app

[dlc95]

That thing is gross!

Time to shine it, Joe.

[Mike Phillips]

Do you think she can be polished?

Yes. Aluminum unlike car paint and in context is thick and with enough abrading and polishing can be brought back to life.

If so, who would be crazy enough to attempt it?

With a team of hard workers passionate for perfection I would.

[Paul A.]

Oh, I can't wait to see this!

[Belo]

needs after pics!

[Joe@Superior Shine]

While living in a suburb of Los Angeles, I first discovered this B-17 in the early 1990s as I traveled to Northern California to visit family. In the subsequent years, I'd stop and visit the old bird three to four times a year as I traveled north. I'd do it everytime for the next 25 years or so.

Here is a pic I took of her and posted on Facebook in 2014.




This Boeing B-17 Flying Fortress, #44-85738, was manufactured under Boeing contract by Lockheed Vega in Burbank California in May 1945. She was too late to serve in WWII but was used extensively in Americas atomic test program Operation Crossroad. She flew as the "mother ship" controling drone aircraft that were flown in and near atomic test areas at Bikini Atoll in the south pacific.











She was retired in 1958 and flown to Tulare, Ca. by Air Force General Maurice Preston who happen to be raised in the area. The aircraft was unofficially known as "Preston's Pride."
She is still owned by the United States Air Force but is on "permanent loan" to American Veterans Organization post 56.

This is a photo of Prstons Pride shortly after being put on display.

[PaulMys]

Holy Moly! A B-17???

The work horse of the US Army Air Corps that decimated Nazi factories (along with great losses) during WWII.

That is incredible, Joe.

[Joe@Superior Shine]

Spring of 2017, while leading a crew detailing an airworthy B-24 at the Lyon Air Museum in Santa Ana, Ca., I met Greg Stathatos. He explained to me that he loves old war birds and recognized that so many on static display are incorrectly marked and in poor condition. He shared that he had created an organization dedicated to preserving B-17s called B-17 archaeology.
You can visit his Facebook page here - B-17 Archaeology





Before he even mentioned the Tulare B-17, I told him that I was "in" if he could arrange to let us at the aircraft to polish the aluminum skins. Doing so was something I had dreamt about for years.

I told him that seven years earlier I was tasked with polishing "Fuddy Duddy," another B-17 Bomber, owned by the Lyon Air Museum.

[Joe@Superior Shine]

Greg had to get the caretakers, AMVETS, of Prestons Pride to allow us to work on her. They were hesitant at first. He had to convince them that we genuinely cared about the aircraft and had the resources to perform the services she required.

On a cold wet January morning, I made the 3 and 1/2 hour drive north to meet with Greg and the AMVETS folks at the location of the old bird.

They were a tough crowd. Greg did most of the talking. I was there to perform a test spot.










Soon after the meeting, the Tulare Fire Department showed up to give the old girl a bath.










Unfortunately, we had to evict the tenants if we wanted to properly care for the aircraft.