Wittpilot, something I've been wondering about

[Willy]

You seem to know a lot about restored B-17s. Are the turbochargers hooked up to the exhaust and operational or do they just not bother with them on a restored Flying Fortress? Unless you're planning on flying at high altitude it seems to me that they're just not needed and would only be more maintenance to have to perform on the aircraft. Just curious.

 

[Wittpilot]

Willy, (oooops, I missed this thread!!!)

I'm by far no "expert" on B-17's... It's just kind of a "run in the family" stick...I'm blessed to have the opportunities to work on two of them...

I am pretty sure that they are not needed in today's flying.... Most B-17's stay below 5,000ft I'd say... Dad said they flew about 7,500 over the North Atlantic when he flew to England on Liberty Belle. Since the turbo's main purpose was to force air, and thus oxygen, into the carb., I highly doubt anyone runs them today... Although I do remember somebody saying a few of the B-17's do have 'working' turbo's.

I know, it's a horrible answer to your question... Let me know if you want more detail than that... I'll just ask the expert, aka, dad!

-witt...