Number of Days to build a B-17 - Aircraft of World War II

Micdrow · 08-16-2008, 11:07 PM

Pop quiz, how many days to build a B-17 during WWII. You may be surprised, I know I was. Answer at bottom of picture.

FLYBOYJ · 08-16-2008, 11:15 PM

Interesting Paul - I know several years ago Sys and I had a running debut about ease of production and how many B-24s could be built in a day. This is obviously from the Boeing Plant, throw Vega (Lockheed) and Douglas in there and I'm certain that number increases drastically.

Not they talk about the B-17B - by the time the G was bering built?????

syscom3 · 08-17-2008, 02:14 AM

Several years ago? Try two!

That production number in the ad was for the prewar aircraft "B" models. Hardly representative of the late 1944 production runs for the "G" models.

In the pic, note the rudder tail colors. And what are those two beastly looking fuselages in the upper left?

FLYBOYJ · 08-17-2008, 02:34 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by syscom3

Several years ago? Try two!

That production number in the ad was for the prewar aircraft "B" models. Hardly representative of the late 1944 production runs for the "G" models.

In the pic, note the rudder tail colors. And what are those two beastly looking fuselages in the upper left?

Stratocruisers

kool kitty89 · 08-17-2008, 02:58 AM

You mean Stratoliners: Boeing 307 - Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia

The B-29 and the Stratocruiser wouldn't come to be for several more years.

Lucky13 · 08-17-2008, 03:06 AM

Mmmmmmm......Stratocruiser.....drrroool..!

Micdrow · 08-17-2008, 08:19 AM

Still its amazing, now of days with all the modern technology it takes years to restore a B-17. Back then it took just days before one was in the air.

Lucky13 · 08-17-2008, 09:34 AM

Makes you think, right?

Micdrow · 08-17-2008, 10:03 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Lucky13

Makes you think, right?

Yes it does, amazing how things work.

Soundbreaker Welch? · 08-18-2008, 04:12 AM

If everybody just pitched in, we could still do it!

(If we had the money.) **cough, cough!**

seesul · 08-18-2008, 04:39 AM

Amazing!
Would like to know how many people worked on 1 B-17?

FLYBOYJ · 08-18-2008, 01:14 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by seesul

Amazing!
Would like to know how many people worked on 1 B-17?

It depended....

By the time aircraft like the B-17 were being built, production techniques were adopted that are still being used today. Aircraft are built in "segments" subassemblies that come together on a final assembly line. Within the sub assembly construction you may have 4 or 5 people building up a wing or fuselage section which is built up in an assembly jig. Many times a segment of the aircraft may be built at a subcontractor as well. Anyway as it all comes together you'll have people installing electrical wiring, hydraulics and other systems, again 4 or 5 at a time. When the aircraft gets to final assembly you may have 10 or more people installing interior furnishing like seats, radios, lights and then doing functional tests of the electrical and hydraulic systems so when the engines are fired up for the first time its assured there will be no problems. Then you have folks out on the flight line doing final checks prior to the first flight.

At any given time there could be as many as 10 people on the plane but in essence it would not surprise me if there are at least 100 people physically assembling the aircraft during the entire process.

twoeagles · 08-18-2008, 02:55 PM

Another way to look at the production: deliveries started (slowly) in April, 1938. I don't know when production ceased, but just taking VJ day on 14 August, 1945, that's 2,687 days. A total of 12,731 (give or
take) B-17's were built. That means 4.7 aircraft per day, 7 days a week.
And the B-24 even surpassed this! (and multiply that by 4 to get the engines that had to match airframes!)

syscom3 · 08-18-2008, 03:31 PM

At the peak of production, I wouldnt be too far off the mark in saying a B17 was built every 3 hours at any given production plant.

But the sum total "man hours" to build it was still in the 10's of thousands.

Micdrow · 08-18-2008, 09:31 PM

Here is an old thread that talked about man hours to build different types of aircraft and there years.

http://www.ww2aircraft.net/forum/tec...aft-10190.html (Man hours to build aircraft)

08-16-2008, 11:15 PM	#2
FLYBOYJ IP/Mech THE GREAT GAZOO Join Date: Apr 2005 Location: Colorado, USA Posts: 16,051	Interesting Paul - I know several years ago Sys and I had a running debut about ease of production and how many B-24s could be built in a day. This is obviously from the Boeing Plant, throw Vega (Lockheed) and Douglas in there and I'm certain that number increases drastically. Not they talk about the B-17B - by the time the G was bering built????? __________________ "IF ITS RED OR DUSTY, DON'T TOUCH IT"

08-17-2008, 02:14 AM	#3
syscom3 Senior Member Join Date: Jun 2005 Location: Orange County, CA Posts: 10,283	Several years ago? Try two! That production number in the ad was for the prewar aircraft "B" models. Hardly representative of the late 1944 production runs for the "G" models. In the pic, note the rudder tail colors. And what are those two beastly looking fuselages in the upper left? __________________ "Pilot to copilot..... what are those mountain goats doing up here in the clouds?"

08-17-2008, 03:06 AM	#6
Lucky13 Senior Member Join Date: Aug 2006 Location: A Swede living in Glasgow, Scotland Posts: 15,144	Mmmmmmm......Stratocruiser.....drrroool..! __________________ JAN "Felicis Tredecim" "I´m going back to the front to relax" "THE BLACK CATS FLIES TONIGHT" "Find your enemy and shoot him down - everything else is unimportant!" "When you're out of F-8's... You're out of fighters!"

08-17-2008, 08:19 AM	#7
Micdrow “Archive” Join Date: Aug 2006 Location: Wisconsin Posts: 4,852	Still its amazing, now of days with all the modern technology it takes years to restore a B-17. Back then it took just days before one was in the air. __________________ "Valor does not mean Hero."

08-17-2008, 09:34 AM	#8
Lucky13 Senior Member Join Date: Aug 2006 Location: A Swede living in Glasgow, Scotland Posts: 15,144	Makes you think, right? __________________ JAN "Felicis Tredecim" "I´m going back to the front to relax" "THE BLACK CATS FLIES TONIGHT" "Find your enemy and shoot him down - everything else is unimportant!" "When you're out of F-8's... You're out of fighters!"

08-17-2008, 02:58 AM	#5
kool kitty89 Senior Member Join Date: Aug 2007 Location: San Jose, CA Posts: 2,412	You mean Stratoliners: Boeing 307 - Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia The B-29 and the Stratocruiser wouldn't come to be for several more years.

08-18-2008, 04:12 AM	#10
Soundbreaker Welch? Senior Member Join Date: Feb 2006 Location: Colorado, USA Posts: 1,893	If everybody just pitched in, we could still do it! (If we had the money.) cough, cough! __________________ "His motor's conked out!" "What's the differance, they're all Nazis!" "Luke, shut up!" "Fear the hook!" "Oh.....I wanna fly." "You mean the kind that go under water and fly up the stairs?" "What you doing? Oh Nooooo!"

08-18-2008, 04:39 AM	#11
seesul Senior Member Join Date: Jun 2006 Location: Zlin, Czech Republic Posts: 2,489	Amazing! Would like to know how many people worked on 1 B-17? __________________ Roman Susil Zlin, Czech Republic ...a friend of Joe Owsianik,So. Plainfield, NJ, a former left waist gunner from B-17G ''Tail End Charlie" from 2ndBG,20th Sqdn who was forced to bail out on Aug. 29th, 1944 over my country.

08-18-2008, 02:55 PM	#13
twoeagles Senior Member Join Date: Oct 2006 Location: Chambersburg Posts: 665	Another way to look at the production: deliveries started (slowly) in April, 1938. I don't know when production ceased, but just taking VJ day on 14 August, 1945, that's 2,687 days. A total of 12,731 (give or take) B-17's were built. That means 4.7 aircraft per day, 7 days a week. And the B-24 even surpassed this! (and multiply that by 4 to get the engines that had to match airframes!)

08-18-2008, 03:31 PM	#14
syscom3 Senior Member Join Date: Jun 2005 Location: Orange County, CA Posts: 10,283	At the peak of production, I wouldnt be too far off the mark in saying a B17 was built every 3 hours at any given production plant. But the sum total "man hours" to build it was still in the 10's of thousands. __________________ "Pilot to copilot..... what are those mountain goats doing up here in the clouds?"

08-18-2008, 09:31 PM	#15
Micdrow “Archive” Join Date: Aug 2006 Location: Wisconsin Posts: 4,852	Here is an old thread that talked about man hours to build different types of aircraft and there years. http://www.ww2aircraft.net/forum/tec...aft-10190.html (Man hours to build aircraft) __________________ "Valor does not mean Hero."

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