Bally B-17

The Bally Bomber B-17 is a one third scale, single seat, homebuilt aircraft, intended as a replica of the Boeing B-17 Flying Fortress.[1] that made its debut during AirVenture 2018. The aircraft was put up for sale in 2018,[2] and the builder, Jack Bally, died in June of 2020.[3] The aircraft returned to AirVenture 2021 and 2022 piloted by her new owner, Larry Neu, of San Antonio, Texas

Bally’s Bomber (B-17)
Bally B-17 at the 2023 EAA AirVenture Oshkosh
Role Homebuilt aircraft
National origin United States
Designer Jack Bally, Don Smith (plans)
Status Complete, Flying
Primary user Jack Bally
Produced 2001-2018
Number built 1
Developed from Boeing B-17

Design and development

The Bally Bomber B-17 is an original design by Jack Bally, EAA 348338.[4] The aircraft is a four-engined, retractable conventional landing gear equipped, low wing monoplane. The fuselage is all riveted aluminum in construction with hexagonal bulkheads. The drawings were modified from a one ninth scale set of radio-controlled aircraft plans. Despite being a scale replica, the aircraft is relatively large for a homebuilt aircraft with 34 ft (10.4 m) wingspan. Most homebuilt aircraft are single engine designs with a few twin engine models produced, making the four-engined homebuilt a rarity in itself.[5]

The Bally Bomber took 17 years and 40,000 man-hours to get into the air, and eventually to the EAA AirVenture Convention held annually in Oshkosh, Wisconsin. Thousands of EAA members have followed Bally’s progress for years, and AirVenture 2018 attendees had a chance to see the finished result in person.[6]

Specifications (Bally B-17)

Data from Experimenter

General characteristics

  • Crew: 1
  • Length: 24 ft (7.3 m)
  • Wingspan: 34 ft 7 in (10.54 m)
  • Powerplant: 4 × Hirth F-30 Two cycle piston, 85 hp (63 kW) each
  • Propellers: 3-bladed

Performance

  • g limits: +/-6g

Armament

  • Replica chin, tail and ball turret

See also

References
  1. Chad Jensen (September 2012). "Jack Bally's B-17". EAA Experimenter.
  2. AeroNews Network (28 September 2018). "One-Third Scale B-17 'Bally's Bomber' Offered For Sale".
  3. Kate O’Connor (20 June 2020). "Jack Bally Passes Away".
  4. Brian Lohnes (24 December 2020). "Incredible: Jack Bally Built A Flying 1/3 Scale B-17 Bomber From Scratch".
  5. "Jack Bally's 1/3 Scale Replica B-17". Archived from the original on 17 August 2012. Retrieved 8 September 2012.
  6. Ti Windisch (21 July 2018). "Bally Bomber Drawing Attention in Oshkosh".
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