# If Burt Rutan Had Been Building B-17s **URL:** \ **Category:** Miscellaneous and Personal Stuff I Must Share\ **Created:** [April 9, 2005, 5:44am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/if-burt-rutan-had-been-building-b-17s/298533 "2005-04-09T05:44:59Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 11\ **Page:** 2
**Author:** ![Tuckerfan](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/t/eada6e/32.png) [@Tuckerfan](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Tuckerfan)\ **Post date:** [April 10, 2005, 7:09am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/if-burt-rutan-had-been-building-b-17s/298533/21 "2005-04-10T07:09:15Z")
> [@David Simmons](#): > > :wally Who said anything about bailing out? War is Hell and ought to stay that way. 😉 Yeah, but what if you were having mechanical problems? 😉 ---
**Author:** ![tomndebb](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/t/b9e5f3/32.png) [@tomndebb](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/tomndebb)\ **Post date:** [April 10, 2005, 7:33am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/if-burt-rutan-had-been-building-b-17s/298533/22 "2005-04-10T07:33:37Z")
And your point is? (BTW, I suspect that **Tuckerfan** ’s original photo was from a YB-40 rather than a B-17.) ---
**Author:** ![Boyo\_Jim](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/b/87869e/32.png) [@Boyo\_Jim](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Boyo_Jim)\ **Post date:** [April 10, 2005, 11:22am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/if-burt-rutan-had-been-building-b-17s/298533/23 "2005-04-10T11:22:23Z")
> [@tomndebb](#): > > And your point is? > (BTW, I suspect that **Tuckerfan** ’s original photo was from a YB-40 rather than a B-17.) Oh yeah, the second upper turret. It’s those sharp eyes which brought you up through the ranks to Moderatorhood! 😛 ---
**Author:** ![Zebra](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/z/c0e974/32.png) [@Zebra](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Zebra)\ **Post date:** [April 10, 2005, 1:39pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/if-burt-rutan-had-been-building-b-17s/298533/24 "2005-04-10T13:39:13Z")
The problem with the large front wing is that is leaves no room for nose art. If you can’t paint a half naked babe on it, it’s crap. ---
**Author:** ![David\_Simmons](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/9de053/32.png) [@David\_Simmons](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/David_Simmons)\ **Post date:** [April 10, 2005, 1:55pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/if-burt-rutan-had-been-building-b-17s/298533/25 "2005-04-10T13:55:30Z")
> [@Tuckerfan](#): > > Yeah, but what if you were having mechanical problems? 😉 In the wonderful B-17; with those marvelous Wright engines; and those famous Hamilton-Standard propellors; designed by Bert Rutan? You must be kidding. ---
**Author:** ![Reeder](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/r/c6cbf5/32.png) [@Reeder](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Reeder)\ **Post date:** [April 10, 2005, 2:35pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/if-burt-rutan-had-been-building-b-17s/298533/26 "2005-04-10T14:35:58Z")
> [@Boyo Jim](#): > > Ok, here’s an attempt at a [Quickie B-17](http://pg.photos.yahoo.com/ph/yojimboguy/detail?.dir=/180a&.dnm=b828.jpg&.src=ph) The waist gunners would have had to be very careful with that set up. ---
**Author:** ![Johnny\_L.A](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/johnny_l.a/32/1084_2.png) [@Johnny\_L.A](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Johnny_L.A)\ **Post date:** [April 10, 2005, 2:42pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/if-burt-rutan-had-been-building-b-17s/298533/27 "2005-04-10T14:42:41Z")
> [@Boyo Jim](#): > > [Aircraft to order while you wait.](http://pg.photos.yahoo.com/ph/yojimboguy/detail?.dir=180a&.dnm=559d.jpg&.src=ph) Heh. Now it looks like a cross between a B-17, a Quickie, a Martin Mariner, and a Corsair! 🙂 Out of curiosity, what program are you using? > [@Tuckerfan](#): > > Yeah, but what if you were having mechanical problems? 😉 ‘Shut up and die like an aviator!’ 😉 ---
**Author:** ![Bosda\_Di\_Chi\_of\_Tricor](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/bosda_di_chi_of_tricor/32/16845_2.png) [@Bosda\_Di\_Chi\_of\_Tricor](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Bosda_Di_Chi_of_Tricor)\ **Post date:** [April 10, 2005, 7:10pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/if-burt-rutan-had-been-building-b-17s/298533/28 "2005-04-10T19:10:32Z")
> [@RickJay](#): > > Given its service record, wouldn’t you kinda be nuts to change it? 🙂 > > Who’s Burt Rutan? \ ---
**Author:** ![Boyo\_Jim](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/b/87869e/32.png) [@Boyo\_Jim](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Boyo_Jim)\ **Post date:** [April 10, 2005, 8:41pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/if-burt-rutan-had-been-building-b-17s/298533/29 "2005-04-10T20:41:34Z")
> [@Johnny L.A.](#): > > Heh. Now it looks like a cross between a B-17, a Quickie, a Martin Mariner, and a Corsair! 🙂 > > Out of curiosity, what program are you using?.. Adobe Photoshop, the full blown professional edition. ---
**Author:** ![Tuckerfan](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/t/eada6e/32.png) [@Tuckerfan](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Tuckerfan)\ **Post date:** [April 11, 2005, 6:52am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/if-burt-rutan-had-been-building-b-17s/298533/30 "2005-04-11T06:52:52Z")
> [@David Simmons](#): > > In the wonderful B-17; with those marvelous Wright engines; and those famous Hamilton-Standard propellors; designed by Bert Rutan? You must be kidding. Amd the phrase “built by the lowest bidder” doesn’t bother you a bit, then? ---
**Author:** ![David\_Simmons](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/9de053/32.png) [@David\_Simmons](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/David_Simmons)\ **Post date:** [April 11, 2005, 8:05am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/if-burt-rutan-had-been-building-b-17s/298533/31 "2005-04-11T08:05:02Z")
> [@Tuckerfan](#): > > Amd the phrase “built by the lowest bidder” doesn’t bother you a bit, then? Nah. The extra cost of the higher bidders is often profit or inefficiency and doesn’t necessarily reflect higher quality or better performance. Anyway, the B-17 was the product of Boeing which they developed on their own for which they deserve credit. However, it wasn’t the wonder machine of legend and the name Flying Fortress was pure pressagentry. [Previous page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/if-burt-rutan-had-been-building-b-17s/298533.md?page=1)