At @airandspace's Mary Baker Engen Restoration Hangar Adam Savage goes inside (literally!) one of the most remarkable artifacts from World War II: the Martin B-26 Marauder known as Flak-Bait. Surviving 200+ combat missions and taking more than 1,000 direct hits from flak and shrapnel, Flak-Bait holds the record for the most combat missions flown by any U.S. aircraft in WWII. Adam meets with curator Jeremy Kinney and objects conservator Lauren Horelick to learn about the meticulous process of preserving this legendary survivor. From uncovering hidden signatures and original battle damage under decades of overpaint to stepping inside the bomb bay and looking through the "small finds" time capsule discovered within its fuselage, join Adam for an incredible deep dive into living aviation history.
Visit the National Air and Space Museum's Udvar Hazy Center: https://www.si.edu/museums/air-and-space-museum-udvar-hazy-center
Visit the National Air and Space Museum's downtown museum: https://airandspace.si.edu/
Smithsonian Institution: https://www.si.edu/
Flak Bait: https://airandspace.si.edu/collection-objects/martin-b-26b-25-ma-marauder-flak-bait/nasm_A19600297000
Restoring a Rare Pearl Harbor Aircraft Survivor: https://youtu.be/XMGkmnJhMq0
Adam Savage Visits National Air and Space Museum's Restoration Hangar: https://youtu.be/WFSnf0MSAFc
The Wright Brothers Plane You've Never Heard Of: https://youtu.be/pKd_1jVuKcQ
More videos from Smithsonian's Air and Space Museum: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=5c0BsBCx4Sw&list=PLJtitKU0CAeiJ7tjkIqcrRPfIYZHPW643
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Audio Described and Accessible Videos: https://www.youtube.com/playlist?list=PLJtitKU0CAeiQLgj4PZ9onSW6YXIz5ADR
00:00 - Flak-Bait Overview
02:08 - Assembly After 80 Years
04:22 - Preservation vs. Restoration
05:30 - Inspecting the Nose Cone & Repairs
08:08 - Conservation Overview
11:15 - Inside the Bomb Bay
12:50 - Cockpit, Navigation Station & Battle Scars
17:38 - WWII Artifacts Found Inside
21:49 - UV Imaging & Paint Archaeology
24:30 - Removing Decades of Hand Varnish
28:06 - Hidden Airmen Signatures
30:00 - Deciphering the Mission Tallies & Nose Art
Intro bumper by Abe Dieckman
Thanks for watching!