WHEN I WAS LUCKY ENOUGH TO COME ACCROSS SOME ORIGINAL B-17 PANEL DRAWINGS, I DECIDED TO BUILD A 3D PANEL AND THEN AN ACTUAL PROTOTYPE. SEE MY STORY UNDER HISTORY.

ALL THE PANEL LIGHTS ARE FUNCTIONAL, EVEN ON THIS PROTOTYPE. I ALSO GOT A COUPLE OF THE ORIGINAL C-5 COCKPIT LIGHTS THAT WERE USED IN THE B-17'S AND WIRED THEM UP TO THE RHEOSTAT SWITCHES ON THE FAR LEFT SIDE OF THE PANEL. AT NIGHT I CAN POSITION THESE LIGHTS, TURN THE DARK RED LENS FILTERS TO THE ON POSITION AND IT LOOKS TRULY AWSOME, EVERYTHING GLOWING AND LIT UP JUST AS THE ORIGINAL DID. I WIRED UP A 24 VOLT DC POWER SUPPLY TO GIVE ME THE JUICE NEEDED. BULBS AND LAMPS ARE RATED AT 28 VOLTS, BUT THE SMALL DIFFERENCE DOESN'T MATTER AT ALL AND PROBABLY SAVES MY BULBS. THE INDICATOR LAMPS (10 SHOWING) ARE ORIGINAL UNITS STRIPPED FROM WWII AIRCRAFT AND STILL HAD A LOT OF WIRES SHOWING. THEY ARE ADJUSTABLE AND WHEN THE FRONT BEZEL IS ROTATED, THREE SMALL TRIANGLES CHANGE SIZE TO LIMIT THE AMOUNT OF LUMINATION. I GOT YTHESE LAMPS FROM
http://www.garciaaviation.com

THINK HE STILL HAS A SUPPLY OF THEM IN RED AND AMBER COLOR.

I HAVE COME A LONG WAY AND STILL AM LEARNING AND MAKING PROGRESS ALONG THE WAY. SOON I WILL BE ASSEMBLING MY FIRST ORIGINAL TYPE B-17 PANELS TO THE CORRECT PLYWOOD FRAME AND I WILL BE POSTING PICTURES OF THE PROGRESS. PLS HAVE A LOOK IN THE HISTORY SECTION TO FIND OUT MORE ABOUT WHAT I AM DOING.

HERE IS A CUT AWAY SECTIONAL VIEW THROUGH THE PANEL OF AN ORIGINAL B-17 (DRAWING). THIS RIB PANEL FALLS RIGHT BETWEEN THE MANIFOLD PRESSURE AND THE TACHOMETERS AND SEPARATES THE RIGHT AND CENTER PANELS. YOU CAN SEE EASILY HOW THE EDGES ARE ROUTED INTO EACH OTHER, WHICH, WHEN AFTER GLUING GIVES IT THE STRENGTH.

A CRUDE BEGINNING!
I HAD ALREADY AMASSED QUITE A FEW ORIGINAL INSTRUMENTS AND DECIDED TO CREATE A PROTOTYPE PANEL. I USED A FULL SHEET OF 3/16"  LUAN PLYWOOD AND MOUNTED WHATEVER I HAD, ADDING TO THEM AS MY COLLECTION INCREASED. A LOT OF WHAT YOU SEE IN THIS PICTURE HAS BEEN REPLACED WITH MORE ORIGINAL INSTRUMENTATION AS I FOUND IT ON EBAY. NEVER A PROBLEM AS IF YOU GET SOMETHING YOU DON'T LIKE IT WILL SELL AND I NEVER LOST ANY MONEY ON THE WRONG TYPE OR DIAL COATING.