Preserving WWII’s Most Battle-Damaged Bomber

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 Subscribe for more videos (and click the bell for notifications): http://www.youtube.com/subscription_center?add_user=testedcom Join this channel to support Tested and get access to perks: https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCiDJtJKMICpb9B1qf7qjEOA/join Tested and Adam Savage Ts, stickers, (de) merit badges and more: https://adamsavage.com/ About Tested: https://www.tested.com/about Meet Adam in Person: https://www.tested.com/events Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/testedcom/ Facebook: http://www.facebook.com/testedcom TikTok: https://www.tiktok.com/@testedcom Discord: https://www.discord.gg/tested Amazon Storefront: http://www.amazon.com/shop/adamsavagestested 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!