Great memories, sir! Very cool of the curator to loan out the B-24 manuals.

When I was just starting elementary school my family lived in Omaha. We went to Offutt to watch the Blue Angels and sat underneath the wings of the B-36 for shade (and it provided plenty of it...) This would have been about '75 or '76. Do recall some other aircraft parked there (exactly like you described, last guy off being the last guy to do anything with it) but don't remember a B-17 during that time. The currently have a B-17G that has a really neat light display in the back of the engines.

From what I've read online they were in the process of restoring a B-17E or F there (on Offutt AFB); but recently they had a flooding situation so I'm sure that put a monkey wrench in things.

The museum in Ashland is really neat, good collection of vintage aircraft, and the had a display set up describing what they went through to get those aircraft moved from Offutt to Ashland. At some point will take another trip back.