Possible old news to you guys but this just poped up on EDP website.
B17 Flying Fortress flies to East Anglia
BEN KENDALL
27 May 2008
Throughout the second world war, East Anglia acted as an aircraft carrier for the Flying Fortress.
Now, more than 60 years later, memories of that era are to be recreated as one of the 390th Bomb Group’s most famous aircraft prepares to return to these shores.
The 1940s-built B17 Flying Fortress Liberty Belle will be flown from its base in Georgia, USA, along the war-time delivery route across Canada, Greenland, Iceland and the UK.
Visitors to the Flying Legends Airshow at Duxford, Cambridge-shire, in July will then be able to see the bomber, highlighting the crucial role Norfolk and Suffolk airbases played during the war.
In the 1940s, B17s carried out daylight precision bombing raids on German industrial targets from bases including Snetterton.
A spokesman for the museum said: “Flying Legends provides the airshow public with an unrivalled line-up of the great classic propeller- driven combat aircraft of the bygone years. This year’s event promises another exciting line-up with more than 60 aircraft scheduled to take part, including two B17s gracing the Duxford skies.”
Don Brooks will pilot the plane. He is son of Elton Brooks, a B17 tail gunner based at Framlingham airfield who flew some 34 missions.
He last flew this route in 1994 in his DC3 (C47) Dakota, bringing US veterans back to the D-Day beaches. He dropped them over Sainte-Mere-Eglise, a sight witnessed by thousands, including a host of dignitaries from around the world.
But his latest flight is in memory of not just his father but all those who served in the US Army Air Corps’ Eighth Air Force – often referred to as the Mighty Eighth.
Mr Brooks has made it his mission to find and a restore a B17. The journey in July will see him complete his dream as the plane flies over the control tower at Martlesham, which remains intact.
Liberty Belle will then star at The Flying Legends airshow on July 12 and 13 at Duxford’s airfield, now part of the Imperial War Museum.
Regards Richard
By: ozplane - 12th June 2008 at 11:59
Air Atlantique’s DC-6 operated from Deenethorpe for a while, when they were rumoured to be looking at the field to house the collection, so it should be good for a B-17. Conington is licesed for 987 meters but there is an overrun which with some determined sweeping could be used to extend it a little.
By: Firebird - 12th June 2008 at 11:59
What I don’t understand is on the Liberty Belle website it infers she’s going to Framlingham..?
I hope they don’t try to land it there:rolleyes:
By: Eye on the Sky - 12th June 2008 at 11:42
Here’s hoping she makes a trip to Deenethorpe then!
By: Firebird - 12th June 2008 at 11:40
The runway at Deenethorpe is used by a glider company, from the ground, it looks ok (he says tentatively), though I am unsure if it could take a B17.
It’s listed as 1200m which is similar to DX so will be OK for a B-17.
Glatton (now Conington) is listed at 987m, which maybe still OK….?
By: Eye on the Sky - 12th June 2008 at 11:24
The runway at Deenethorpe is used by a glider company, from the ground, it looks ok (he says tentatively), though I am unsure if it could take a B17. If interested in Deenethorpe I highly recommend Return Fom Berlin by Robert Grilley, a cracking read!
By: Pete Truman - 12th June 2008 at 11:08
Thurleigh does look rather full of cars, looking on Google Earth I can see 2 fairly intact looking former B-17 runways, Glatton and Deenethorpe, can anyone vouch for their condition.
Blimey Firebird, beat me to it by minutes.
By: Firebird - 12th June 2008 at 11:03
Deenethorpe looks a good candiate too…….B-17’s of the 401st BG were there.
Glatton (457th BG) is another possibility, still used for GA, but not sure whether the runway has been shortened and is long enough for a 17.
By: cestrian - 12th June 2008 at 10:13
The main runway at Thurleigh ,27/09, was built post-war ,but the subsidiary runway ,24/06, is original as is 18/36 (But this does have a inconvenient VTOL pit slap bang in the middle!)
Thurleigh must have been been unique in the UK in having 5 seperate hard runways for research use by the R.A.E. 27/09
24/06
36/18
catapult(aligned 24)
arrester (aligned 24)
By: Firebird - 12th June 2008 at 09:04
Tibenham was used by B-24’s, I’ve been trying to find out whether any former B-17 bases have their runways intact, Honnington was a B-17 repair depot and Sculthorpe saw limited use, can anyone think of any others that could be safely landed on without having to remove the turkey sheds.
Found one, Alconbury, though if the runway is as bad as it is at Wethersfield, don’t try it, does anyone know of any others.
The runway at the former 306th BG base at Thurleigh is still intact and has been kept in a reasonable condition since vacated by DERA/RAE, but, I think it used for mass open air car storage still these days.
By: Arabella-Cox - 12th June 2008 at 00:11
I read in the latest Flypast that Mr.Blair’s Spitfire Ltd. has a P-38 running again in Florida. how great is the chance that we will see this P-38 in the UK?
By: Pete Truman - 10th June 2008 at 09:08
I have heard on the grapevine that a request has been made for the Liberty Belle to land at Tibenham in Norfolk during It’s visit in July. Can anyone validate this story one way or the other
Tibenham was used by B-24’s, I’ve been trying to find out whether any former B-17 bases have their runways intact, Honnington was a B-17 repair depot and Sculthorpe saw limited use, can anyone think of any others that could be safely landed on without having to remove the turkey sheds.
Found one, Alconbury, though if the runway is as bad as it is at Wethersfield, don’t try it, does anyone know of any others.
Incidentally, I’m assuming that Sally-B was the last B-17 to land at Alconbury, I’m sure it must have been at an airshow there in 1991.
By: Yak 11 Fan - 9th June 2008 at 21:10
That would be nice. 😀
By: Dellboy - 9th June 2008 at 17:43
I have heard on the grapevine that a request has been made for the Liberty Belle to land at Tibenham in Norfolk during It’s visit in July. Can anyone validate this story one way or the other
By: stuart gowans - 5th June 2008 at 08:40
On the same news page, did I see a photo of Dave Littleton’s B17 cockpit? comes to something when you find pictures on a US website, of a project, based 20 miles away…..
By: J Boyle - 5th June 2008 at 04:38
Here’s the latest…
According to Scott Thompson’s excellent B-17 website, as of June 1, the Liberty Belle is still confirmed to be coming to the UK this summer.
http://www.aerovintage.com/b17news.htm
Included is a link to the official site with more information and a route map.
By: Mr Angry - 31st May 2008 at 10:07
Maybe PT and Hanger 11 will attend?
Ill get me coat.
By: Pete Truman - 31st May 2008 at 10:01
others for consideration:
Swiss based ms406
Jacquard spit xix
ex caf buchon (if and when it arrives at dx)
Jet alpine fighters b25
ramon josa corsairBut to be honest who cares? i love surprises!!!
Hear, hear, if TFC says it’s going to have 60 historic airframes, then it will deliver, whatever they are, weather permitting of course and that seems to be our problem at the moment.
By: markstringer - 31st May 2008 at 09:56
others for consideration:
Swiss based ms406
Jacquard spit xix
ex caf buchon (if and when it arrives at dx)
Jet alpine fighters b25
ramon josa corsair
But to be honest who cares? i love surprises!!!
By: Kenneth - 30th May 2008 at 21:38
… a shame really as nothing will have been seen quite like it since the making of Memphis Belle,…
Maybe not in Europe, but four B-17’s flew in formation at the EAA fly-in in Oshkosh in 1993…. 😉
By: Arabella-Cox - 30th May 2008 at 12:47
Be nice to see a US or RAF marked dakota and also the Saab B17.
There will be a RAF marked Dakota from the BBMF according their Webpage, I would love to see the Saab B17 and what about the French Avenger marked in D-day markings and the formaly Uk-based Avenger now operating out of Switzerland. My day will be great if there are P-51’s. It would be nice if the Dutch based P-51D Damn Yankee would cross the pond, I sure love her paintjob
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May 27, 2008 at 11:06 pm