Bare Metal Sally B

Does anyone know of any videotapes of the displays from those days? I’m interested in Ted White’s B-17, Don Bullocks A-26, and Jeff Hawke in different B-25s. This would be out of this world, as would anything of Spencer Flack’s scarlet air force.

T J Johansen

I seem to recall that there was some mention of Don’s state of mind or health???? in the accident report. I could be wrong though. I watched the Invader at the 1980 May show in Biggin but I don’t recall barrel rolls. Did other pilots fly the Invader as well?

A guy I know who was based at Blackbushe told me Don Bullock came by with the A-26 on (I believe) the Friday prior to the fatal Biggin Hill airshow, and almost landed on a Cessna doing its run-up. When confronted with this he replied that he had not been feeling very well lately and left it at that.
Was it customary for the A-26 to do barrel rolls in those days? I have seen the SHF A-26 do both cuban eights, and barrel rolls in the past, but not while carrying passengers. That is crazy 🙁 🙁 😡

T J Johansen

I have hair raising pictures of Sally B being flown at Duxford by Don Bullock at that time,were’nt the Imperial War Museum going to have Sally B removed because of this.
My pal and I always thought that he had some kind of deathwish,as I said in another thread,I saw him attempting the barrel roll at Mildenhall a week or so before the Biggin incident.
Incidentally,I first came across Duxford in 1975 and saw Sally B in metal finish parked next to the road,not having seen a B-17 before I cheekily went over the sad barbed wire fence and walked round it in wonder taking several colour slides that I am unable to reproduce here.

A-26

I was at Biggin in 1980 and watched the ‘barrel role’, if I recall the incident happened on the Sunday as I remember standing outside the ‘Swordfish Bar’ late afternoon on the Saturday after the show, watching him do the same barrel role but completing it.
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Vaporizers

That does sound like the incident, I remember it was definitely the same guy the displayed the fort at Grafton, there was discussion at the time that the dispaly was far to ‘aggressive’ and low, it went beyond impressive.

Along the lines of low flying, my wifes Grandad flew Beaufighters in India late in the war and he was telling me over christmas about his ferry flight (himself and his second hand Beau) from Portreath to India. One leg was across North Africa using the coast raod as a nav aid from Libya to Eygpt, he said that this leg was flown at low level, 30-50 ft – apparantly this startles camels!!

Wasn’t it displayed, then, by a guy who was later killed in, I think, a B25 – for some reason Farnboro’ rings a bell or could have been Biggin, I was only young so excuse my ignorance if I am wrong.

Possibly thinking of Don Bullock who was killed along with his passengers 😡 attempting to barrel roll a A-26 Invader at low level at Biggin Hill in 1980.

I remember seeing Sally B being displayed at a Grafton Underwood memorial day in the 70’s or 80’s, it was silver and had no chin turret then. But as Moondance said it was incredibly low, too low. Wasn’t it displayed, then, by a guy who was later killed in, I think, a B25 – for some reason Farnboro’ rings a bell or could have been Biggin, I was only young so excuse my ignorance if I am wrong.

silver paint

Didn’t they paint parts the US (ex champlin) located FW190 Dora silver paint to protect it from corrosion. This plane is not flown, but shouldn’t it be possible to do it on a flying B-17.

J.V.

I know absolutely nothing about painting aircraft, but would it be possible to paint Sally B silver, therefore having a bare metal appearance and giving protection to the aircraft skin? Or in the mean time could just the current code letters and serial be painted over with Olive Drab, and have some new codes applied?

Sally B was in her natural metal scheme when she also starred in an episode of It Ain’t Half hot Mum. I prefer the olive drab on a B17 myself

Thanks B17 man,

I should have realised that was Clive.

Septic.

Sally B as ‘Ginger Rodgers’ seen here at West Malling in 1982.

photos Gary R Brown Collection.

Septic.

Two familiar faces from the left, Ted White and Clive Denney, I have some more photos of the filming, will dig them out
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ROLL A JOINT

As regards the natual metal vs the green, IIRC, the original desire was for some paint protection for the skinning.

Sally ‘B’ (still as N17TE) at Finningley, September 1975 during her first UK display season….very nearly 30 years ago, an amazing achievement, to keep her running in private hands for so long.
Not wishing to be controversial, but my main memory is the manner in which she was displayed in those days…..at one Finningley show (probably 1975), she was flown up the grass, BETWEEN the runway and the crowd line at an absurdly low altitude, enough to make my teenage toes curl (and which would presumably give the CAA a fit if flown like that now!)

I find the old bare metal scheme much nicer. Would be nice to see it come back when a repaint is due.
Shame G-FORT never made it onto the circuit(as far as I know?), only ever saw her parked at Blackbushe for about a year around 1985. Anybody have a photo(silly question!).

Looks good in gold. This is how the sun (and I) caught her one day in the early 80s
mmitch

I read somewhere the plan was to repaint Sally B for the 2006 season if funds allow

Perhaps adding the yellow tail and green sripes of the 447th Bomb Group or a red splash of the 1st air division would liven Sally B up a bit. Plenty of examples with Olive Drab and Grey so a complete respray would not be needed I would hope. I would love to see her in natral metal for a few years and then we could have a diferent tail every year :rolleyes: :rolleyes:

Now where is my friend Bill, I have and idea for him :p :p :p

Respray

I would like to see the ‘Sally B’ painted in the markings of anything else, but ‘Memphis Belle’. It has the standard grey/olive drab, so the application of some different markings would not cost that much. The film as we all know was made in 1989 so I think the time has come for a new angle, some new merchandise could be made with the new colour scheme/markings on it and this would allow people to buy new stckers etc, when you look at the sales stall, Memphis Belle stickers are outdated.
You have the real Memphis Belle, Dave Tallachet’s B-17 is flying as the Belle, and Sally B (with the chin turret).
Time to think of a change, perhaps a general vote on this should be made and the Supporters club should be allowed to have a vote
Just my opinion
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